Several Sounders Academy products were once again standout performers for the First Team and S2. Jordan Morris showed an immediate understanding with new Designated Player signing Nicolás Lodeiro, hinting at a fruitful partnership going forward. Jordan Schweitzer and Darwin Jones also put in strong performances against Real Monarchs, while Academy midfielder Lorenzo Ramos also saw a bit of the action.
S2 4 vs. Real Monarchs SLC 1 | August 1, 2016
In front of a boisterous crowd at Starfire Stadium, S2 dominated possession for a majority of the match, and this was largely due to Schweitzer’s presence in the middle of the park. Despite wave after wave of attacking pressure, S2 went behind in the 22nd minute on a lightning-quick counter-attack goal.
Schweitzer dragged Seattle back into the match by drawing the penalty for the equalizing goal in the 33rd minute. He nearly handed S2 the lead going into the break with a rasping effort from 35 yards, and was only denied a goal by a stunning save from the Monarchs goalkeeper. Just minutes later, Schweitzer lofted a fantastic cross to the back-post which Myron Samuel took on the volley, narrowly missing the top corner by a few inches.
Schweitzer finally got the assist that his excellent passing deserved in the 87th minute. When an S2 corner was only cleared to the top of the box, the young midfielder fired the ball back into the box, which Samuel duly redirected past the keeper with a first-time effort.
Throughout the match, Schweitzer could be seen barking orders at his teammates and organizing them defensively. As a testament to his growing leadership role with this young S2 team, Schweitzer wore the captain’s armband for the final half hour when Andy Craven left the match in the 64th minute.
Darwin Jones has gone from strength to strength in recent weeks on the right-side of S2’s three-man forward line. His blistering pace led to several chances for teammates, as well as a pair of goals for himself. In addition to the goals, Jones could have recorded several assists with dangerous crosses from the right-flank in the 24th and 48th minutes respectively.
Jones finally found the back of the net in the 60th minute. A miscommunication between the Monarchs goalkeeper and his defenders saw the ball drift through the box, and Jones was on hand to smash the ball beyond the goalkeeper. Jones then doubled his tally on the night with a first-time effort to the far post after a nice bit of work from Carlos Patino on the end line.
With the brace, Jones leap-frogged fellow Homegrown striker Victor Mansary as S2’s leading goal-scorer.
Academy midfielder Lorenzo Ramos entered the fray in second-half stoppage time for Myron Samuel. With the brief cameo, Ramos has now featured in eleven matches, recording 348 minutes of playing time and one match-winning goal in his first USL campaign.
Sounders FC 1 vs. LA Galaxy 1 | July 31, 2016
With Homegrown winger Aaron Kovar sidelined by a fractured collarbone, striker Jordan Morris was the sole Sounders Academy product in the matchday lineup. Lining up on the left-side of Interim Head Coach Brian Schmetzer’s 4-2-3-1 lineup, Morris dovetailed nicely with Clint Dempsey and Nico Lodeiro.
In a scoreless first-half for Seattle, Morris was at the heart of Sounders’ best chances going forward.
After making a run down the right channel, Morris calmly collected a Lodeiro long ball before facing up his defender and driving into the box. After feigning a left footed shot, Morris back-heeled the ball to an onrushing Dempsey, who smashed a right footed blast that Galaxy goalkeeper Brian Rowe did well to parry. Just six minutes later, Morris’ blocked shot led to Dempsey’s effort that Jelle Van Damme acrobatically cleared off the line.
Morris nearly found the match-winner in the second-half in a play again involving Lodeiro. In the 70th minute, Morris timed his run between the LA center-backs to perfection, and received a through ball from Lodeiro. He then rounded Rowe and fired a shot to the near-post, which Van Damme once again cleared off the line with a sliding challenge.
While Morris may be disappointed he didn’t score, his overall performance was indicative of his holistic development in his rookie season.
