SEATTLE, WASH. - Sounders FC secured its passage to the Western Conference Semifinals on Sunday afternoon at CenturyLink Field, as a 10-man Seattle side (14-9-11, 53 points) defeated the Colorado Rapids (9-19-6, 33 points) in front of 44,370 at CenturyLink Field. The Decision Day result was secured by goals from Will Bruin and Nicolás Lodeiro, with the Uruguayan playmaker bagging a second-half brace to seal the victory. The result ensures Brian Schmetzer's side a first-round bye in the 2017 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, with the Rave Green finishing the regular-season campaign in second place in the West. Pending results from this week's Knockout Round matches, the club is set to face either Vancouver Whitecaps FC, the Houston Dynamo or Sporting Kansas City in the two-match aggregate series, with Seattle traveling for the first leg of play next weekend before hosting the second leg on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field on Thursday, November 2.
Seattle struck first courtesy of Bruin, giving the first-year Sounder three goals in his past two games and 11 on the season, second to Clint Dempsey for the team lead. In the ninth minute, Dempsey played a long ball down the right flank to Kelvin Leerdam, who put a cross into the area that found Bruin for the match's opening strike.
Dempsey was issued a red card 15 minutes later, forcing Seattle to play the remaining 66 minutes with 10 men. Dempsey is suspended for the club's opening match of the 2017 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.
As the match remained scoreless into the second half, the Rapids had a chance to equalize with a penalty kick in the 54th minute after a Harry Shipp handball inside the 18-yard-box. However, Dominique Badji's attempt rebounded off the left post and Sounders FC was able to clear it away.
Seattle made it 2-0 10 minutes later with a penalty of their own. Axel Sjoberg was whistled for a foul on Will Bruin in the area, then issued a red card due to a denial of a goal scoring opportunity after a video review. Lodeiro converted the ensuing penalty to double Seattle's lead.
Lodeiro added the insurance tally in second-half stoppage time to give the Uruguayan seven goals on the 2017 campaign. A Frei goalkick sailed deep into Colorado's third, and the attempted clearance bounced right to Lodeiro. After one touch, Lodeiro fired a shot past Tim Howard to make the final score 3-0.
Frei finishes the season with a career-high 13 shutouts, tops in MLS this season and tied for the fifth-most in a single season in league history. He kept Colorado's attack quiet all match, most notably denying a point-blank attempt by Stefan Aigner from inside the area in the 40th minute.
On the heels of Sunday's match, 2017 marks the ninth-consecutive year that Sounders FC has qualified for the MLS postseason, which stands as the longest active streak in league history.
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 3 - Colorado Rapids 0
Sunday, October 22, 2017
Venue:
Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field
Referee:
Christopher Penso
Assistants:
Mike Rottersman, Jeremy Hanson
Fourth Official:
Baboucarr Jallow
VAR:
Fotis Bazakos
Attendance:
44,370
Weather:
58 degrees, mostly cloudy
SCORING SUMMARY
SEA -
Will Bruin (Kelvin Leerdam, Clint Dempsey) 9'
SEA
- Nicolás Lodeiro (penalty) 64'
SEA
- Nicolás Lodeiro 90'+4'
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
SEA -
Clint Dempsey (ejection) 24'
SEA
- Román Torres (caution) 29'
COL
- Stefan Aigner (caution) 32'
SEA
- Cristian Roldan (caution) 51'
COL
- Kortne Ford (caution) 61'
COL
- Axel Sjoberg (ejection) 62'
SEA
- Joevin Jones (caution) 90'+1'
COL
- Alan Gordon (caution) 90'+3'
SEA
- Nicolas Lodeiro (caution) 90'+4'
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC - Stefan Frei; Kelvin Leerdam, Román Torres (Tony Alfaro 90'+1'), Chad Marshall, Nouhou; Cristian Roldan, Harry Shipp, Nicolás Lodeiro - captain, Joevin Jones, Clint Dempsey; Will Bruin (Henry Wingo 85')
Substitutes not used: Tyler Miller, Aaron Kovar, Jordy Delem, Lamar Neagle, Oniel Fisher
Total shots:
18 (Lodeiro, 5)
Shots on goal:
6 (Lodeiro, 3)
Fouls:
11 (Nouhou, 3)
Offside:
1 (Shipp, 1)
Corner-kicks:
3 (Jones, 2)
Saves:
2 (Frei, 2)
Colorado Rapids - Tim Howard; Eric Miller, Kortne Ford, Axel Sjoberg, Mike da Fonte (Alan Gordan 57'); Bismark Boateng (Bobby Burling 68'), Mohammed Saeid, Marlon Hairston, Stefan Aigner; Dillon Serna (Joshua Gatt 60'), Dominique Badji
Substitutes not used: Zac MacMath, Mekeil Williams, Ricardo Perez, Luis Gil
Total shots:
5 (Aigner/Badji, 2)
Shots on goal:
2 (Aigner/Gordon, 1)
Fouls:
17 (Hairston, 4)
Offside:
2 (Hairston, 2)
Corner-kicks:
2 (Aigner, 2)
Saves:
3 (Howard, 3)
MATCH NOTES
- Sounders FC concludes the 2017 MLS regular season with 53 points (14-9-11), clinching the second seed in the Western Conference and a bye in the Knockout Round of the 2017 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.
- Pending results from this week's Knockout Round matches, Seattle is set to face either Vancouver Whitecaps FC, the Houston Dynamo or Sporting Kansas City in the two-match aggregate series, with Seattle traveling for the first leg of play next weekend before hosting the second leg on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field on Thursday, November 2.
- Will Bruin recorded his third goal in the past two games, giving him 11 on the season, second on the team to Clint Dempsey (12). 2017 marks the fourth double-digit scoring year for Bruin, who now has 61 career goals, eighth among active players.
- With a pair of strikes on Sunday, Nicolás Lodeiro finishes the season with seven goals (third on the team) to go along with 12 assists, one shy of the club record set by Obafemi Martins (2014) and Mauro Rosales (2011, 2012).
- Stefan Frei finishes the season with a career-high 13 shutouts, tops in MLS this season and tied for the fifth-most in a single season in league history.
- Sounders FC is currently amidst a 13-match home unbeaten streak (10-0-3), one shy of the club record of 14 set from March 16-September 29, 2013.
