CHESTER, PENN. – In its final road match of the 2017 regular season, Seattle Sounders FC (12-9-11, 47 points) fell 1-0 to the Philadelphia Union (10-13-9, 39 points) Sunday afternoon at Talen Energy Stadium. Marcus Epps and Roland Alberg scored for the Union, as Seattle remains in a tie for second place in the Western Conference with two matches remaining in the 2017 campaign. Following the upcoming bye week due to a FIFA international break, the Rave Green conclude the season with a pair of home matches beginning on October 15 against FC Dallas (4:30 p.m. PT / JOEtv, Univision-Seattle, KIRO Radio 97.3 FM, El Rey 1360 AM).
The Union scored the match’s first goal in the 28th minute courtesy of Epps. Amidst a crowd at the top of the 18-Âyard-box, Ilshino found Epps on the right side of the area for a low shot past Frei to give the home side a 1-0 lead. Epps was a late addition to the starting lineup after Chris Pontius suffered an injury in pregame warmups.
Seattle nearly equalized in the 62nd minute on a pair of back-to-back chances. Henry Wingo sent a low shot from inside the area that was denied, but the clearance went straight to Clint Dempsey for a shot from distance on-frame that was parried by Andre Blake over the cross bar. Moments later, Dempsey combined with Bruin near the top of the 18-yard-box to get a clean shot on-target, but again Blake was able to make the save.
Philadelphia doubled its advantage to seal the match in the 88th minute through Alberg, as the Dutch attacker whipped in a forceful shot from the left edge of Seattle’s area, placing the ball past Frei and into the back of Sounders FC’s net. The strike was Alberg’s seventh of 2017.
Following Sunday’s match, Sounders FC has a week off from MLS play due to a FIFA international break, with seven Sounders FC players receiving call-ups. The Rave Green set to conclude the 2017 campaign with a pair of home matches on October 15 vs. FC Dallas and October 22 vs. the Colorado Rapids. With Sounders FC tied with Portland and Sporting Kansas City on 47 points for second place in the Western Conference, Brian Schmetzer’s side is on the cusp of qualifying for its ninth-consecutive postseason advancement.
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 0 – Philadelphia Union 2
Sunday, October 1, 2017
Venue:
Talen Energy Stadium
Referee:
Alan Kelly
Assistants:
Danny Thornberry, Eric Boria
Fourth Official:
Marcos de Oliveira
VAR:
Fotis Bazakos
Attendance:
17,431
Weather:
Clear
SCORING SUMMARY
PHI –
Marcus Epps (Ilsinho, Haris Medunjanin) 28’
PHI
–
Roland Alberg (Jay Simpson) 88’
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
SEA –
Jordy Delem (caution) 11’
PHI
–
Ilsinho (caution) 27’
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC – Stefan Frei; Kelvin Leerdam, Chad Marshall, Tony Alfaro, Nouho (Henry Wingo 60’); Gustav Svensson, Jordy Delem (Clint Dempsey 55’), Nicolás Lodeiro – captain, Cristian Roldan (Lamar Neagle 80’), Joevin Jones; Will Bruin
Substitutes not used: Tyler Miller, Oniel Fisher, Aaron Kovar, Harry Shipp
Total shots:
13 (Dempsey, 7)
Shots on goal:
5 (Dempsey, 3)
Fouls:
5 (Leerdam, 2)
Offside:
3 (Bruin, 2)
Corner-kicks:
4 (Lodeiro, 4)
Saves:
5 (Frei, 5)
Philadelphia Union – Andre Blake; Raymon Gaddis, Jack Elliott, Richie Marquez, Fabinho; Alejandro Bedoya, Haris Medunjanin, Marcus Epps (Jay Simpson 77’), Ilsinho (Roland Alberg 71’), Fabrice-Jean Picault (Derrick Jones 88’); C.J. Sapong
Substitutes not used: John McCarthy, Oguchi Onyewu, Giliano Wijnaldum
Total shots:
15 (Fabinho, 3)
Shots on goal:
7 (Picault, 2)
Fouls:
5 (Ilsinho, 2)
Offside:
3 (Three players, 1)
Corner-kicks:
10 (Medunjanin, 10)
Saves:
5 (Blake, 5)
MATCH NOTES
- With 47 points (12-9-11), Sounders FC is tied for second place in the Western Conference, four points behind Vancouver for the top spot, with Portland and Sporting Kansas City also holding 47 points on the season. Whitecaps FC is the only Western Conference side to have clinched a postseason berth, while just five points separate the next seven ranked teams in the conference. Sounders FC has two regular-season matches remaining in the 2017 campaign.
- Sunday’s match was the final road contest of 2017 for Sounders FC, with the Rave Green compiling a 3-8-6 record away from CenturyLink Field.
- Sounders FC is now 4-4-2 all-time against the Union in MLS play, including a winless 0-3-2 record at Talen Energy Stadium.
- Brian Schmetzer’s side now heads into a bye week from MLS play due to a FIFA international break, with seven Sounders FC players receiving call-ups for national team duty. The Rave Green conclude the 2017 season with a pair of home matches on October 15 vs. FC Dallas and October 22 vs. the Colorado Rapids.
