The Sounders scored an early away goal in the first half and withstood a furious comeback effort by the NYCFC and advanced to the CONCACAF Champions League Final. The Rave Green will face League MX Club Pumas in a two-legged series that will start in Mexico. Give NYCFC for a gallant effort that saw the home side tie the game early in the second half but fall short of overcoming the aggregate deficit.
EARLY JITTERS
The tone of the game was set early. In the first minute of the game New York City Football Club striker, Valentin Castellanos was issued a yellow card for a physical foul on Sounders defender Xavier Arreaga. NYCFC ‘s strategy of bullying the Sounders early worked for the first ten minutes of the game. The Sounders were ball chasing and not staying compact on defense. NYCFC ‘s Talles Magno managed to produce half a chance in the seventh minute with a right-footed shot that was of no consequence to Stefan Frei.
The home side’s best chance of the half came four minutes when a Malte Amundson cross found Thiago Andrade open in the Sounders box. Fortunately for the Sounders, the Brazilian’s header fell right to Stefan Frei.
SOUNDERS’ POSSESSION CALMS NERVES
The Sounders climbed back in the game with intricate teacup passing. Moving the ball from side to side and then having runners attack the NYCFC goal box. The strategy paid dividends in the 28th minute when Jackson Ragen crossed the ball to Nohou who spotted a streaking Raul Ruidiaz towards the NYCFC goal. The Peruvian blasted the ball past NYCFC netminder Sean Johnson to break the deadlock. The cat and mouse game between the two teams continued up until halftime with neither side able to score.
SECOND HALF ADJUSTMENT
A second-half adjustment of moving Thiago to the left side opened up the game for the home side. The Brazilian’s speed and pace overwhelmed the Sounder’s right side which opened up the middle for Castellanos and Nicolas Acevedo. After hitting the post twice in the first ten minutes of the half NYCFC leveled the game in the 51st minute. Santiago Rodriguez right-footed a point-blank shot after receiving a sublime pass from Thiago.
UNBELIEVABLE GOALKEEPING
With the score leveled and full of hope NYCFC continued its full pitch press on the Sounders who were hunkered down in their own end. The confident and fire-breathing NYCFC took shot after shot only to be denied by Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei.
Frei made three significant saves in a 10-minute span midway through the second half. He denied Thiago Martins off a header in the 63rd minute. Frei punched Talles Mango’s shot over the bar in the 68th minute and five minutes later made a stunning kick save to deny Mango wide open after a perfect pass from Valentín Castellanos.
TRYING TO BE THE FIRST
The Sounders will face Liga MX side Pumas with precise dates and times to be announced by CONCACAF in the coming days. The first leg will be hosted by Pumas at Estadio Olímpico Universitario between April 26-and 28, followed by Sounders FC hosting the second leg at Lumen Field between May 3-and 5.
The Sounders are hoping to be the first MLS club to win the Champions League Final.
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