2011 Feb 21 2011 Feb 21
Preseason training match:
FC Dallas 2 - 0 Seattle Sounders FC
ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, Orlando, FL
Goals:
21' DAL: Marvin Chavez (Brek Shea)
27' DAL: Brek Shea (David Ferreira)
Dallas: Kevin Hartman (Chris Seitz 46'); Jair Benitez (Moises Hernandez 46'), Alexis Pradie (Scott Gordon 58'), Zach Loyd, Jackson (Andrew Wiedeman 65'); Daniel Hernandez (Bobby Warshaw 46'), Eric Alexander (Andrew Jacobson 46', sent off 75'), David Ferreira (Maykel Galindo 46'), Brek Shea (Paul Ogunyemi 67'); Marvin Chavez (Eric Avila 59'), Ruben Luna (Milton Rodriguez 46', Bruno Guarda 75').
Seattle: Terry Boss (Bryan Meredith 46'); Richard Martinez (Roger Levesque 46'), Zach Scott (Taylor Graham 64'), Tyson Wahl (Leone Cruz 64'), Danny Earls (Michael Tetteh 46'); David Estrada (Pat Noonan 64'), Servando Carrasco (Osvaldo Alonso 64'), Brad Evans (Mike Seamon 30'), Lamar Neagle (Jonathan Prieto 64'); Blaise Nkufo (Miguel Montaño 46'), Mike Fucito (Fredy Montero 64')
Match report from Sounders FC:
The Sounders FC played their first game of the Florida leg of the preseason training camp on Monday at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando.
While they got their first preseason looks at Blaise Nkufo, Pat Noonan and Taylor Graham, FC Dallas took advantage of their two best opportunities and came out with the 2-0 victory.
Even in defeat, though, head coach Sigi Schmid was happy with the team's progress.
"I thought they did well," Schmid said. "Our soccer definitely has taken a step forward from Arizona."
The Sounders controlled most of the possession throughout the game and had some strong opportunities, but could not get on the scoreboard.
Mike Fucito had an early shot pushed over the crossbar by Dallas goalkeeper Kevin Hartman and Leone Cruz had a second-half header cleared off the line by defender Moises Hernandez. Miguel Montano also had a late shot in the second half that Chris Seitz parried over the crossbar.
All the while, Dallas got goals from Marvin Chavez and Brek Shea to earn the victory.
Chavez received a cross from Shea in the 21st minute, knocking it in at the far post for a 1-0 lead.
Then in the 27th minute, Shea made it 2-0 with a great header off a ball from David Ferreira. The 2010 MLS MVP sent the ball in from the right side and Shea came tearing through the middle to head it into the net for the goal.
"We had some good chances, but that final touch we need to put away," Graham said. "We're working on it though. It's preseason. It's coming."
Schmid agreed that the possession of the ball has improved, but the finishing touches fell short.
"I thought we did a better job of holding the ball and a better job of knocking the ball around," Schmid said. "I think the quality on our final balls has to be better, but I think we competed and some of our guys stepped up."
With Graham, Noonan and Nkufo all making extended appearances for the first time this preseason, it extended the bench and showed Schmid that his final roster decisions won’t be made easily.
Nkufo and Graham both returned from calf strains that limited them in earlier portions of training camp, while Noonan was back from hip surgery that had him on the shelf for the final few months of the 2010 season.
"It was good to be out there," said Noonan, the eight-year MLS veteran. "I'm a little rusty and I have some things to work on, but overall it's good to play in a competitive atmosphere like that for the first time in five or six months."
Misconduct:
19' CHV: Jackson cautioned
26' SEA: Earls cautioned
33' SEA: Carrasco cautioned
70' SEA: Tetteh cautioned
75' CHV: Jacobson sent off
Postmatch Quotes
Seattle Sounders FC
Sigi Schmid - Head Coach
On the training game: "Obviously it's not the result that we want and results do matter. It's important to get in the habit of winning but we had to make a decision between these two games coming so close together as to which group would play which game and we decided the one group would play the second game, which is probably our stronger group. But I thought the guys did well. Obviously they finished a great second goal. For them it was a good header by Brek Shea. We should have gotten better in our marking but the first goal was a deflection for them a little bit on the cross - unfortunate. Kevin Hartman makes a couple of big saves. They save one off the line in the second half. Montaño has a shot saved as well from distance. Overall, I thought our soccer has definitely taken a step forward from Arizona."
