The Seattle Sounders ( 4-1-3 15 points ) earned a 2-2 draw at Real Salt Lake (2-1-5, 11 points) Wednesday that head coach Brian Schmetzer concluded was two points lost. Not that Schmetzer was ungrateful for a hard earned road point. More that his team has not learned how to close out games.
BACK AND FORTH AFFAIR
The Sounders started a five am back line to absorb the RSL and use their speed on the flank when in possession. The strategy looked to be spot on when the Sounders were awarded a penalty that Captain Nicolas Lodeiro converted in the 29th minute. The visiting Rave Green took the 1-0 led into the break.
The lead was short lived. Five minutes into the second half when RSL defender Justin Glad leveled the game off a corner kick. The Sounders defensive formation was solid in the open field but shaky when it came to defending set pieces. The Sounders looked to have won the game 20 minutes later when Yeimer Gomez recorded his first career goal after an exquisite cross from Alex Roldan.
Looks were deceiving as the visitor’s inability to defend set-pieces cost them three points in the 85th minute. Following a corner kick, Pablo Ruíz collected the clearance and smashed a bending ball from 25 yards out that took a deflection and found its way past Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei.
