The Seattle Sounders took crucial points off the Portland Timbers with a rematch looming, as Clint Dempsey's brace -- and a goal and an assist from Cristian Roldan -- lifted Seattle to a resounding 3-1 victory against their Cascadia rivals at CenturyLink Field on Sunday.
An astonishing turnaround continues for Seattle, which now rests only two points behind Portland for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Since Nicolas Lodeiro debuted on July 31st, the Sounders have taken 10 of 12 available points, riding a 4-game unbeaten streak after not having done so at any point prior in 2016; they won consecutive games only once.
Seattle, which was pressuring Portland 'keeper Jake Gleeson throughout, racked up 17 shots (6 on target) and finally broke through when Roldan drew a penalty from Vytautas Andriuskevicius along the right side of the box. Dempsey converted from the spot in the 62nd minute, and followed with an open-play strike in the 80th, when Roldan set him up on the left side and his grass-cutter beat Gleeson far post. Roldan picked up his own minutes later, when Brad Evans nodded a header toward Roldan's noggin off a corner kick by Nicolas Lodeiro.
Box Score
- 62' - Clint Dempsey (PK)
- 80' - Clint Dempsey (Cristian Roldan)
- 83' - Cristian Roldan (Brad Evans, Nicolas Lodeiro)
- 90'+3' - Fanendo Adi
- Full box score
- Stats
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Three Things
THE RISING TIDE:
There's no question Nicolas Lodeiro has energized, and completely altered, the Seattle Sounders. Deuce is out here on fire. Jordan Morris is
. And Cristian Roldan seems to be seeing the Matrix. This lay up to Dempsey was poised, bruh:
They Said It
