With the Seattle Sounders on hiatus for the FIFA international break, S2 played a pair of matches against Cascadia rivals Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2, collecting four points as the team continue to push for a playoff berth.
Homegrown striker Darwin Jones came off the bench to hand S2 all three points at Starfire Stadium, while Academy alum Jordan Schweitzer grabbed a brace in British Columbia to give 10-man Seattle a share of the spoils.
S2 2 2, Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 1 | Sept. 2
Sounders Academy alums Schweitzer and 19-year old striker Victor Mansaray started the final home game of the season, with U-18 standouts Kei Tomozawa and Jamie Dimitroff making the bench.
With both teams applying heavy defensive pressure, the opening exchanges of the match appeared frenetic and chaotic at times. However, Mansaray began dropping deeper into the midfield in order to get on the ball and combine with teammates, and S2 started to dictate the tempo of the match as a result.
Recent weeks have seen Schweitzer evolve from a pure defensive midfielder into a box-to-box hybrid role, and the new mandate clearly suits the Everett native. In addition to breaking up plays on the defensive end, Schweitzer springs counter attacks with quick vertical passes or surging runs forward with the ball at his feet.
The former University of Denver standout put in an imperious display against a dangerous group of attacking players from WFC2, recording four interceptions and winning three tackles.
It fell to substitute Darwin Jones in the last play of the match to hand S2 the crucial three points. Mark O’Ojong received the ball in the middle of the pitch and drove forward before slipping in Jones down the left channel. The former University of Washington striker needed just two touches to blow by his markers, and the third touch was a decisive left-footed blast that ricocheted off the far post and into the back of the net for his sixth goal on the year.
Jones’ last minute heroics earned him USL Team of the Week honors.
Sounders 2 2, Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 | Sept. 5
After adopting a more offensive role in recent weeks, Schweitzer has gone from strength to strength for S2. In addition to winning three interceptions and a pair of tackles on the road to WFC2, the Homegrown midfielder dragged the team back into the match on two occasions.
Lined up alongside the more defensive-minded Willy Kapawa at the base of S2’s midfield, Schweitzer was freed up to dictate play going forward. After going behind 1-0 in the 3rd minute, the Academy alum found the equalizer on a lovely interchange with Jones and Zach Mathers.
Jones found Schweitzer with his back to goal in the box, and the Everett native played lightning-quick 1-2 pass with Mathers before rifling a first-time shot off the back post and into the back of the net.
After a hectic opening to the second half, the Rave Green found themselves down a goal and a man after a PK and Mathers’ questionable straight red card. With S2 in need of an equalizer, head coach Ezra Hendrickson brought on Academy products Mansaray and Kei Tomozawa.
Tomozawa came on to link play in midfield after a red card to Mathers, and Mansaray slotted in as the No. 9 with Irvin Parra moving out wide.
In the 81st minute, a pair of players from Seattle’s youth system combined for the equalizer and kept S2’s playoff hopes alive.
Tony Alfaro tossed a throw in from the left touchline toward Mansaray. In one fluid motion, Mansaray turned his defender and allowed the ball to run across him into the box. With a simple cutback, the young striker created enough space to clip a ball to the top of the six-yard box, where Schweitzer was on hand to head home after a surging run.
After scoring the game winner against Timbers 2 at Starfire Stadium, Schweitzer has now earned S2 four crucial points with late goals as the team continues to push for a postseason berth.
