Sounders FC punches postseason ticket with 4-0 drubbing of FC Dallas

SEATTLE, WASH. - An energetic crowd of 48,478 at CenturyLink Field roared Sounders FC onto victory Sunday afternoon, as Seattle (13-9-11, 50 points) punched its postseason ticket with an emphatic 4-0 victory over Western Conference foe FC Dallas (10-10-13, 43 points) on the penultimate weekend of the 2017 regular season. With the win, Sounders FC secures its berth in the 2017 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, allowing Brian Schmetzer's side to defend its 2016 title, while also preserving the club's active MLS record of nine-consecutive postseason appearances. A first-half goal from Spanish winger Victor Rodriguez sparked Seattle's offensive outburst, with Will Bruin bagging two second-half goals and Lamar Neagle adding a stoppage-time exclamation mark. Sunday's win puts Seattle in control of its own destiny for a first-round bye in the postseason, as a Decision Day home win against Colorado next Sunday would secure second place in the Western Conference. 

Rodríguez struck first for Seattle in the 31^st minute, receiving a through ball from Clint Dempsey and taking one touch before beating the onrushing Jesse Gonzalez to give the home side a 1-0 lead. It was the second goal of the season for Rodríguez, who signed with Seattle on August 2.

With an assist on the play, Dempsey has four helpers on the season. Sunday marked the Nacogdoches, Texas native's 100^th regular-season appearance since signing with Sounders FC in 2013.

With the score still 1-0 past the hour mark, Bruin scored a pair of back-to-back goals to bring his total to 10 on the season, good for second on the team. In the 64^th minute, a Dempsey shot attempt was saved by Gonzalez, but Bruin pounced on the rebound and put a shot into the back of the net. Three minutes later, Bruin again took advantage of a loose ball, this time burying an open shot after Rodríguez was dispossessed inside the area. This marks the fourth career double-digit scoring year for Bruin, and his first since 2015. The University of Indiana product now has 60 goals in 208 career appearances.

Neagle made it 4-0 in second half stoppage time, finding the end of a Nicolás Lodeiro cross for a snap-header to seal the deal for the Rave Green. The Federal Way product has three goals this season - two with Seattle - and 28 all-time for Sounders FC, good for fourth in club history. Lodeiro now has 12 assists on the season, first on the team and one shy of the single-season club record held by Mauro Rosales (2011, 2012) and Obafemi Martins (2014).

Stefan Frei recorded his league-leading 12^th shutout of the season, eclipsing the previous club record set by Kasey Keller in 2010. Two shutouts ahead of the next-closest goalkeeper in MLS, Frei has clinched the league's 2017 shutout crown.

Seattle continued its home success against FC Dallas, with the club's winning streak against the Hoops at CenturyLink progressing to seven games, with Seattle holding a 24-4 goal advantage in those contests. Sounders FC has outscored FC Dallas 12-0 in the last three regular-season meetings at CenturyLink Field.

Sounders FC concludes the 2017 regular-season campaign next Sunday, October 22 with a Decision Day matchup against the Colorado Rapids on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field (1:00 p.m. PT / JOEtv, Univision-Seattle, 107.7 The End, El Rey 1360 AM).

MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 4 - FC Dallas 0
Sunday, October 15, 2017
Venue: 
Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field
Referee: 
Drew Fischer
Assistants: 
Joe Fletcher, Cameron Blanchard
Fourth Official:
Alejandro Mariscal
VAR:
Jon Freemon
Attendance:
48,478
Weather:
63 degrees, mostly sunny
SCORING SUMMARY
SEA -
Victor Rodriguez (Clint Dempsey) 31'
SEA
- Will Bruin 64'
SEA
- Will Bruin 67'
SEA
- Lamar Neagle (Nicolas Lodeiro, Harry Shipp) 90'+2'
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
DAL -
Javier Morales (caution) 8'
LINEUPS & STATS

Seattle Sounders FC - Stefan Frei; Kelvin Leerdam, Román Torres, Chad Marshall, Joevin Jones (Harry Shipp 81'); Cristian Roldan, Gustav Svensson (Nouhou 23'), Nicolás Lodeiro - captain, Cristian Roldan, Clint Dempsey, Victor Rodriguez (Lamar Neagle 76'); Will Bruin

Substitutes not used: Bryan Meredith, Tony Alfaro, Jordy Delem, Henry Wingo, Lamar Neagle

Total shots:
14 (Dempsey, 5)
Shots on goal:
7 (Three players, 2)
Fouls:
 9 (Lodeiro, 3)
Offside:
 None
Corner-kicks:
2 (Lodeiro, 2)
Saves:
 1 (Frei, 1)

FC Dallas - Jesse Gonzalez; Maynor Fiegueroa, Matt Hedges, Atiba Harris, Hernan Grana; Carlos Gruezo, Kellyn Acosta, Javier Morales (Maximiliano Urruti 57'), Michael Barrios, Mauro Diaz - captain (Roland Lamah 70'); Tesho Akindele (Victor Ulloa 78')

Substitutes not used: Chris Seitz, Cristian Colman, Ryan Hollingshead, Walker Zimmerman

Total shots:
14 (Five players, 2)
Shots on goal:
 2 (Figueroa/Barrios, 1)
Fouls:
17 (Urruti, 4)
Offside:
1 (Urruti, 1)
Corner-kicks:
5 (Morales, 3)
Saves:
3 (Gonzalez, 3)
MATCH NOTES

• With 50 points (13-9-11), Sounders FC is tied for second place in the Western Conference, level with Portland and two points behind Vancouver for the top spot. With the win, Sounders FC secured its ninth-consecutive berth in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, the longest active streak in MLS. Sounders FC concludes the 2017 regular-season campaign next Sunday, October 22 against the Colorado Rapids (1:00 p.m. PT / JOEtv, Univision-Seattle, 107.7 The End, El Rey 1360 AM).
• Sunday's win puts Seattle in control of its own destiny for a first-round bye in the postseason, as a Decision Day home win against Colorado next Sunday would secure second place in the Western Conference.
• Seattle continued its home success against FC Dallas, with the club's winning streak against the Hoops at CenturyLink seven games, with Seattle holding a 24-4 goal advantage in those games. Sounders FC has outscored FC Dallas 12-0 in the last three regular-season meetings at CenturyLink Field.
• Víctor Rodríguez scored his second Sounders FC goal with the match's first tally in the 31^st minute. Sunday marked the Spaniard's seventh MLS appearance since signing with Sounders FC on August 2.
• With a brace on Sunday, Will Bruin has 10 goals on the season, two behind Clint Dempsey for the team lead. 2017 marks the fourth double-digit scoring campaign in Bruin's career, and his first since 2015. In all, the University of Indiana product has 60 goals in 208 career appearances.
• Lamar Neagle scored his third goal of 2017 - second with Sounders FC - and brought his career total to 28 tallies for the Rave Green, fourth in club history.
• Stefan Frei recorded his league-leading 12^th shutout of the season, eclipsing the previous club record set by Kasey Keller in 2010. Two shutouts ahead of the next-closest goalkeeper in MLS, Frei has clinched the league's 2017 shutout crown.
• With an assist on Neagle's strike, Nicolás Lodeiro now has 12 assists on the season, first on the team and one shy of the club record held by Mauro Rosales (2011, 2012) and Obafemi Martins (2014).
• Sunday marked Clint Dempsey's 100^th regular-season appearance for Sounders FC. The Nacogdoches native recorded his fourth assist of the season on Rodríguez's opening strike.