With star striker Obafemi Martins sidelined with an injury, Sounders FC needed someone to step up and be a goal-scoring threat in its critical match against Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
Enter veteran forward Chad Barrett, who had started one game and played just over 100 minutes this season prior to Saturday’s 2-0 victory. Barrett notched both of Seattle’s goals during the first half on one-touch strikes from inside the box. He got on the board right away, scoring the fastest goal against Vancouver in franchise history by finishing a pass from Clint Dempsey in the fifth minute.
Here’s what Barrett and his teammates said after the game about the forward’s performance.
Chad Barrett:
“It’s good for me – those were my first goals in six months. It gives me a boost of confidence and takes a little pressure off the team because Vancouver came out firing in the first 15 minutes…It’s a massive win. Everything about this just rings awesome in the ears.”
“[The coaches and I] had a meeting a couple weeks back. Playing time was kind of scarce for me, and I just told them I would reward them if they gave me a chance. I was able to get those chances today.”
Brad Evans:
“As we step into Champions League and Open Cup, it’s what we need if we are going to capture multiple trophies. When guys go down injured, guys need to step up and perform. And we did that today.”
Stefan Frei:
“Clinical [performance]. It can be tough when you’re on the bench and not seeing the field too much, but we all believe that we are one big unit. You have to keep working in training and make sure you’re ready when they call upon every one of us. He took his chances well today, and we needed it. I am really happy for him.”
