CARSON, CALIF. – Despite a first-minute strike from Chad Barrett, Seattle Sounders FC (10-12-2, 32 points) fell 3-1 on the road to the LA Galaxy (11-7-7, 40 points) Sunday afternoon at the StubHub Center. Seattle remains in postseason position, currently occupying the sixth slot in the Major League Soccer’s Western Conference with 10 games remaining in the 2015 campaign.
Seattle found the back of the net in just the first minute of play, with Sounders FC forward Chad Barrett converting a lofted through ball from midfielder Erik Friberg. 50 seconds into the game, Barrett’s goal is the second-fastest in Sounders FC history, behind Clint Dempsey’s goal 18 seconds into Seattle’s 3-2 loss to San Jose on March 18 this season. Unfortunately for Barrett, his afternoon ended after giving his side the early lead, with the goal-scorer departing the match after suffering an injury during his strike.
The Galaxy came storming back into the contest in the 13th minute of play, as forward Gyasi Zardes knocked home service from LA midfielder Juninho to draw the match level at 1-1.
LA came out of the break in the same fashion that Sounders FC began the first half, with Robbie Keane converting an AJ DeLaGarza cross from the right flank in the 47th minute of play to put the home side into the lead. The Galaxy then added an insurance tally in the 63rd minute, courtesy of new signing Giovani dos Santos, who netted his first MLS goal to make the score 3-1.
Following today’s contest, Sounders FC returns to MLS action on Sunday, August 16 with another nationally televised match against expansion side Orlando City SC (2:00 p.m. PT / ESPN2, KIRO Radio 97.3 FM, El Rey 1360 AM).
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 1 – LA Galaxy 3
Saturday, August 9, 2015
Venue: StubHub Center
Referee: Jair Marrufo
Assistants: Corey Rockwell, Felisha Mariscal
Fourth Official: Nima Saghafi
Attendance: 27,000
Weather: Partly Cloudy and 77 degrees
SCORING SUMMARY
SEA – Chad Barrett (Erik Friberg) 1’
LA – Gyasi Zardes (Juninho) 13’
LA – Robbie Keane (Giovani dos Santos, AJ DeLaGarza) 47’
LA – Giovani dos Santos (Robbie Keane) 64
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
SEA – Erik Friberg (caution) 38’
SEA – Oniel Fisher (caution) 62’
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC – Stefan Frei, Tyrone Mears, Chad Marshall, Zach Scott, Dylan Remick (Darwin Jones 77’); Lamar Neagle, Erik Friberg, Brad Evans - captain, Andy Rose, Thomàs (Oniel Fisher 60’); Chad Barrett (Cristian Roldan 4’)
Substitutes not used: Troy Perkins, Micheal Azira, Gonzalo Pineda, Victor Mansaray
Total shots: 9 (Roldan/ Fisher, 2)
Shots on goal: 6 (6 players tied at 1)
Fouls: 5 (5 players tied at 1)
Offside: 5 (5 players tied at 1)
Corner-kicks: 4 (Friberg, 4)
Saves: 4 (Frei, 4)
LA Galaxy – Donovan Ricketts; Omar Gonzalez, A.J. DeLaGarza, Leonardo, Robbie Rogers; Gyasi Zardes (Rafael Garcia 90’+2’), Sebastian Lletget (Ignacio Maganto 89’), Juninho, Steven Gerrard; Giovani dos Santos (Alan Gordon 69’), Robbie Keane – captain
Substitutes not used: Tommy Meyer, Kenney Walker, Dan Gargan, Brian Rowe
Total shots: 17 (4 players, 3)
Shots on goal: 7 (Zardes, 2)
Fouls: 12 (Zardes, 3
Offside: None
Corner-kicks: 7 (dos Santos, 6)
Saves: 4 (Ricketts, 4)
MATCH NOTES
- Sounders FC is now 10-12-2 in the 2015 MLS regular season. At 32 points, the club ranks sixth in the Western Conference, one-point above seventh-place Houston Dynamo for the final postseason position.
- After today’s result, LA Galaxy leads the all-time series between the two sides with an 8-4-5 advantage in league play. Seattle is winless in its past eight regular season matches at StubHub Center, posting a 1-5-3 record in the Carson, California venue.
- Forward Chad Barrett scored his fourth goal of the season in the opening minute. The score, which occurred just 50 seconds into the match, ranks as the second-fastest goal in Sounders FC history. The goal ended a 363-minute scoreless streak, the longest stretch without a goal in club history.
- Midfielder Erik Friberg recorded his first assist of the season on Barrett’s goal. He compiled two assists as a member of Sounders FC in 2011.
- LA Galaxy forward Robbie Keane scored his fifth goal in the regular season against Seattle, the second-most of any opposing player. The Irish international also has recorded three goals in postseason play versus the Rave Green.
