SEATTLE, WASH. – Playing its ninth international friendly in club history on Tuesday night, Sounders FC came from behind to earn a 2-2 draw against first-place Liga MX side Club Tijuana on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field. Lamar Neagle and Andy Rose supplied the goals for Seattle, as Sigi Schmid’s side used the midweek exhibition as a tune-up match following an MLS bye week. Sounders FC now turns its attention to the first road trip of the 2015 season at Western Conference-leading FC Dallas, with the Rave Green kicking-off at Toyota Stadium on Saturday, March 28 (5:30 p.m. PT / Q13 FOX).
Neagle opened the scoring in the 11th minute for Sounders FC, with the Federal Way native lining-up at forward Tuesday evening, converting a loose ball inside Tijuana’s area. Winger Aaron Kovar provided the initial service before rookie midfielder Cristian Roldan knocked down the final ball that Neagle converted into a 1-0 lead.
Xolos found two unanswered goals in the 21st and 28th minutes of play, with Dayro Moreno bagging the first and Richard Ruiz capturing the subsequent strike. However, it was Rose that had the evening’s final say, as the Sounders FC midfielder converted another lofted pass from Kovar. Rose finished cleanly inside the 18-yard-box, with Kovar earning his second assist of the night.
Saturday’s match at Toyota Stadium marks a showdown between last season’s Supporters’ Shield-winning Sounders FC and the current top team in Major League Soccer, with FC Dallas being the only club to have claimed maximum points from its first three matches. Kickoff is slated for 5:30 p.m. PT from Toyota Stadium, with Q13, KIRO Radio 97.3 FM and ESPN Deportes 1490 AM carrying the match regionally throughout Western Washington. ROOT SPORTS is re-airing the contest throughout the Pacific Northwest (check local listings).
Match Summary
Seattle Sounders FC 2 – Club Tijuana 2
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Venue: Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field
Referee: Daniel Radford
Assistants: Jeremy Hanson, Brandon Major
Fourth Official: Baboucarr Jallow
Attendance: 39,115
Weather: Partly sunny and 52 degrees
Scoring Summary
SEA – Lamar Neagle (Cristian Roldan, Aaron Kovar) 11'
TIJ – Dayro Moreno 21’
TIJ – Richard Ruiz (Dayro Moreno, Alfredo Moreno) 28’
SEA – Andy Rose (Aaron Kovar) 56’
Misconduct Summary
TIJ – Joe Corona (caution) 14’
SEA – Dylan Remick (caution) 36’
TIJ – Richard Ruiz (caution) 58’
TIJ – Javier Salas (caution) 70’
TIJ – Edgar Villegas (caution) 86’
SEA – Aaron Kovar (caution) 90’+2
Lineups and Stats
Seattle Sounders FC – Troy Perkins, Oniel Fisher (Darwin Jones 64’), Brad Evans (Jimmy Ockford 64’), Zach Scott, Dylan Remick (Damion Lowe 73’); Cristian Roldan, Micheal Azira (Andy Rose 46’), Gonzalo Pineda (Andres Correa 46’), Aaron Kovar; Obafemi Martins (Victor Mansaray 46’), Lamar Neagle (Chad Barrett 46’)
Substitutes not used: Stefan Frei, Charlie Lyon
Total shots: 11
Shots on goal: 2
Fouls: 16
Corner-kicks: 7
Saves: 1
Club Tijuana – Cirilo Saucedo, Oliver Ortiz, Jesus Chavez (Luis Garcia 90’), Elio Castro, Juan Carlos Nunez; Javier Salas, Joe Corona (Alejandro Guido 64’), Richard Ruiz (Edgar Villegas 72’), Gabriel Hauche (Jose Ayovi 64’); Alfredo Moreno (Henry Martin 45’), Dayro Moreno (Mathews Gomes 84’)
Substitutes not used: Dilan Nicoletti, Amando Moreno
Total shots: 5
Shots on goal: 3
Fouls: 13
Corner-kicks: 0
Saves: 0
Match Notes
- Playing its ninth international friendly in club history, Sounders FC records its second consecutive exhibition match draw following a 3-3 affair with Barclays Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur in 2014.
- Sounders FC is now 2-5-2 all-time in international friendlies, with one win and one draw against Mexican opposition. Previously the Rave Green defeated Chivas de Guadalajara on October 12, 2010.
- Lamar Neagle’s 11th-minute tally against Tijuana is the club’s second-fastest goal in international friendly history. Previously Mike Fucito scored in the fifth minute of play against Chivas in 2010.
- Neagle becomes only the second player in club history with a goal in five types of competition (MLS regular season, MLS Cup Playoffs, Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, CONCACAF Champions League, international friendlies), joining Osvaldo Alonso.
- Vic Mansaray, Oniel Fisher, Andres Correa, Jimmy Ockford, Darwin Jones and Damion Lowe all made their initial First Team appearances tonight.
- Aaron Kovar becomes the second player in Sounders FC history with two assists in an international friendly (Roger Levesque vs. Chivas de Guadalajara on October 12, 2010).
- Tonight’s 39,115 fans in attendance marks nine-straight Sounders FC sellouts in international friendlies.
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