By Mazvita Maraire Posted on

Despite losing   Leg One 2-0 to Tigres UANL, the Sounders see positives for Leg Two.

The main objective for the Seattle Sounders in their Concacaf Champions League Leg One match against Liga MX side Tigres UANL was to secure a positive result.  While they failed to get a positive result, the Rave Green saw some positives in the 2-0 loss.

 Tigres started on the front foot. Their intentions were clear: use the home crowd to their advantage and score early and often.  Just 14 seconds into the match, Tigress had their first chance. Stefan Frei saved Ozziel Herrera’s right-footed shot.  Tigress continued to press the Sounders, and it was not until the 10th minute mark that the Sounders settled into the game. 

Albert Rusnak intercepted a pass in the middle of the field, then fed  Paul  Arriola down the right flank, who laid the ball into the goal mouth for Jordan Morris, who was unable to catch up to the ball. Morris and the rest of the Sounders players appealed for a video review because the forward felt a Tigress defender had held him.

 TIGRES CONTINUES TO PUSH FORWARD

The Rave Green missed, and the home side continued to press the Sounders, earning back-to-back corner kicks, both of which were wide of the goal. A circus save by Frei in the 17th minute kept the game scoreless. Cesar Araujo’s right-footed blast from the top of the box was headed for the left corner for a goal until Frei dove low and swatted the ball just wide of the goal with his left hand. 

BACK  AND FORTH AFFAIR

The save inspired the Sounders, who settled into the game but were unable to muster an offensive threat until the 29th minute. Morris scooped up the ball, dashed toward the Tigres goal, and laid the ball off to a an onrushing Ariola, who blasted a shot that forced a kick save by Tigres net minder  Nahuel Guzman. After the save, it was Tigre’s turn to attack.  The home side countered on the left flank, but a Frei came up big as the game opened up. With the Sounders using the flanks to advance the ball, Tigres used some gamesmanship to slow down the visitors’ attack. Hard physical tackles and time-wasting were part of the home side’s gamesmanship.

SOUNDERS SAVE BY THE BELL

With both sides pushing forward and playing physical soccer, the game took an ugly turn.  The Sounders were able to hold their temper. Tigres had a golden opportunity to take the lead in the 43rd minute when Nouhou was called for a penalty after fouling Tigres Diego Lainez after a VAR review.   Tigres midfielder Angel  Correa skied the penalty kick, and the Sounders were given a momentary reprieve. The half ended goalless.

SOUNDERS  EARLY CHANCE TO TAKE THE LEAD

The Sounders had a golden opportunity to snatch the game’s first goal early in the second half. Albert Rusnack’s pass to Ariola was deflected and rolled to  Rothrock, who was cutting into the box. Rothrock pounced on the ball only to see his right-footed shot sail high and wide of the goal.  The Sounders continued to hunt for the first goal but found it difficult as Tigres continued its gamesmanship tactics of hard physical fouls, jersey-pulling, and time-wasting.

HOME SIDE TAKES THE LEAD

Tigres’ tactics unnerved the Sounders, who were slow to react on defense and sloppy in passing from the back line to midfield. In the 50th Minute, Tigres took the lead and changed the complexion of the game.   Fernando Górranran’s back heel between two Sounders defenders freed an on-rushing Ozzie Herrera, who slammed the ball into the back of the net for the 1-0 lead.

“I think their first goal put us under a little bit of pressure, listed them a little bit. You know, I thought we were a little loose in possession at times,” said  Brian Schemtzer after the game. “  We didn’t have as good a possession as we did in moments in the, you know, second in the first half. 
And then again, goals change games. If we get one of those chances, it may be a different outcome.

SOUNDERS FIND SOME FIGHTBACK

 Being a goal down, the Sounders had to look for the equalizer without getting stretched. Tigres was in no hurry to play the ball, slowing down the Sounders’ attack with hard fouls and time-wasting tactics. 

The Sounders nearly leveled the match in the 62nd minute when Ariola sprinted down the left flank, slotted the ball to a sprinting Rothrock on the far right post. Rothrock slid and managed a right-footed shot that bounced off Guzman’s chest for the save. The game opened up, but it was the home side who doubled their lead in the 76th minute.  A Tigres corner kick bounced off Jackson Ragen and into the back of the net for an own goal.


”I think the chances that we created, we should have scored at least one, maybe two. So we created chances to score. And, you know, I think, look, at the end of the game, they were putting us under a lot of pressure,” added  Schmetzer.

The game ended with Tigres on the front foot but unable to find that third goal that would have given the home side a three-goal advantage.  The match ended 2-0 with Seattle having to score at least two goals to level the aggregate score and more to advance to the semi-final round.  While the task will be difficult, Schmetzer is confident his side can prevail.

“Well, the positives that I told the team in the locker room was, you know, we understand now the score is 20, so we have to, we understand the objective for the next game—the chances we created. We should have scored two goals. Look, the score is 2-0; it could have been 3 or 4, nothing. It’s not, and we like our chances at home. “

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