COMMERCE CITY, COLO. - Sounders FC (13-9-7, 46 points) fell 2-0 on the road at the Colorado Rapids (8-14-6, 30 points) on Saturday evening at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. Andre Shinyashiki recorded a brace for Colorado as Seattle had its two-match winning streak snapped, and currently sits second in the Western Conference with five matches remaining in the 2019 season. Brian Schmetzer's club now returns home to face the New York Red Bulls next Sunday, September 15 at CenturyLink Field (3:00 p.m. PT / JOEtv, YouTube TV, 950 KJR AM, El Rey 1360 AM).
Shinyashiki put the Rapids up 1-0 in the 41st minute, giving the rookie his sixth goal of the season. Jonathan Lewis collected an overcooked cross on the left side of the area and fed Shinyashiki at the corner of the six-yard-box for strong finish at a difficult angle.
Protecting a lead in the second half, Colorado sat back and aimed to capitalize on the counterattack. That strategy paid off in the 70th minute, as Shinyashiki finished off a clinical transition play with a tap-in at the back post.
Tacoma Defiance midfielder Shandon Hopeau made his MLS debut when he came on for Justin Dhillon in the 58th minute. Hopeau and Defiance defender Nick Hinds were both called up to the First Team roster due to the Extreme Hardship rule.
Sounders FC now returns home next Sunday, September 15 for the lone matchup of the year against the New York Red Bulls at CenturyLink Field (3:00 p.m. PT / JOEtv, YouTube TV, 950 KJR AM, El Rey 1360 AM).
MATCH NOTES
- Sounders FC remains in second place in the Western Conference with 46 points (13-9-7), 16 points behind Supporters' Shield-leading LAFC. The club is just one point ahead of third-place San Jose.
- Saturday marked the second of two MLS regular-season meetings between the clubs this season, as Seattle won the first game 2-0 on March 9 at CenturyLink Field. Sounders FC is 18-6-2 all-time against Colorado, including 7-4-1 on the road. The win snapped a seven-match winning streak for Seattle against Colorado (including postseason).
- Midfielder Emanuel Cecchini made his first start for Seattle since joining the squad on August 8. The Argentine previously made two substitute appearances against Portland on August 23 and the LA Galaxy on September 1.
- Due to injuries and international callups, Sounders FC had just 16 players on the game-day roster, including Tacoma Defiance players Nick Hinds and Shandon Hopeau, who were added due to the Extreme Hardship rule. Hopeau made his MLS debut in the match, coming on for Justin Dhillon in the 58th minute.
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 0 - Colorado Rapids 2
Saturday, September 7, 2019
Venue: Dick's Sporting Goods Park
Referee: Kevin Stott
Assistants: Philippe Briere, TJ Zablocki
Fourth Official: Baldomero Toledo
VAR: Hilario Grajeda
Attendance: 16,607
Weather: 76 degrees and partly cloudy
SCORING SUMMARY
COL - Andre Shinyashiki (Jonathan Lewis, Sam Nicholson) 41'
COL - Andre Shinyashiki (Keegan Rosenberry, Nicolas Mezquida) 70'
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
SEA - Emanuel Cecchini (caution) 79'
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC - Stefan Frei; Kelvin Leerdam, Kim Kee-hee, Jonathan Campbell, Saad Abdul-Salaam; Nicolás Lodeiro - captain, Emanuel Cecchini (Alex Roldan 84'), Harry Shipp, Luis Silva, Handwalla Bwana (Danny Leyva HT); Justin Dhillon (Shandon Hopeau 58')
Substitutes not used: Bryan Meredith, Nicholas Hinds
Total shots: 5 (Silva, 3)
Shots on goal: 2 (Silva/Dhillon, 1)
Fouls: 4 (Abdul-Salaam, 2)
Offside: 2 (Dhillon, 2)
Corner-kicks: 3 (Lodeiro, 3)
Saves: 6 (Frei, 6)
Colorado Rapids - Clint Irwin; Keegan Rosenberry, Lalas Abubakar, Tommy Smith, Sam Vines; Jack Price, Kellyn Acosta, Sam Nicholson (Danny Wilson 82'), Nicolas Mezquida, Jonathan Lewis (Dillon Serna 62'); Andre Shinyashiki (Niki Jackson 75')
Substitutes not used: Andre Rawls, Axel Sjoberg, Sam Raben, Matthew Hundley
Total shots: 24 (Shinyashiki, 5)
Shots on goal: 8 (Mezquida/Shinyashiki, 2)
Fouls: 11 (Shinyashiki, 3)
Offside: 0
Corner-kicks: 5 (Price, 5)
Saves: 2 (Irwin, 2)
