Sounders FC achieves club record in 10-match unbeaten run with 1-1 draw in Vancouver

VANCOUVER, B.C. - Seattle Sounders FC (11-7-8, 41 points) earned a hard-fought 1-1 road draw at BC Place on Wednesday night against Cascadia rival Vancouver Whitecaps FC (10-9-5, 35 points). The result delivers Brian Schmetzer's side a new club record, with Sounders FC now stringing together 10 consecutive matches with a win or draw for the first time in team history (6-0-4 in that span). Seattle has not lost since June 17, and the Rave Green now sit alone atop Major League Soccer's Western Conference with 41 points, one point ahead of fellow Cascadia rival Portland and Sporting Kansas City. Seattle now turns its attention to the conference's second-place side, as Sounders FC returns to action this Sunday with a nationally televised fixture against the Timbers in a match that has implication for both the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs and 2017 Cascadia Cup standings (6:30 p.m. PT / FS1, KIRO Radio 97.3 FM, El Rey 1360 AM).

Seattle got on the board first via a penalty kick in the 19^th minute after new signing Víctor Rodríguez was fouled in the 18-yard-box by a Whitecaps FC defender. Nicolás Lodeiro stepped up and converted the ensuing spot-kick to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. It marked the fourth goal of the season for Lodeiro, with Rodriguez making his first start for the club since joining from Spain's La Liga on August 2.

Seattle played the final half hour with a man-advantage after Vancouver midfielder Tony Tchani was issued his second yellow card of the match.

Whitecaps FC equalized in the 64th minute, with former Sounder Fredy Montero scoring his third goal this season against the Rave Green. Alphonso Davies beat Chad Marshall to a ball on the left wing and dribbled into the area before delivering a cross to Montero for an easy finish past Stefan Frei.

The Rave Green dominated the contest statistically, but were unable to find their go-ahead goal. Seattle took 25 total shots to Vancouver's six, claimed 65.9 percent of the match's total possession and earned 10 corner-kicks to Whitecaps FC's four. Still, the club managed to hang onto a share of the points away from home, moving Seattle to within a victory on Sunday of taking the lead in the 2017 Cascadia Cup standings. Seattle now has five points in the combined season series against Portland and Vancouver, with the Timbers currently on top with seven points and Whitecaps FC holding four.

Sounders FC continues its two-match week against Cascadia rivals this Sunday, August 27 when the club hosts the Portland Timbers on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. PT with a national broadcast on FS1, while KIRO Radio 97.3 FM and El Rey 1360 AM are providing local radio coverage.

MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 1 - Vancouver Whitecaps FC 1
Wednesday, August 23, 2017
Venue: 
BC Place
Referee: 
Ricardo Salazar
Assistants: 
Cameron Blanchard, Mike Rottersman
Fourth Official:
Alex Chilowicz
VAR:
Jose Carlos Rivero
Attendance:
22,120
Weather:
Clear
SCORING SUMMARY
SEA -
Nicolás Lodeiro (penalty) 19'
VAN
- Fredy Montero (Alphonso Davies) 64'
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
SEA -
Nouhou (caution) 31'
VAN
- Fredy Montero (caution) 31'
VAN
- Kendall Waston (caution) 32'
SEA
- Tony Alfaro (caution) 45'
VAN
- Tony Tchani (caution) 52'
VAN
- Tony Tchani (ejection) 60'
LINEUPS & STATS

Seattle Sounders FC - Stefan Frei; Kelvin Leerdam, Chad Marshall, Tony Alfaro (Osvaldo Alonso 76'), Nouhou (Aaron Kovar 84'); Cristian Roldan, Gustav Svensson, Jordan Morris (Clint Dempsey 68'), Nicolás Lodeiro, Victor Rodriguez; Will Bruin

Substitutes not used: Tyler Miller, Oniel Fisher, Jordy Delem, Calum Mallace

Total shots:
25 (Rodriguez, 6)
Shots on goal:
8 (Lodeiro, 3)
Fouls:
 7 (Alfaro/Leerdam, 2)
Offside:
 1 (Lodeiro, 1)
Corner-kicks:
10 (Lodeiro, 9)
Saves:
 1 (Frei, 1)

Vancouver Whitecaps FC - David Ousted; Sheanon Williams, Kendall Waston, Tim Parker, Jordan Harvey; Andrew Jacobson (Bernie Ibini-Isei 56'), Tony Tchani, Christian Bolaños, Yordy Reyna (Russell Teibert 68'), Cristian Techera (Alphonso Davies 56'); Fredy Montero

Substitutes not used: Stefan Marinovic, Marcel de Jong, Brek Shea, Nicolás Mezquida

Total shots:
8 (Montero, 3)
Shots on goal:
 2 (Montero, 2)
Fouls:
 13 (Tchani/Montero, 3)
Offside:
1 (Ibini-Isei, 1)
Corner-kicks:
4 (Bolaños, 3)
Saves:
7 (Ousted, 7)
MATCH NOTES

• With 41 points (11-7-8), Sounders FC moves into pole position atop the Western Conference table, one point ahead of Sporting Kansas City and the Portland Timbers. Eight matches remain in the 2017 campaign.
• Sounders FC currently has a 10-match unbeaten streak (6-0-4), with the club's last regular-season loss coming on June 17. The current mark eclipses the previous club record set from May 28 - July 16, 2011.
• After Wednesday's result, Sounders FC is second in the 2017 Cascadia Cup standings with five points (1-1-2), two points shy of Portland for first place. Seattle has two remaining Cascadia Cup fixtures this season, beginning this Sunday against the Timbers.
• Sounders FC is 7-7-5 all-time in regular-season play against Vancouver, including a 4-3-4 record at BC Place. Dating back to 1974, Seattle and Vancouver soccer clubs have met 144 times, with Seattle holding a 68-52-24 advantage. 
• Midfielder Víctor Rodríguez made his Sounders FC debut, earning the start on the left wing. The 28-year-old Spaniard signed with the club on August 2.
• With his tally tonight, former Sounder Fredy Montero scored his third goal this season against the Rave Green. Previously Montero played for Seattle from 2009-2012, setting the club's all-time MLS regular season scoring mark (47 goals). Sounders FC forward Clint Dempsey is currently two goals shy of equaling that record with his current 45 goals in Rave Green.