Seattle Sounders FC: Nicolas Lodeiro Steals a Point at the Death
By Paul Taylor
Nicolas Lodeiro stuns the Dynamo crowd with a 94th minute equalizer, to keep the Seattle Sounders’ playoff challenge on track.
Perspective can be a funny thing sometimes. For example, take the Seattle Sounders’ game on Wednesday night against Houston Dynamo, which ended in a 1-1 tie.
If you’re of a positive mindset, you consider it a point won. As far as you’re concerned, the Sounders stole a point in the 94th minute, at a place where they’ve never had much success.
Of course, there are also those, who will consider it two points dropped for Seattle. After all, you’re fighting for your playoff lives, and you’ve just played a team which is propping up the Western Conference standings.
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Objectively speaking, the Sounders should consider it a point gained, especially when you consider how many more chances the Dynamo created. In addition, there’s no getting around the fact they equalized with virtually the last kick of the game.
Not that this is in any way a criticism of Seattle, who found a way to salvage something from a seemingly lost cause. In many ways it displayed the mental fortitude of a side currently in a rich vein of form, which has seen them pick up 11 of a possible 15 points.
Interim head coach Brian Schmetzer discussed his team’s mentality with Jesus Acevedo Jr. of mlssoccer.com and the rest of the media: “It’s great how we persevere.
“Our team doesn’t stop believing. The team believes that we can get something out of the game and finding that little action there was good enough to get us a draw.”
In fairness to the Sounders, they also played without Clint Dempsey and Chad Marshall, with both remaining in Seattle as a precaution. Dempsey has been on a hot streak recently with five goals during August, while Marshall — who scored the last-gasp equalizer last time these two sides met — is a mainstay in defense.
Unsurprisingly, Nicolas Lodeiro was once again involved in a Sounders goal, having already provided four assists since joining the team. However, this time he finished off the move, calmly placing his shot into the bottom right-hand corner of the net, to leave the Dynamo fans stunned.
Overall, the Sounders will now head to Portland in high spirits, after gaining a hard-fought, precious point. As Jordan Morris told Jason McDaniel of The Seattle Times and the rest of the media: “Everyone knows where we are in the season and what we need to get done.
“To fight back like that was great. It was a hot day out there, but to show that resiliency and to get that point, it was big time.”
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Taking everything into account, what’s your perspective on the 1-1 tie in Houston? Do you view it as a point gained or two points lost? Let us know in the comments section below.