Sounders Win with Luck and Skill
By Ben Renner
The Sounders downed the San Jose Earthquakes Saturday night 2-0 while taking advantage of missed opportunities by their opponents.
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The Sounders blanked the San Jose Earthquakes Saturday 2-0 on goals from forwards Clint Dempsey and Jordan Morris at CenturyLink Field in Seattle. Dempsey scored from 12 yards out in the 26th minute. The Sounders clung to the lead for much of the game. In the 85th minute, the Earthquakes finally got their chance at an equalizer. San Jose forward Chris Wondolowski, a historical thorn in the side of the Sounders, lined up a penalty kick.
Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei broke to the wrong direction when Wondolowski took the shot, but the Earthquakes’ forward clanged his kick off of the goal post. In the 89th minute, Morris scored his fourth goal in four games, tying an MLS record for rookies.
Give some credit to the Sounders defense, which only allowed one shot on goal and kept the defensive third mostly safe for much of the match. Wondolowski had another chance to score on Frei but lost the ball in a one-on-one opportunity and Simon Dawkins nearly boomed in a free kick from above the penalty box in the 59th minute, but chances were few and far between. The Sounders out-shot the Quakes 8 to 1.
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The win gives the Sounders 13 points with an even goal differential, good for eighth place in the Western Conference. They travel to Frisco, Texas to face FC Dallas on Saturday at six p.m.