TACOMA, WASH. – Sounders FC 2 (5-21-7, 22 points) earned a point on Wednesday evening in a 2-2 draw with Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC in the home finale at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma. S2 was unbeaten in seven of its last eight matches in front of the home crowd in 2018, and has earned 20 of its 22 points at home. Sounders FC Academy product Alec Diaz scored the equalizer in the 81st minute for S2, his first professional goal. Assistant Coach Wade Webber made his head coaching debut at Cheney Stadium in place of suspended Head Coach John Hutchinson.
Lamar Neagle netted the first marker of the game just before halftime on a feed from Azriel Gonzalez. Gonzalez sent a curling free kick into the box and Neagle headed it home for his fourth goal in eight games with S2 this season. Gonzalez now owns three assists to go with his three goals in 17 games for the USL side in 2018.
Colorado Springs took a 2-1 lead with two goals in two minutes early in the second half. Saeed Robinson fired a curling ball from outside the box in the 51st minute that hit the top right side of the bar and bounced in behind Seattle goalkeeper Bryan Meredith. Just one minute later, Shane Malcolm banged a pass from Karsten Hanlin into the back of the net to give the visiting side a 2-1 lead.
Diaz’s equalizer came on a loose ball inside the area during a throw-in by Jordan McCrary. The 16-year-old fired a shot to the upper middle part of the goal past Switchbacks FC goalkeeper Steward Ceus for his first goal as a professional.
S2 saw appearances from four First Team players in Tony Alfaro, McCrary, Meredith and Neagle, as well as three Academy players in Khai Brisco, Blake Malone and Diaz.
Sounders FC 2 plays its season finale on Saturday, October 13 at Tulsa Roughnecks FC. Kickoff is set for 5:00 p.m. PT and the match will be live-streamed on ESPN+.
MEDIA RESOURCES
PHOTOS – IMAGES FOR MEDIA USE: http://sndrs.com/x52ct
VIDEO – ASSISTANT COACH WADE WEBBER POST-MATCH MEDIA SCRUM: http://sndrs.com/vk5l2
VIDEO – FORWARD ALEC DIAZ POST-MATCH MEDIA SCRUM: http://sndrs.com/vp44s
AUDIO – DOWNLOADABLE POST-MATCH SOUNDBYTES: http://sndrs.com/audio
MATCH SUMMARY
Sounders FC 2 I 2-2 I Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
Wednesday, October 10, 2018
Venue: Cheney Stadium I Tacoma, Washington
Referee: Michael Radchuk
Assistants: Joshua Haimes, Sya Magee
Fourth Official: Benjamin Oakley
Weather: 55 degrees and clear
Attendance: 3,219
SCORING SUMMARY
SEA – Lamar Neagle (Azriel Gonzalez) 45’
COL – Saeed Robinson (Jordan Schweitzer) 51’
COL – Shane Malcolm (Karsten Hanlin) 52’
SEA – Alec Diaz (Lamar Neagle) 81’
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
COL – Taylor Hunter (caution) 33’
COL – AJ Ajeakwa (caution) 61’
SEA – Lamar Neagle (caution) 76’
LINEUPS & STATS
S2 – Bryan Meredith; Jordan McCrary, Blake Malone, Tony Alfaro, Ibrahim Usman; David Olsen (Alec Diaz 66’), Antonee Burke-Gilroy; Shandon Hopeau, Marlon Vargas (David Estrada 77’), Azriel Gonzalez (Khai Brisco 90’+3’); Lamar Neagle
Substitutes not used: Jacob Castro, Denso Ulysse, Nick Hinds, Rodrigue Ele
Total shots: 15
Shots on goal: 7
Fouls: 13
Offside: 1
Corner-kicks: 4
Saves: 1
COL – Steward Ceus; Taylor Hunter, Jamal Jack, Josh Suggs; Jordan Burt, Sam Hamilton, Jordan Schweitzer, Shane Malcolm, Saeed Robinson; Karsten Hanlin; AJ Ajeakwa (Marty Maybin 77’)
Substitutes not used: Moise Pouaty, Pascal Eboussi, Taeseong Kim, Luke Vercollone
Total shots: 14
Shots on goal: 3
Fouls: 20
Offside: 3
Corner-kicks: 7
Saves: 5
