SEATTLE, WASH. - Sounders FC (3-8-3, 12 points) fought from behind to earn a 1-1 draw Saturday with the Chicago Fire (5-7-5, 20 points) on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field in the club's fourth annual Pride Match. Clint Dempsey equalized in the first half for the Rave Green, earning a major milestone in the process. Dempsey's 47th goal since joining the club during the summer transfer window of 2013 ties him with Fredy Montero for the club's all-time scoring lead in MLS regular-season action. Following tonight's result, the club moves to 7-2-4 all-time versus Chicago, including 4-0-2 at CenturyLink Field against the Men in Red.
Chicago opened the scoring early in the ninth minute of play, as Brandt Branico combined with his midfield teammate Aleksandar Katai at the edge of Seattle's 18-yard-box. The Serb fired a shot toward Stefan Frei's far post, burying the attempt for a 1-0 Chicago lead.
The Rave Green answered back in the 23rd minute, with Dempsey getting on the end of a Will Bruin pass to convert his shot past Chicago goalkeeper Richard Sánchez. Harry Shipp unlocked Chicago's defense on the play and was credited with a second assist.
For Dempsey, the strike provided a major milestone, as the veteran attacker bagged his 47th MLS regular-season strike for Sounders FC, tying him with Fredy Montero for the club's all-time scoring lead. In his sixth season with the Rave Green, Dempsey is now on the doorstep of taking the club lead in regular-season scoring. He also moves to within three goals of tying the club's all competitions scoring mark, with Montero also in possession of that record (60 goals to Dempsey's 57).
Brian Schmetzer's club now turns its attention to its only 2018 home matchup against its oldest rival, as the Portland Timbers come to town for a Cascadia Cup showdown on Saturday, June 30. Kickoff for that contest is slated for 1:30 p.m. PT at CenturyLink Field, with FOX carrying the showcase MLS match following the network's FIFA World Cup coverage earlier in the day. YouTube TV is carrying the match regionally, along with 950 KJR AM and El Rey 1360 AM. Seattle has never lost to Portland in MLS regular-season play, with the Rave Green carrying a 7-0-3 record against the Timbers at CenturyLink Field since the Oregon club joined Sounders FC in MLS. All-time, the two clubs just played their 100th match against one another in all competitions dating back to 1975, with Portland claiming a 1-0 result at Providence Park on May 13. Seattle leads the all-time series dating back to the North American Soccer League with an overall record of 50-36-14.
MATCH NOTES
- With the result, Sounders FC moves to 3-8-3 on the season, currently tied for 10th place in the Western Conference with 12 points.
- Seattle is now 7-2-4 all-time against Chicago in MLS regular-season play, including an unbeaten 4-0-2 record at CenturyLink Field.
- Clint Dempsey scored his first goal of the season and 47th for Sounders FC in MLS regular-season play, tying Fredy Montero atop the club's all-time scoring chart. His 57 goals across all competitions are three short of Montero's 60.
- Will Bruin recorded his fourth assist of the season, tying Cristian Roldan for the team lead. Bruin also leads Sounders FC with three goals in 2018.
- Harry Shipp tallied an assist on Dempsey's goal, giving the former Chicago Fire player two goals and an assist in his last three games across all competitions.
- Cristian Roldan started at right-back this evening, marking his third career start at fullback, having previously started in that role twice during the 2017 season (May 13, 2017 at Chicago and June 21, 2017 vs. Orlando).
- Osvaldo Alonso made his 250th career regular-season start on Saturday, the most in Sounders FC history and 71 ahead of second place (Brad Evans, 179). Alonso is also the club's all-time leader in regular-season games played (259) and minutes (21,981).
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 1 - Chicago Fire 1
Saturday, June 23, 2018
Venue:
Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field
Referee:
Armando Villarreal
Assistants:
Kyle Atkins, Jeffrey Greeson
Fourth Official:
Alejandro Mariscal
VAR:
Kevin Terry, Jr.
Attendance:
39,513
Weather:
72 degrees and mostly sunny
SCORING SUMMARY
CHI
-
Aleksandar Katai (Brandt Bronico) 9'
SEA
-
Clint Dempsey (Will Bruin, Harry Shipp) 22'
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
CHI -
Bastian Schweinsteiger (caution) 44'
CHI
-
Jonathan Campbell (caution) 61'
CHI
-
Elliot Collier (caution) 85'
SEA -
Cristian Roldan (caution) 87'
SEA
-
Nouhou (caution) 90'+1'
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC - Stefan Frei; Cristian Roldan, Kim Kee-hee, Chad Marshall, Nouhou; Osvaldo Alonso - captain (Alex Roldan 84'), Nicolás Lodeiro, Harry Shipp (Jordan McCrary 72'), Clint Dempsey, Victor Rodriguez (Magnus Wolff Eikrem 69'); Will Bruin
Substitutes not used: Bryan Meredith, Tony Alfaro, Jordy Delem, Waylon Francis
Total shots:
18 (Dempsey, 7)
Shots on goal:
7 (Dempsey, 3)
Fouls:
8 (Three players, 2)
Offside:
4 (Four players, 1)
Corner-kicks:
6 (Lodeiro, 6)
Saves:
6 (Frei, 6)
Chicago Fire - Richard Sanchez; Brandon Vincent, Jorge Corrales, Jonathan Campbell, Diego Campos (Rafael Ramos 72'); Brandt Bronico, Dax McCarty - captain, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Aleksandar Katai, Luis Solignac (Elliot Collier 60'); Nemanja Nikolic (Alan Gordon 89')
Substitutes not used: Stefan Cleveland, Tony Tchani, Mo Adams, Christian Dean
Total shots:
15 (Katai, 6)
Shots on goal:
7 (Katai, 4)
Fouls:
11 (Katai, 3)
Offside:
6 (Nikolic, 4)
Corner-kicks:
7 (Katai, 4)
Saves:
6 (Sanchez, 6)
