It was Seattle’s best performance since their slide began on Oct. 5, but it wasn’t enough to get them full points or jump Los Angeles for third in the West. After Sunday’s season-ending 1-1 draw with the Galaxy, the Sounders stay fourth in their conference, relegating them to a mid-week playoff game with Colorado for the right to join the West’s semifinalists.
Seattle got on the board early thanks to LA goalkeeper Jaime Penedo’s mistake, though you may hear it referred to as Clint Dempsey’s first Seattle goal. Both descriptions are correct, but if the Panamanian international hadn’t grossly misjudged a Lamar Neagle cross, the U.S. captain wouldn’t have been given an empty net to open his Cascadia account. After 30 minutes, Dempsey finished from just inside the six-yard box to put Seattle up, 1-0.
They’d take that lead into halftime, though by all indications, they were lucky to do so. That’s because an Omar Gonzalez header late in the half failed to get LA on the board, even though replays clearly showed the ball had crossed the line. From 12 yards out, Gonzalez headed down toward the middle of Michael Gspurning goal, with Osvaldo Alonso attempting to clear the would be equalizer. The shot, however, bounced one foot inside the Seattle goal before the Sounder midfielder cleared it. Unfortunately for Los Angeles, the lineman saw things differently and kept the score at 1-0.
The second half resumed where the first had left off, with Seattle largely controlling possession while the teams shared shots on goal. As the half bled on, Los Angeles began to assume more control as they pursued an equalizing goal. By the 75 minute mark, the Galaxy were full control of the match, a control Seattle was complicit in as they tried to preserve their lead.
That gave Robbie Keane’s equalizer the feeling of being preordained. With Seattle unable to do anything significant going forward — seemingly more and more willing to try and get the game to full time — it was only a matter of time before a goal like Keane’s. The Irish international volleyed an attempted clearance into the turf from 18 yards out, the ball hitting just inside the Seattle are before flying into Gspurning’s right side netting. Ending the pressure that’d built since halftime, LA pulled even with Seattle, 1-1.
Seattle leveled play over the match’s final quarter hour, earning a series of corner kicks that stressed Los Angeles over the match’s final moments, but Penedo was never seriously threatened before the match’s final whistle. Having recoiled to preserve their lead, Seattle gave back their chance to avoid the playoff’s first round, relegating themselves to a rematch with the Colorado team that started all of Seattle’s troubles.
Those troubles include a seven–match winless run they’ll carry into the playoffs, though Seattle’s silver-lining sees their four-match losing streak come to an end. Dempsey got his first goal, Michael Gspurning performed well in his return – there are a number of seasons to think this a step forward. Unfortunately, that step wasn’t enough to avoid a fourth place finish.
Los Angeles, on the other hand, can look at this as a point well won, particularly given the misfortunate on Gonzalez’s non-goal. But without the services of Juninho, Todd Dunivant, and A.J. DeLaGaza (still), the Galaxy still got a resultson the road, one that will ensure their potential run to a third-straight MLS Cup will be one match shorter than last year’s.
