TUKWILA, Wash. – Seattle Sounders 2 exploded for three goals in the second half, rolling to a 3-0 blowout of Los Angeles Galaxy 2 at Starfire Sports Complex on Saturday.
Irvin Parra scored twice to pace the hosts, bringing his personal total to five on the season for the 23-year-old attacker. Parra also assisted on S2’s other goal, scored by midfielder Ray Saari in the 70th minute.
The victory offered up a measure of redemption for S2 following last weekend’s disappointing 2-2 draw against Sacramento Republic FC, which saw the club give up an equalizer at the death after leading 2-1.
Despite the second-half fireworks, Saturday’s game got off to a slow start, with neither team generating much offensive traction in the first half.
S2 goalkeeper Tyler Miller denied perhaps the best opportunity of the opening half for either side with a sprawling save of a distance shot in the game’s first minute. Neither side managed to muster up a substantive threat for the duration of the frame and the contest would head to the break in a 0-0 deadlock.
It would stay that way until the 60th minute, when 16-year-old Sounders Academy product Azriel Gonzales managed to head a cross from Denso Ulysse directly in front of the Galaxy 2 goal, where Parra was waiting for a point-blank tap-in with his chest that gave S2 the 1-0 lead.
The hosts would double that lead just minutes later after Parra managed to win possession in front of goal and feed Saari for another easy finish into an open net, pushing the advantage to 2-0 as the game hit the 70 minute mark.
Parra then found the dagger just four minutes after, smashing home yet another close-range finish after the ball popped loose in the Galaxy 2 penalty box, sealing the 3-0 result.
The victory moved S2’s record over .500 on the season, with the club now sporting a 6-5-2- mark through 13 matches. The team will look to keep the momentum from Saturday’s result rolling when they return to action on June 10 in a road matchup against Rio Grande Valley FC Toros.
