Editor’s Note: In celebration of the Seattle Sounders #ThisMoment 2016 playoff campaign, we’re taking a look back at the moments that defined Sounders playoff runs of the past.
Scoring on the road is tough. Scoring on the road with a Conference Final berth on the line is even tougher. The Sounders are up a comfortable 3-0 on their Western Conference opponent FC Dallas heading into their second leg on Sunday. However, they will likely need that elusive road goal in order to truly book their trip to the next round. Perhaps the biggest goal in Sounders playoff history also came on the road in a Western Conference Semifinal.
On November 8, 2012, the Sounders travelled to Rio Tinto Stadium to take on Real Salt Lake. After failing to claim advantage on home turf, the aggregate sat at 0-0 heading into enemy territory for the final leg.
The two sides went toe to toe all match long, exchanging dangerous chances at both ends. After 80 minutes of play, they sat still at 0-0 and with neither goalkeeper looking like they would be beaten that day. Then along came midfielder Mario Martinez, who had hit the crossbar on a deep free kick earlier in the match, to break the dead lock.
Midfielder Brad Evans found forward Fredy Montero at the top of the box who chipped a lovely ball over the defense to an open Martinez. The angle was tight but Martinez fancied his chances and volleyed it forcefully across Nick Rimando and into the side netting for the first lead of the series with 10 minutes to play.
It was Martinez’s first goal for the Rave Green and 10 minutes later, it sent them to their first Western Conference Championship in franchise history.
