Playing its first road match since the MLS is Back Tournament in Orlando, Sounders FC (4-1-3, 15 points) earned a point in a 2-2 draw at Real Salt Lake (2-1-5, 11 points) on Wednesday evening at Rio Tinto Stadium. Nicolás Lodeiro and Yeimar Gómez Andrade scored for the visitors as Seattle extended its unbeaten streak in MLS regular season play to four games (3-0-1). Sounders FC returns to Seattle this weekend for a home match against the Portland Timbers on Sunday, September 6 at CenturyLink Field (7:00 p.m. PT / JOEtv, Amazon Prime Video, 950 KJR AM, El Rey 1360 AM).
MEDIA RESOURCES
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS:https://sndrs.com/ge5pb
PHOTOS - IMAGES FOR MEDIA USE:https://sndrs.com/fur7d
VIDEO - BRIAN SCHMETZER POST-MATCH PRESS CONFERENCE: https://sndrs.com/3tdkc
VIDEO - YEIMAR GÓMEZ ANDRADE & ALEX ROLDAN POST-MATCH PRESS CONFERENCE: https://sndrs.com/x2v3r
Lodeiro put the visitors up in the 29th minute via penalty kick, converting his chance past RSL goalkeeper Andrew Putna for his second goal of the season. Moments earlier, RSL was whistled for a hand ball inside the area attempting a clearance. Lodeiro is now 12-12 on penalties all-time in MLS regular season play, and his 28 career regular-season goals are tied with Lamar Neagle for fifth in club history.
After RSL equalized in the 50th minute via defender Justen Glad, Yeimar gave Sounders FC the lead less than 20 minutes later with his first goal in Rave Green. Alex Roldan provided the service, beating a RSL defender on the right flank and finding Yeimar at the far post for a header. It was the third career assist for Roldan, who was making his first start of the 2020 season.
The home side equalized again in the 85th minute, earning a point for RSL and snapping Seattle’s three-match winning streak in regular season play. Following a corner kick, Pablo Ruíz collected the clearance and smashed a bending ball from 25 yards out that took a deflection and found its way past Stefan Frei.
MATCH NOTES
- Wednesday’s draw in Utah brings Seattle to 1-9-3 all-time at Real Salt Lake in the regular season, while also holding a 9-3-2 record against the Utah side at CenturyLink Field.
- Following his penalty kick goal in the 29th minute of play, club captain Nicolás Lodeiro now has two goals on the season. For the Uruguayan playmaker, the tally was his first goal since July 19 in a 3-0 win over Vancouver at the MLS is Back Tournament. The Designated Player now has 28 career regular season goals to accompany his additional seven strikes in the MLS Cup Playoffs.
- Yeimar Gómez Andrade’s goal in the 69th minute of play was the Colombian’s first goal in Rave Green since joining the club from the Argentine topflight in February. He has started all six regular-season matches that he has featured in thus far.
- Playing right back tonight and making his first start of the season, Alex Roldan assisted to backline teammate Yeimar Gómez Andrade on the latter’s 69th-minute goal. The younger Roldan brother now has five total appearances this season, and the assist was his third career helper. Midfielder Jordy Delem was credited with a second assist on the play, his third career assist as well.
- Tonight’s match marked the first time in 2020 that Head Coach Brian Schmetzer deployed a five-man backline, comprised of three centerbacks (Shane O’Neill, Yeimar Gómez Andrade, Xavier Arreaga) and two fullbacks (Alex Roldan, Nouhou).
- With his return to the lineup on Wednesday night, defender Xavier Arreaga made his first start since July 26 vs. LAFC at the MLS is Back Tournament in Orlando. Since signing for the club in May of 2019, the Ecuadorian international has made 21 regular-season appearances in Rave Green (18 starts).
- Forward Will Bruin achieved a career milestone on Wednesday evening at Rio Tinto Stadium, becoming one of 93 players in MLS history to make 250 career regular season appearances (Dallas’ Matt Hedges and New England’s Diego Fagundez also joined the club tonight). In 10 MLS seasons – four with the Rave Green – Bruin has 78 goals to his name between regular season and postseason play.
- Following tonight’s result, Seattle (15 points) sits just two points shy of Sporting Kansas City for first place in the Western Conference (17 points). Next up for the Rave Green is a second date with archrival Portland in as many weeks. Seattle hosts the Timbers for a 7:00 p.m. PT kickoff inside CenturyLink Field on Sunday, September 6. On August 23 at Providence Park, Sounders FC marked its return to regular season action following the MLS is Back Tournament with a 3-0 victory over Portland.
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 2 – Real Salt Lake 2
Wednesday, September 2, 2020
Venue: Rio Tinto Stadium
Referee: Malik Badawi
Assistants: Jeff Hosking, TJ Zablocki
Fourth Official: Timothy Ford
VAR: Edvin Jurisevic
Attendance: Closed Door
Weather: 75 degrees and clear
SCORING SUMMARY
SEA – Nicolás Lodeiro (penalty) 29’
RSL – Justen Glad (Albert Rusnak) 50’
SEA – Yeimar Gómez Andrade (Alex Roldan, Jordy Delem) 69’
RSL – Pablo Ruiz 85’
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
SEA – Xavier Arreaga (caution) 18’
RSL – Aaron Herrera (caution) 28’
RSL – Damir Kreilach (caution) 45’ + 2’
SEA – João Paulo (caution) 80’
RSL – Corey Baird (caution) 90’
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC - Stefan Frei; Shane O’Neill, Yeimar Gómez Andrade, Xavier Arreaga; Alex Roldan (Kelvin Leerdam 83’), Jordy Delem (João Paulo 71’), Nicolás Lodeiro, Nouhou (Joevin Jones 71’); Cristian Roldan, Handwalla Bwana (Jordan Morris 56’), Raúl Ruidíaz (Will Bruin 83’)
Substitutes not used: Stefan Cleveland, Miguel Ibarra, Josh Atencio
Total shots: 5 (Lodeiro/Ruidíaz, 2)
Shots on goal: 2 (Lodeiro/Gómez Andrade, 1)
Fouls: 11 (Four players, 2)
Offside: 5 (Ruidíaz, 3)
Corner-kicks: 5 (Lodeiro, 5)
Saves: 3 (Frei, 3)
Real Salt Lake – Andrew Putna; Aaron Herrera, Justen Glad, Marcelo Silva, Donny Toia; Pablo Ruiz (Kyle Beckerman 87’), Damir Kreilach, Maikel Chang (Giuseppe Rossi HT), Albert Rusnak (Everton Luiz 87’), Justin Meram (Sam Johnson 70’); Corey Baird
Substitutes not used: Zac MacMath, Nedum Onuoha, Nick Besler, Milan Iloski, Tate Schmitt
Total shots: 12 (Glad, 3)
Shots on goal: 5 (Glad, 2)
Fouls: 16 (Baird, 4)
Offside: 3 (Three players, 1)
Corner-kicks: 5 (Rusnak, 5)
Saves: 0