On players who saw their first preseason action: "All three of those guys [Blaise Nkufo, Pat Noonan and Taylor Graham] being back on the field was good. Blaise played with that one group because we wanted to get him into a rhythm where we could play him again against Chicago so we wanted to give him maximum days off in between games. It was good to have him out there. Pat probably tried a little bit too much. The first game you have got to let it settle again for yourself. It's good to have Taylor out there again. We got a chance to see Richard Martinez again today, so all of those things are important. We got a chance more to see some guys in different positions as well. Basically the decision point is coming up so we have got to make decisions soon."
On impressions of group: "I thought our soccer was better. I thought we did a better job of holding the ball. We did a better job of knocking the ball around. I think our quality in our final passes has to be better. That's something that needs to come. I thought we competed. There were still times when we have got to be stronger on the ball. I also think certain guys stepped up. I thought in the first half Servando Carrasco played very well. He was probably our best player I thought in that period of time. I thought Tyson Wahl and Zach Scott in the middle of the back played well with Ianni out injured. Friberg's out injured now too. That hurt us a little bit. I thought what was good for us was our soccer was better. Our decisions as to when to go forward, when to hold onto the ball were better."
Running blog from Sounders FC (with minor editing):
We are live from the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla. The Sounders FC and FC Dallas are warming up with kickoff 30 minutes away.
We've got a handful of Sounders FC fans out here today, including one in a Steve Zakuani jersey and an Akron hat.
I already have seen former UW Husky George John and former USL Sounder Maykel Galindo in uniform for FC Dallas - good to see both of those guys.
FC Dallas starters: Kevin Hartman, Jair Benitez, Alexis Pradie, Jackson, Zach Loyd, Daniel Hernandez, Brek Shea, Eric Alexander, David Ferreira (Warshaw 45'), Marvin Chavez, Ruben Luna.
Sounders FC starters: Terry Boss, Richard Martinez, Zach Scott, Tyson Wahl, Danny Earls, Lamar Neagle, Servando Carrasco, Brad Evans, David Estrada, Blaise Nkufo, Mike Fucito.
We are under way with the Sounders taking the opening kickoff.
1: Danny Earls sends a pass up the left side for Lamar Neagle, but Kevin Hartman gets there first.
1: Another ball forward for Mike Fucito, but Hartman clears it out of play from the top of the box.
2: A Seattle foul gives Dallas possession just inside the midfield stripe.
3: Dallas pushes forward, but is flagged offside.
4: Great opportunity for Seattle - Servando Carrasco took a pass from Martinez and laid it off for Mike Fucito for a shot from the top of the box, but is deflected and Hartman pushes it over the crossbar for a corner kick.
4: Mike Fucito sends in the free kick from the right side and it goes through the box - Dallas plays it away for a Seattle throw.
6: Zach Scott breaks up a play by Brek Shea and knocks it away for a Dallas throw.
7: David Estrada picks the ball off his defender and crosses it in from the right side, but it is defended away.
8: Brek Shea gets around Danny Earls and pulls Terry Boss out, but his centering pass is cleared away ... I think by Richard Martinez.
9: Foul whistled on David Estrada pressuring his defender in the offensive box.
10: David Ferreira gets the ball at the top of the box and plays a quick touch-and-shoot, but misses outside the far post.
12: Tyson Wahl knocks down a cross attempt from the right side, then turns it the other way. The ball winds up at David Estrada's feet at midfield, but his ball to Lamar Neagle up the left side goes too long for Neagle to reach and Dallas regains possession.
14: Lamar Neagle gets possession in the middle of the field and runs it forward, drawing two defenders before passing to Mike Fucito for a shot at the top of the box. However, Fucito can't get enough of the ball and it goes away for a goal kick.
15: Good ball into the box for Seattle is headed away for a corner kick.
17: Danny Earls takes possession away from Dallas and carries it into the attacking end before dropping it off to Fucito, who is quickly fouled by Dallas.
19: Blaise Nkufo nearly scores on a header at the post.
It is saved by Hartman at the post.
19: Dallas nearly scores on the other end, but Terry Boss makes a great stop.
I haven't mentioned it yet, but Brad Evans has been a force in the midfield. No Dallas possession has been safe with Evans swarming around the midfield.
20: FC Dallas scores. Marvin Chavez knocks in a ball at the right post - tough break for the Sounders who have held a majority of possession so far. FC Dallas 1, Sounders FC 0.
26: Hard foul by Danny Earls 38 yards out on the right side gives him a yellow card.
