Sounders Lose to Real Salt Lake on Late Goal
By Ben Renner
Late-half mistakes doomed the Sounders on Saturday in their 2-1 loss to Real Salt Lake on the road.
The Sounders coughed up two late-half goals, at the end of the first and second halves on Saturday during a 2-1 loss to Real Salt Lake. The mistakes at the end of the first and second halves were enough for RSL to overcome a first-half goal from Sounders midfielder Osvaldo Alonso.
Sounders coach Sigi Schmid said that “individual mistakes caused the goals. When you make mistakes like that, you’re going to lose games.”
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No one marked RSL midfielder and one-name wonder Sunny on a corner kick in the 42nd minute, who headed home a wide open chance. I can still hear my youth league soccer coach yelling at us to mark up on corner kicks. RSL defender Jamison Olave pounced on a poorly-cleared ball by Sounders goalkeeper Tyler Miller–in for normal starting goalkeeper Stefan Frei–and scored the match-clinching goal in the 85th minute.
Other than the two glaring mistakes by the Sounders defense at the end of the first and second halves, the Sounders played well. They were dangerous in the first half especially, forcing RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando to make several critical saves. The controlled the tempo for much of the match. The loss, however, drops the Sounders to 0-2 for the second time in their history, and the first time since 2011. They have now lost five straight games at RSL’s Rio Tinto Stadium.
Injury concerns continue to mount for the Sounders as they head into their next match against their Canadian rivals, the Vancouver White Caps. Watching Saturday’s match from the sidelines along with goalkeeper Stefan Frei (elbow inflammation) was captain Brad Evans, who missed the match with his shoulder injury. Midfielder Erik Freiberg came off the pitch in the first half with an apparent left knee injury and new wunderkind forward Jordan Morris had to come off after a scary head-to-head collision with RSL defender Chris Wingert. Schmid offered no updates on his injured players.
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The Sounders hope to rebound and keep playing quality soccer without several of their stars. We can only hope Morris’ injury won’t keep him out of the Vancouver match.