SEATTLE – Clint Dempsey scored yet another goal, pacing the Seattle Sounders to a 1-1 draw in their international friendly against German side Eintracht Frankfurt at CenturyLink Field on Saturday afternoon.
Striker Branimir Hrgota tallied the lone goal for the visitors in the 29th minute, but Dempsey’s equalizer on the stroke of halftime would prove to be enough for the Sounders to salvage the tie.
The Sounders signed seven players from their USL affiliate Seattle Sounders 2 for the match, including Shandon Hopeau, Irvin Parra, Sam Rogers, Francisco Narbon, Ray Saari and Rodrigue Ele. Several first-team regulars in addition to Dempsey did feature for Seattle, including Stefan Frei, Nicolas Lodeiro, Will Bruin, Gustav Svensson, Roman Torres and Harry Shipp.
Eintracht Frankfurt grabbed the lead just before the half-hour mark after US international Timmy Chandler sent in a cross that deflected off Torres and into the path of Hrgota. Hrgota managed to hold off Brian Nana-Sinkam and tap home the finish past Frei, giving the visitors the 1-0 first-half advantage.
Dempsey equalized in the 44th, however, collecting a feed from Lodeiro in the Frankfurt penalty box and lashing home a finish past goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky to level the contest at one apiece.
Saturday’s goal continued a strong run of form for Seattle’s star forward, who was coming off a brace in the Sounders’ last MLS match against the Colorado on July 4th and a dramatic late equalizer against the Portland Timbers on June 25.
Neither side would manage to find the scoresheet in the second half and the 1-1 score would end up holding through the final whistle
The friendly was Seattle’s last match before the upcoming international break for the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup. The Sounders will return to MLS at CenturyLink on June 19th, when they’ll take on DC United.
