SEATTLE, WASH. – Sounders FC secured a 3-0 win over English Premier League side West Ham United on Tuesday evening on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field in front of 38,585 fans. Herculez Gomez scored a first-half penalty-kick, while Jordan Morris added two goals within a two-minute span in the second half to seal the victory for Seattle. With the win, Sounders FC is now unbeaten in its last three international friendlies, and Tuesday’s match marks the first victory over Premiership opposition in the club’s MLS era. Sigi Schmid’s side now turns its attention to a nationally-televised MLS showdown against a familiar rival in the LA Galaxy on Saturday, July 9. Kickoff is slated for 12:00 p.m. PT at CenturyLink Field, with coverage being provided by ESPN, KIRO Radio 97.3 FM and El Rey 1360 AM.
After entering the match in the 62nd minute of play, Morris quickly left his mark on the match by recording a brace within two minutes of action. In the 70th minute, Morris converted a rebound off of an Oalex Anderson attempt inside West Ham’s area after Zach Mathers sent in a free-kick from midfield. The Mercer Island native smoothly buried his attempt to make the score 2-0.
Two minutes later, Morris ran onto the end of a Joevin Jones through ball down the left flank, bursting through West Ham’s backline and finishing smoothly at the opposition’s far post. For Morris, the strike marked his third goal in two games across all competitions having just scored at BMO Field against Toronto FC on July 2. With his second-half brace, Morris becomes the second player in Sounders FC history to score two goals in an international friendly. Fredy Montero struck twice in a 4-2 loss to Chelsea FC in 2012.
Tonight was the 10th international friendly in club history and the fifth instance in which Sounders FC has hosted an English Premier League side at CenturyLink Field. The victory was the first against an English side, as the Rave Green move to 3-5-2 all-time in international friendly competition. Sounders FC is now unbeaten in its last three international friendlies, following draws against Club Tijuana (2015) and Tottenham Hotspur (2014).
Sigi Schmid’s side makes its return to MLS play on Saturday, July 9 in the first of three regular-season meetings with Western Conference rival LA Galaxy. Kickoff is set for 12:00 p.m. PT, with a national broadcast on ESPN.
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 3 – West Ham United 0
Tuesday, July 5, 2016
Venue: Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field
Referee: Chipalo Street
Assistants: Jeff Hosking, Mike Rottersman
Fourth Official: Levi Rippy
Attendance: 38,585
Weather: Partly cloudy and 63 degrees
SCORING SUMMARY
SEA – Herculez Gomez (penalty) 42’
SEA – Jordan Morris 70’
SEA – Jordan Morris (Joevin Jones) 72’
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
SEA – Tony Alfaro (caution) 20’
WHU – Marcus Browne (caution) 38’
SEA – Aaron Kovar (caution) 43’
WHU – Doneil Henry (caution) 88’
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC – Stefan Frei (Tyler Miller 46’); Oniel Fisher (Michael Nelson 77’), Zach Scott – captain (Jimmy Ockford 46’), Tony Alfaro, Dylan Remick (Joevin Jones 62’); Cristian Roldan (Michael Farfan 46’), Nathan Sturgis (Erik Friberg 72’), Andreas Ivanschitz (Zach Mathers 62’); Aaron Kovar (Victor Mansaray 62’), Herculez Gomez (Jordan Morris 62’), Oalex Anderson
Substitutes not used: None
Total shots: 17
Shots on goal: 10
Fouls: 11
Offside: 3
Corner-kicks: 7
Saves: 6
West Ham United – Adrián (Raphael Spiegel 46’); Lewis Page (Sofiane Feghouli 46’), Winston Reid (Pedro Obiang 46’), Declan Rice (Doneil Henry 46’), Sam Byram (Aaron Cresswell 46’); Diego Poyet (Antonio Martinez 46’), Mark Noble – captain (Havard Nordveit 46’), Marcus Browne (Quina Domingos 46’); Martin Samuelson (Manuel Lanzini 46’), Moses Makasi, Andy Carroll (Reece Burke 46’)
Substitutes not used: None
Total shots: 18
Shots on goal: 6
Fouls: 12
Offside: 2
Corner-kicks: 2
Saves: 7
MATCH NOTES
- Tonight was the 10th international friendly in club history and fifth instance in which Sounders FC has hosted an English Premier League side at CenturyLink Field. Tonight’s win was the first against an English side as the Rave Green move to 3-5-2 all-time in international friendly competition. Sounders FC is now unbeaten in its last three international friendlies, following draws against Club Tijuana (2015) and Tottenham Hotspur (2014).
- With a second-half brace, Jordan Morris became the second player in Sounders FC history to score two goals in an international friendly. Fredy Montero struck twice in a 4-2 loss to Chelsea FC in 2012.
- Jimmy Ockford logged 45 minutes of action on the backline for the Rave Green Tuesday evening, recording his first minutes with the club this season. Ockford was recalled from a loan to the New York Cosmos for the friendly vs. West Ham United, and returns to the NASL side this week.
- Sounders FC 2 midfielder Zach Mathers and defender Michael Nelson signed short-term agreements ahead of Tuesday’s friendly. Mathers, in his fourth appearance this season with the First Team, logged 38 minutes and took the free-kick that led to the club’s second goal. Nelson, making his debut with the First Team, played 13 minutes at fullback after coming on for Oniel Fisher.