27: David Ferreira takes the free kick, but Servando Carrasco leaps and blocks it away for a throw in.
28: A cross from the right side finds Brek Shea unmarked in front of the net for an uncontested header that he puts past Terry Boss for a goal. FC Dallas 2, Sounders FC 0.
29: Blaise Nkufo appears to earn a penalty, but is flagged offside and the referee waives it off.
30: Mike Seamon subs on for Brad Evans.
32: Daniel Hernandez pulls down Mike Seamon for a foul at midfield just to the right side of the circle.
33: Servando Carrasco picks up a yellow card for a foul on David Ferreira at midfield.
38: Tyson Wahl breaks up a run by David Ferreira in the box that leaves the 2010 MLS MVP howling for a penalty, but there is no call and Terry Boss picks it up easily.
40: Good ball forward by Seattle, but it takes a high bounce over Mike Fucito's head and into the box where Kevin Hartman picks it up easily.
42: Good run of play by Seattle, but David Estrada's cross into the box goes wide and Mike Seamon, on the slide on the left side of the box, just misses keeping the ball in play.
I should specify that it was planned for Evans to only play 30 minutes - no recurrence of the injury or anything of that nature.
There is the halftime whistle. FC Dallas 2, Sounders FC 0.
Sounders start the second half with Bryan Meredith, Roger Levesque, Scott, Wahl, Michael Tetteh, Miguel Montano, Carrasco, Seamon, Neagle, Fucito, Estrada.
Levesque at right back, Montano at right mid and Estrada moves up to forward alongside Fucito.
50: Miguel Montano takes a free kick from the right side, but it is headed away at the far post by the Dallas defense.
52: Miguel Montano is tackled at midfield for a foul.
53: Mike Fucito turns on a shot from 24 yards out just left of center, but it bounces right into the arms of Chris Seitz, who is in goal for Dallas now.
In for Dallas to start the second half: Galindo, Jacobson, Warshaw, M. Hernandez, Milton and Seitz. Out are Luna, Alexander, Ferreira, Hernandez, Hartman and Benitez.
54: Miguel Montano is fouled again, just inside of midfield he catches a shot to the face while jumping for a 50-50 ball.
56: Brek Shea sends one into the box from the right side through pressure from Michael Tetteh, but Zach Scott gets in front of it and knocks it clear.
58: Lamar Neagle gets past his defender on a great individual effort and is pulled down as he goes past for a foul.
59: Zach Scott just misses on a header off a free-kick from the left side, with the ball going just over the crossbar for a goal kick.
62: Miguel Montano is whistled for a foul after a Seattle clearance. Tough call.
63: Mike Fucito takes an elbow to the cheek, but plays through it and Seatlte eventually earns the corner kick.
64: Sounders FC subs in a new group. Lineup: Meredith, Levesque, Taylor Graham, Leone Cruz, Tetteh, Montano, Osvaldo Alonso, Seamon, Jonathan Prieto, Pat Noonan, Fredy Montero.
66: Miguel Montano takes a drop-back pass from Pat Noonan on the right side, but his ball for Fredy Montero at the far post goes long for a goal kick.
70: Michael Tetteh beats Maykel Galindo to the ball, but takes him down in the process to pick up a yellow card.
72: Good ball by Miguel Montano sneaking into the middle of the field and leading Michael Tetteh up the left sideline, but it has just a touch too much pace on it and Tetteh can't get to it in time to keep it in play.
75: Red card to Andrew Jacobsen, who has been a beast in the midfield, but just swept the leg on one of Seattle's players 28 yards out.
77: Great run by Miguel Montano up the right side, then he knocks one into the box, but it's too strong and goes through for a Dallas throw.
77: Bruno Guarda subs on for Milton Rodriguez.
Now Seamon is outside and Prieto is in the middle.
80: Mike Seamon finds Leone Cruz on a corner kick ,but his header in traffic is cleared off the line by a Dallas defender. Seamon gets another header off the rebound, but it too was defended.
85: Fredy Montero rises up for a header in the middle of the box, but is whistled for the foul - a little too much contact before he went up.
88: Good effort by Seattle is chipped over the crossbar by Dallas for a corner kick. On the corner, the ball falls to Osvaldo Alonso, but his shot from the top goes high for a goal kick.
89: Mike Seamon sends a ball into the box from the left side, but it bounces into the arms of Chris Seitz.
There's the final whistle. Final score, FC Dallas 2, Sounders FC 0.
