Seattle Sounders FC beats Vancouver to reach CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals
The Seattle Sounders survived the Group of Death.
That was the title applied in June when the CONCACAF Champions League clustered the Sounders, the Vancouver Whitecaps and Olimpia of Honduras in Group F — the only group with two teams from Major League Soccer.
However, the Sounders took the group with a 3-0 victory over the Whitecaps on Wednesday at CenturyLink Field and will advance to the quarterfinals when knockout play begins next year.
The Sounders came into the match knowing that a win would send them through, but that any other result would eliminate them.
“The thing we talked about before the game was, ‘Hey, we’re in a rhythm, we’re starting to get a rhythm, we’re starting to win games, confidence is growing, this is just another game in that sequence,’ ” coach Sigi Schmid said. “We didn’t want to say, ‘Hey, this is a different competition.’ We’re talking about … building our confidence level and (continuing) to win games.
“Winning solidly, not giving up any goals, is something we’re very happy with.”
After a scoreless first 30 minutes, Seattle broke things open with three goals over a 15-minute span.
Lamar Neagle opened the scoring from close range in the 32nd minute, assisted by Chad Barrett. Seven minutes later, Nelson Valdez headed in a free kick by Marco Pappa. In the 47th minute, the Barrett-to-Neagle combination struck again.
“It’s nice to get two in a game,” Neagle said. “Especially a game that’s important like this one.”
Balancing the stakes in CCL and in the ongoing MLS playoff race, coach Sigi Schmid went with a mixed lineup, exemplified by the forward spot, where designated player Valdez started alongside Barrett. The back line was mostly starters: Tyrone Mears, Brad Evans, Chad Marshall and Leo Gonzalez. The midfield was a mix again: Pappa and Neagle flanking Erik Friberg and Cristian Roldan.
That lineup returned four starters from the one that took a 3-0 MLS win at Vancouver on Saturday, along with two other players who came off the bench in that game.
“We played seven fresh guys tonight out of the 11, and those guys acquitted themselves well,” Schmid said. “It’s always easier when a young guy like a Roldan plays next to an experienced player, rather than having to put two young players next to each other. … I think that showed through.”
Vancouver repeated only one starter — defender Pa-Modou Kah — in sending out a lineup with an average age of 24.4. The Sounders’ starters’ average age was 29.2.
Seattle ended group play 2-1-1. Vancouver is 1-1-1 and Olimpia 1-2 heading into their now-meaningless final match Oct. 22 in Honduras.
The Sounders return to training Thursday to begin preparations for their 2 p.m. Sunday MLS match at Sporting Kansas City. SKC trails Seattle by one point in the Western Conference standings after a 1-0 loss at Houston on Wednesday.
“Obviously we’re on a little bit of a roll, and we want to keep that going,” Neagle said. “All my teammates are working hard and starting to play at the perfect time.”
This story was originally published September 23, 2015 at 9:10 PM with the headline "Seattle Sounders FC beats Vancouver to reach CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals."