Sounders Draw Galaxy 1-1
By Ben Renner
The Sounders weren’t that good, weren’t that bad against the LA Galaxy this time around at the Xbox Pitch this weekend. Is there hope for the future?
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In spite of the disheartening performance at Sporting Kansas City last month and the subsequent firing of head coach Sigi Schmid, over 48,000 fans turned up at the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field Sunday to support the team moving forward and to welcome new Designated Player Nicolas Lodeiro.
The Sounders responded to the huge crowd by playing sound soccer for 90 minutes. As has been the case for much of the season, however, solid soccer didn’t produce more than one goal, and it wasn’t enough to recover three points at home.
Cristian Roldan scored his second goal of the season, but a late Sebastian Lletget goal saved a point for the LA Galaxy. Interim coach Brian Schmetzer made sure to use his new player Lodeiro as much as possible. The Uruguayan international player logged a full 90 minutes and had more in-game touches in a single match all but three player-matches in the MLS this season.
Roldan and his fellow midfielders welcomed Lodeiro, who worked well in time with his new team mates, distributing well and holding down the middle of the field the way the Sounders have needed someone to all season.
As with most of the season, however, the Sounders simply couldn’t find the net, even with good distribution and smart attacks. The LA Galaxy’s Lletget scored his third goal in three matches against the Sounders in July across all competitions, and the Sounders had to settle for one point.
Next: What Can Nicolas Lodeiro Bring to the Table?
The Sounders make their first-ever road match at Orlando City next weekend, August 7th at 4:00 p.m. The Sounders will need a miracle to make the playoffs at this point, but they are still technically in contention for a spot in the Western Conference postseason.