WASHINGTON, D.C. - Chad Barrett scored the first-half game-winner as Seattle Sounders FC extended its unbeaten streak to five games (4-0-1) with a 1-0 road victory over D.C. United at RFK Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Sounders FC (11-3-2, 35 points) remains first in the Supporters' Shield race as the club has won nine of its past 11 games. The win extended Seattle's unbeaten streak against D.C. United to four games (3-0-1), including a 398-minute shutout streak in the series.
Barrett scored in the 39th minute on a header from close range. Gonzalo Pineda sent a cross into the box where Barrett whipped a header under the crossbar for the 1-nil lead.
The goal marked Barrett's fourth of the season, including three tallies over the past four matches. Pineda ranks second on Sounders FC with five assists and leads the team with three game-winning assists.
Sounders FC scored the game's first goal for the 10th time this season, improving to 7-1-2.
The two sides exchanged a flurry of scoring chances earlier in the first half. In the 23rd minute, Barrett regained possession in the attacking third but his shot from 20 yards out was saved by a diving Bill Hamid.
One minute later, Chris Rolfe collected a bouncing ball at the top of the box and blasted a shot that caromed off the post. In the 28th minute, Marco Pappa sent a cross into the box from the left flank but Barrett's header skipped wide of the far post.
D.C. United had a late dangerous chance when Eddie Johnson fired a hard shot from a tight angle in the 89th minute, but Stefan Frei dived to push the ball across the end line.
Seattle earned a season-high nine corner kicks, and put three of its five shot attempts on goal. Frei made two saves as he recorded his fifth shutout of the season.
Sounders FC Homegrown Player Aaron Kovar made his MLS debut, replacing Pappa in the 72nd minute. Midfielder David Estrada made his first appearance of the season when he replaced Lamar Neagle in the 85th minute.
Osvaldo Alonso and Pineda were both issued their fifth yellow card cautions of the season. Both players will be suspended for the next match due to yellow card accumulation.
Sounders FC resumes Cascadia Cup play at Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Saturday, July 5. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. PT at BC Place.
Scoring Summary:
SEA - Chad Barrett (Gonzalo Pineda) 39'
Seattle Sounders FC - Stefan Frei; Brad Evans, Chad Marshall, Jalil Anibaba, Leo Gonzalez; Lamar Neagle (David Estrada 85'), Osvaldo Alonso, Gonzalo Pineda, Marco Pappa (Aaron Kovar 72'); Kenny Cooper, Chad Barrett (Micheal Azira 58')
Substitutes Not Used: Marcus Hahnemann, Zach Scott, Tristan Bowen, Cam Weaver.
TOTAL SHOTS: 5 (Barrett, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (Barrett, 2); FOULS: 12 (2 players, 3); OFFSIDE: 1 (Neagle, 1); CORNER KICKS: 9 (Pineda, 7); SAVES: 2 (Frei, 2).
D.C. United - Bill Hamid; Sean Franklin (Taylor Kemp 87'), Bobby Boswell, Steve Birnbaum, Chris Korb; Nick DeLeon, Perry Kitchen, Lewis Neal (Jared Jeffrey 45'), Chris Rolfe; Eddie Johnson, Luis Silva (Collin Martin 76').
Substitutes Not Used: Andrew Dykstra, Nana Attakora, Alex Caskey, Conor Doyle.
TOTAL SHOTS: 14 (Johnson, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 2 (2 players, 1); FOULS: 12 (Johnson, 3); OFFSIDE: 0; CORNER KICKS: 5 (2 players, 2); SAVES: 2 (Hamid, 2).
Misconduct Summary:
SEA - Osvaldo Alonso (caution) 20'
SEA - Gonzalo Pineda (caution) 87'
Referee: Silviu Petrescu
Referee's Assistants: Greg Barkey, Matthew Nelson
4th Official: Daniel Fitzgerald
Attendance: 16,922
Weather: Party cloudy and 86-degrees
