Seattle, WA (Sports Network) - Seattle Sounders FC saw its winless streak
reach six games on Wednesday as the team was held to a 1-1 draw by Sporting
Kansas City at CenturyLink Field.
An early goal from Jacob Peterson put Sporting in front, but Seattle answered
seven minutes later with an acrobatic finish from Patrick Ianni.
Both sides had chances to claim all three points, but both teams saw their
efforts to claim go-ahead goals denied by the post.
Seattle was reduced to 10 men in stoppage time after a terrible challenge from
Alvaro Fernandez, but it wasn't enough time for Sporting to push forward for a
winner.
A long throw-in in the eighth minute led to the opening goal as the ball
bounced around the penalty area and was nodded back toward the edge of the
box by Sporting's Aurelien Collin. Peterson charged forward and hammered a
shot into the top corner of the net on the half-volley, putting the hosts
behind.
But Seattle was back on level terms seven minutes later when a free kick from
Mauro Rosales was finished off by Ianni with an impressive side-winding
volley.
The chances continued in the 20th minute when Sporting's Soony Saad struck the
crossbar from a tight angle, while Seattle's Eddie Johnson failed to hit the
target from 10 yards with only goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen to beat.
Rosales had a great chance to put Seattle ahead after the break, but rolled
the ball wide after being played in behind the defense.
Seattle goalkeeper Andrew Weber faced his toughest shot in the second half in
the 71st minute. And it came from the head of his teammate, Johnson, who tried
to clear a corner kick but instead redirected it on his own net, where Weber
made a diving save to bail him out.
Fredy Montero created the final opportunity of the game a few minutes from
time when his shot from a tight angle took a deflection and wrong-footed
Nielsen, forcing the 'keeper to make an awkward save that was redirected off
the post, preserving a point for the visiting side.
The Sports Network