SEATTLE – The Seattle Sounders couldn’t find the net in their home matchup against Columbus Crew SC on Saturday, eventually battling their Eastern Conference foes to a 0-0 stalemate at CenturyLink Field.
The Sounders were afforded a one-man advantage in the 15th minute after Crew SC midfielder Pedro Santos caught midfielder Alex Roldan in the face with a flying kick and was sent off by referee Hilario Grajeda after Video Review.
Seattle weren’t able to capitalize on the advantage through the first half, however, and the contest would remain in a scoreless deadlock through the opening 45 minutes. That would hold in the second half, too, as Seattle couldn’t break down a stingy Columbus side that did well to preserve the deadlock playing down a man for the majority of the contest.
THREE TAKEAWAYS
NO LODEIRO, NO GOALS
Sounders midfielder Nicolás Lodeiro is considered one of the best creative players in MLS for a reason, so with the Uruguayan sidelined with an injury for this contest it was always going to be more difficult for Seattle to create chances, although Head Coach Brian Schmetzer will have undoubtedly expected a better showing following Santos’ red card, even in the absence of his best playmaker. Either way, hopefully a return to the fold from Lodeiro in the near future will give a shot in the arm to the Sounders’ attack.
KIM MAKES FIRST HOME START
With center back Román Torres out for the next few weeks with a hamstring injury, South Korea international Kim Kee-hee got the nod next to Chad Marshall to start Saturday’s match for a second straight match, his first start in the friendly confines of CenturyLink Field. If there’s any positives to be taken from this match, it would be the defense held strong against a Columbus side that boasts some talented playmakers of its own, including Argentine maestro Federico HiguaÃn.
Kim Kee-hee takes the ball from Wil Trapp during Saturday's match at CenturyLink Field / Lindsey Wasson
QUICK TURNAROUND
The Sounders are entering a congested part of their schedule, as they now have a tough pair of road matches on the horizon coming off this result. They’ll first head to BMO Field to take on Toronto FC in a rematch of the last two MLS Cups on Wednesday, May 9 and then follow it up with a huge Cascadia Cup road clash at Providence Park against the Portland Timbers on Sunday, May 13. Sunday's match will mark the 100th meeting between the two Cascadia clubs.
