WALNUT, CALIF. – Sounders FC formally opened its 2015 preseason campaign with a bang on Wednesday evening, as the Rave Green ran past UCLA by a final score of 5-0 on the campus of Mt. San Antonio College in Southern California. The emphatic victory was Seattle’s first preseason win of 2015, as Sigi Schmid fielded two separate teams on either side of halftime against his former college program. Sounders FC concludes its nine-day preseason camp in California with a final training session on Thursday morning before playing a second friendly against Western Conference rival LA Galaxy on Friday.
Seattle notched two goals in the first half through the striker partnership of Obafemi Martins and Lamar Neagle, with the latter doubling Seattle’s advantage just before the stroke of halftime with a looping header. Martins used his trademark speed to open the scoring five minutes earlier, knifing his way through UCLA’s backline courtesy of an Andy Rose through ball, with the Nigerian slotting home his initially deflected effort.
Schmid’s side cemented its victory with a fresh 11-man lineup in the second half, with Chad Barrett, Kenny Cooper and Micheal Azira finding the back of the net. Azira’s effort was particularly memorable, with the midfielder blasting a 30-yard shot past the UCLA goalkeeper.
LISTEN: Head Coach Sigi Schmid following Sounders 5-0 victory over UCLA
Wednesday night’s contest provided the stage for several new Sounders to make their club debuts, including offseason additions Tyrone Mears and Troy Perkins, in addition to Homegrown Player Darwin Jones.
After Friday’s Galaxy scrimmage, Sounders FC returns to the Pacific Northwest for a week of training at the club’s Starfire training facility, followed by a two-week stay in Arizona for the Desert Diamond Cup.
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 5 – UCLA 0
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Venue: Mt. San Antonio College (Walnut, Calif.)
Referee: Reed Christy
Assistants: Adrian Gonzalez, Reyna Franseca
Weather: 63 degrees and partly cloudy
SCORING SUMMARY
SEA – Obafemi Martins (Andy Rose) 39’
SEA – Lamar Neagle (Marco Pappa, Gonzalo Pineda) 44’
SEA – Chad Barrett (Aaron Kovar) 77’
SEA – Kenny Cooper (Guest Player) 86’
SEA – Micheal Azira 90’
DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY
None
FIRST-HALF SOUNDERS FC LINEUP
Stefan Frei; Tyrone Mears, Brad Evans, Chad Marshall, Leo Gonzalez; Marco Pappa, Gonzalo Pineda, Andy Rose, Darwin Jones; Lamar Neagle, Obafemi Martins
Substitutes not used: None
SECOND-HALF SOUNDERS FC LINEUP
Troy Perkins; Oniel Fisher, Zach Scott, Guest Player, Guest Player; Guest Player, Micheal Azira, Guest Player, Aaron Kovar; Chad Barrett, Kenny Cooper
Substitutes not used: None
