SEATTLE – Gustav Svensson opened the scoring with a 64th-minute header and Nicolás Lodeiro added the insurance in the 81st, pacing the Seattle Sounders to a 2-0 victory over Real Salt Lake in the Western Conference Semifinals of the Audi 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs at CenturyLink Field on Wednesday.
The result sends the Sounders through to the Western Conference Final, where they’ll take on the victor of the other West matchup between the Los Angeles Galaxy and LAFC.
The Sounders generated plenty of chances throughout the first half, most notably on a long-range effort from Lodeiro just five minutes after kickoff that curled past Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando and looked destined for the top corner of the net, only to glance off the crossbar. Seattle would continue to apply the pressure throughout the opening half, but no goals materialized. The contest would remain scoreless into halftime.
Svensson opened the scoring in the 64th minute, though, flicking home a header off a corner kick from Lodeiro to finally give the Sounders the 1-0 lead.
Lodeiro then provided the dagger, cashing home a gorgeous curling golazo past Rimando off a feed from Raúl Ruidíaz to push the score to the 2-0 line that would hold as the final.
THREE TAKEAWAYS
THE GOOSE IS LOOSE
Svensson isn’t known as a big-time goal scorer as a defensive midfielder, but he came through with the biggest tally of the Sounders’ season so far with his niftily flicked second-half header. It doesn’t get much more clutch than that. The Goose is very much loose.
POSTSEASON LEGEND
Lodeiro was already a Sounders postseason legend for his heroics during the 2016 MLS Cup run, and he added to the legacy with his exquisite second-half tally that all but put the game away. The Uruguayan maestro now has six career playoff goals to go along with two assists in 15 career postseason matches.
LA AWAITS
The Sounders don’t know who they’re playing next, as the Galaxy and LAFC have yet to decide their matchup, but Seattle know they’ll have some tough competition. It’ll either be presumptive MVP Carlos Vela and Supporters’ Shield-winning LAFC or Zlatan Ibrahimovic and a talented Galaxy squad. Either way, it’s going to be a spectacle. Buckle up.
