The Seattle Sounders have just about had enough of Darwin Quintero.
The Colombian international, nicknamed “The Goal Scientist” because of his first name’s connection to the late father of evolution, has scored three times in four career matches against Seattle. In the semifinals of the 2012-13 CONCACAF Champions League, Quintero scored once for Liga MX’s Santos Laguna and had another shot rebounded in for a goal. Three years later while with fellow Mexican side Club América, Quintero struck twice more, once each in the home and away legs, and sent the Sounders packing again.
When the Sounders host Minnesota United on Sunday (1 p.m. PT; ESPN, YouTube, TV, 950 KJR AM, El Rey 1360 AM | TICKETS), the Loons’ new and first Designated Player will return yet again to CenturyLink Field.
“You don’t have to look back too far to find out that that guy’s a quality player,” said Sounders Head Coach Brian Schmetzer, who was an assistant in both CCL series against Quintero. “He brings an added dimension to their attack. They had some guys who can put the ball in the back of the net, but he’s something different, he’s something special. Off the dribble, 1-v-1, he can break guys down. He’s a handful.”
Club América’s Quintero battles former Sounder Brad Evans in the 2016 CCL | Mike Fiechtner
Perhaps few people are more familiar with Quintero than former teammate and Liga MX opponent Herculez Gomez, who made over 40 appearances for powerhouse Santos Laguna that won the 2012 Liga MX Clausura and finished runners-up in CCL in ’12 and ’13. Gomez formed a menacing attacking trio with Quintero and Mexican international Oribe Peralta and saw up close what made Quintero, who tallied 83 goals in nearly 10 Liga MX years, so lethal in the final third.
“[Quintero] one of the most talented players I’ve played with,” said Gomez, who would later win the 2016 MLS Cup with the Sounders. “He has this incredible knack of being at the right place at the right time. He can take set pieces, he can facilitate the playmaking out of the midfield, he can finish off plays.”
That Santos Laguna team was one of the better teams CONCACAF has seen in recent memory. In addition to the front three, it also featured the talented likes of goalkeeper Oswaldo Sánchez and defenders Oswaldo AlanĂs and Felipe Baloy. They were loaded everywhere.
“We were a hard team to deal with offensively,” said Gomez. “We created tons of havoc, and Darwin was a big part of that. He was in a crowded midfield with all these playmakers, and it didn’t matter where you put him, he would thrive.”
Minnesota United was in desperate need of a playmaker. After going their entire inaugural season without a DP and finishing near the bottom of the Western Conference table, the Loons needed to make a splash in the transfer market. Quintero, now 30, was on the outs at América and searching for a new club. A reported $200,000 transfer fee and $1.5 million salary later, and on March 31, Darwin Quintero was bound for Minneapolis.
He made his MLS debut last weekend against the Portland Timbers and was as good as advertised. He spun past Diego Chara and beat Jake Gleeson far post to score the Loons’ first goal before spraying a beautiful 50-yard ball into the 18-yard-box that forced a Portland own goal.
To Sounders Assistant Coach and former opponent Gonzalo Pineda, Quintero’s debut was everything Pineda expected.
Quintero with Minnesota United during his MLS debut last weekend | USA Today Sports
“He can get out very easily from tight spaces,” said Pineda, who lined up opposite Quintero during the Mexican international’s decorated career at Chivas and several other teams in Liga MX. “He can break lines in that way. Of course he has the change of pace to stretch the opponent behind, but he also is good to play in between the lines. He’s not an easy target [to stop].”
Added Gomez: “When I played against him, one thing that came across was his incredible ability to get out of things. His technical ability, the confidence that oozed out of him when he had the ball at his foot. You wanted to limit his presence in the game.”
Pineda and Gomez each mentioned Quintero’s penchant for having quiet, non-impactful performances for nearly an entire match before unleashing a moment of brilliance and completely flipping the script.
“Darwin Quintero can turn a game on its head out of nothing,” noted Gomez. “He has that playmaking ability, that game-changing ability.”
One of the Sounders’ main tasks this weekend will be keeping Quintero in front of them and making sure he has eyes and a body on him at all times. The challenge will be doing that while also limiting his ability to free up other players like Christian Ramirez and Abu Danladi. Quintero alone requires so much attention that he indirectly contributes to more opportunities for his teammates.
“His mobility is still great, we have to stay compact and not give him too much space in between the lines and try to keep him under control,” Pineda said. “For us, it’s full concentration the whole game and always having one guy tight on him and not letting him turn easily.
“I have a lot of respect for him and his career, so I can say that I always enjoyed playing against him because he’s tough and I always enjoyed those matchups,” Pineda continued. “He’s a fantastic player for them, it’s a big improvement for Minnesota with him on the field.”
