On a wind driven rainy afternoon, the Philadelphia Union dropped their first points at home this season. The Seattle Sounders FC stole a point in added time ending the match 1-1 despite the Union playing what may have been their best all around performance of this young season.
The Sounders had the first scoring opportunity when Erik Friberg was on the receiving end of a through ball but had his shot blocked by Amobi Okugo who was making his first start of the season. After that early lapse, the Union dominated play for the next 80+ minutes.
Kyle Nakazawa had Philadelphia’s first scoring chance. A Keon Daniel corner found Nakazawa at the far corner of the 6 yard box, but he failed to put his shot on target. Kyle’s hard work paid off when he was fouled about 25 yards out. Carlos Ruiz took the resulting free kick and made the most of it. His curling shot beat a diving Kasey Keller giving the Union a 1-0 lead in the 32 minute which they took into halftime.
After the break, Sebastien Le Toux had an opportunity to double the Union’s lead but failed to trouble Keller with a shot right at the veteran keeper.
Freddy Montero’s introduction in the 66th minute gave the Sounders a spark. Montero had a cross deflected into the middle of the box by the Union’s goalkeeper, Faryd Mondragon, in the 77th minute. The ball dropped to Seattle’s Alvero Fernandez whose shot was cleared off the line by Danny Califf.
The Sounders’ late pressure paid off when once again Montero played a ball into the 6 yard box. This time the ball found Fernandez’s head and went into the net after first hitting the inside of the post.
This goal in the 91st minute was enough to earn the Sounders their 3rd draw of the season. Despite dropping points, the Philadelphia Union remain at the top of the Eastern Conference. Saturday’s attendance at PPL Park was 15,149.
