SEATTLE, WASH.- Seattle Sounders FC (14-14-6, 48 points) closed out the 2016 MLS regular season Sunday afternoon with a 2-1 win over Real Salt Lake (12-12-10, 46 points), clinching a spot in the 2016 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs for the eighth consecutive season. A pair of first-half goals from Alvaro Fernandez and Cristian Roldan led the way for Seattle, who secured the fourth position in the Western Conference amidst a dramatic 2016 Decision Day, in which every team in the league squared off simultaneous kickoffs with postseason implications on the line. The Rave Green are now set to host Sporting Kansas City in the MLS Western Conference Knockout Round on Thursday, October 27 on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field (7:00 p.m. PT / FS1, Unimás), where Brian Schmetzer's club is unbeaten in its last seven home fixtures (5-0-2).
Seattle is the only team in MLS to finish in the top four in each of the past eight seasons. Sounders FC also matches LA Galaxy's active streak with a league-record eight consecutive playoff berths. Sunday's win puts Seattle at 14 victories this season, making it the only club in the post-shootout era to have at least 14 wins in seven consecutive seasons. With an attendance of 50,022, Sounders FC improves to a record of 14-2-2 in front of crowds above 50,000 at CenturyLink Field. Seattle led MLS in attendance for the eighth consecutive season, averaging a crowd of 42,636 per-match in 2016.
Seattle capitalized on its raucous home-field advantage following Zach Scott's Golden Scarf presentation by getting off the starting blocks just three minutes into the match. Roldan and Tyrone Mears combined on the right flank, with the Englishman playing a cross into the path of rookie forward Jordan Morris. The Mercer Island native flicked the ball onward to Fernandez, with the Uruguayan converting his attempt at Nick Rimando's far post.
Sounders FC's early lead lasted less than a minute, with RSL countering through Luke Mulholland, with the midfielder's shot attempt taking a deflection of Seattle defender Joevin Jones' leg en route to goal. Jordan Allen was credited with the assist on the play.
Seattle broke through the deadlock before the halftime whistle, as Cristian Roldan pounced on a loose ball inside the eighteen-yard-box during a Nico Lodeiro corner-kick. Central defender Román Torres did the initial dirty work, rising the meeting Lodeiro's out-swinger, forcing Rimando into an initial reactionary save before Roldan pounced on the second effort.
Seattle needed either a Decision Day win over RSL or a loss or draw by either Portland or Sporting Kansas City to clinch its berth. As the dust settled, the Rave Green took control of their own destiny with the victory, while Portland fell to Vancouver, 4-1, and Sporting Kansas City beat San Jose, 2-1, claiming the fifth-seed position and trip to face Seattle.
Following today's victory, Seattle Sounders FC has secured fourth place in the Western Conference, setting the stage for an Audi MLS Cup Playoffs Knockout Round clash with Sporting Kansas City on Thursday, October 27. Kickoff for Seattle's eighth consecutive postseason campaign is set for 7:00 p.m. PT on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field. The match is being broadcast nationally by FS1 and UniMás, with radio details being announced at a later date.
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 2 - Real Salt Lake 1
Sunday, October 23, 2016
Venue: Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field
Referee: Baldomero Toledo
Assistants: Frank Anderson, Joe Fletcher
Fourth Official: Dave Gantar
Attendance: 50,022
Weather: Mostly sunny and 60 degrees
SCORING SUMMARY
SEA - Alvaro Fernandez (Jordan Morris, Tyrone Mears) 3'
RSL - Luke Mulholland 4'
SEA - Cristian Roldan 31'
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
RSL - Joao Plata (caution) 8'
SEA - Chad Marshall (caution) 37'
SEA - Erik Friberg (caution) 40'
RSL - Kyle Beckerman (caution) 48'
RSL - Chris Wingert (caution) 78'
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC - Stefan Frei; Tyrone Mears, Román Torres, Chad Marshall, Joevin Jones; Osvaldo Alonso, Erik Friberg (Nelson Valdez 69'), Cristian Roldan, Alvaro Fernandez (Brad Evans 78'), Nico Lodeiro; Jordan Morris
Substitutes not used: Tyler Miller, Zach Scott, Oniel Fisher, Herculez Gomez, Aaron Kovar
Total shots: 11 (Torres, 4)
Shots on goal: 3 (3 players, 1)
Fouls: 13 (Roldan, 3)
Offside: 4 (Lodeiro, 2)
Corner-kicks: 9 (Lodeiro, 9)
Saves: 0
Real Salt Lake - Nick Rimando; Justen Glad, Chris Wingert (Yura Movsisyan 81'), Demar Phillips, Chris Schuler; Kyle Beckerman - captain, Sunday Stephen, Luke Mulholland (Javier Morales 64'), Jordan Allen; Joao Plata (Juan Manuel Martinez 69'), Olmes Garcia
Substitutes not used: Lalo Fernandez, Jamison Olave, Danilo Acosta, John Stertzer
Total shots: 10 (Mulholland, 3)
Shots on goal: 1 (Mulholland, 1)
Fouls: 17 (Beckerman, 5)
Offside: 1 (Martinez, 1)
Corner-kicks: 3 (Morales, 2)
Saves: 1 (Rimando, 1)
MATCH NOTES
- With a record of 14-14-7, Sounders FC concludes the MLS regular season in fourth place in the Western Conference. Seattle is the only team in MLS to finish in the top four in each of the past eight seasons. Sounders FC also matches LA Galaxy's active streak with a league-record eight-consecutive playoff berths. Sunday's win puts Seattle at 14 victories this season, making it the only club in the post-shootout era to have at least 14 wins in seven consecutive seasons.
- Sounders FC is set to host Sporting KC in the Western Conference Knockout Round on Thursday, October 27. Seattle has a 7-9-4 record all-time in the MLS Cup Playoffs, but has never faced SKC.
- Sounders FC is 8-8-4 against Real Salt Lake in league play, including a 6-2-2 record at CenturyLink Field. The sides met three times in MLS action this season, with the Rave Green posting a 2-0-1 mark.
- Midfielder Alvaro Fernandez scored his first goal of the season in the third minute. He scored 13 goals in three seasons with the Rave Green from 2010-2012. Tyrone Mears was credited with his second assist of the season, while Jordan Morris recorded his fourth.
- Midfielder Cristian Roldan netted the game-winning goal in the 31st minute. He concludes his second league campaign with four goals and three assists.
- Sunday's match marks just the second time in club history that both sides recorded a goal in the opening five minutes (Last: 2-1 win at Colorado, July 28, 2012; Johnson 2', Moor 3')
- Interim Head Coach Brian Schmetzer has posted an 8-2-4 record since taking over managerial duties on July 26. He has gone unbeaten at home, holding a 5-0-3 mark at CenturyLink Field.
- In his first campaign, forward Jordan Morris becomes the first field player in club history to play all 34 MLS matches. He also set a new MLS rookie record with six game-winning goals, while his 12 goals rank as second-most among all rookies in league history.
- With an attendance of 50,022, Sounders FC improves to a record of 14-2-2 in front of crowds above 50,000 at CenturyLink Field. Seattle led MLS in attendance for the eighth consecutive season, averaging a crowd of 42,636 per match in 2016.
