TUKWILA, Wash. – Chad Barrett and Danny Mwanga traded tallies as Seattle Sounders FC (1-0-1, 4 points) and the Colorado Rapids (0-0-1, 1 points) played to a 1-1 draw in the MLS Reserve League on Sunday afternoon at Starfire Stadium.
Seattle opened the scoring in the fourth minute when Barrett knocked in a corner kick. Aaron Kovar swung the ball into the box where Jalil Anibaba flicked it to Barrett for the goal.
Colorado - who finished the match with ten men and a defender as emergency goalkeeper - netted the equalizer in the 63rd minute with a goal from Mwanga. Charles Eloundou found Mwanga at the top of the box, who spun his defender and finished inside the far post to bring the match level at 1-1.
Sounders FC forced Rapids goalkeeper John Berner to make a flurry of saves near the end of the first half. In the 36th minute, Andy Rose sent a cross to Kenny Cooper but his volley was saved by Berner. Two minutes later, Barrett and Cooper played a one-two at the top of the box but Barrett’s shot was again saved by the rookie keeper.
Colorado’s defense continued to stunt the Seattle attack in the second half, beginning with a 52nd minute stop on Cooper’s half-volley from inside the box.
Seattle goalkeeper Josh Ford made several saves after the interval, including a pair of stops on Jovanni Chavez. First, Ford tipped Chavez’s long-range attempt over the crossbar in the 59th minute. In the 82nd minute, Ford made a pair of kick saves on Chavez and Eloundou.
Ford made another stop in the 80th minute when Eloundou got behind the Seattle backline but his chip attempt was smothered by the Seattle keeper.
Colorado goalkeeper Joe Nasco received a straight red card in the 89th minute and was replaced in goal by defender Brenton Griffiths.
The Rapids will continue MLS Reserve League action on May 12 when they host Chivas USA.
Scoring Summary:
SEA – Chad Barrett (Jalil Anibaba, Aaron Kovar) 4’
COL – Danny Mwanga (Charles Eloundou) 63’
Seattle Sounders FC – Marcus Hahnemann (Josh Ford 45), Brad Evans (Fabio Pereira 45), Zach Scott (Matt Reinikka 51), Jalil Anibaba, Aaron Kovar, Michael Azira, Andy Rose, Sean Okoli (Henry Wingo 90+), Tristan Bowen, Kenny Cooper, Chad Barrett (Cam Weaver 60).
Subs not used: Duncan McCormick, Yoshi Chaffin.
TOTAL SHOTS: 19; SHOTS ON GOAL: 5; FOULS: 5; OFFSIDE: 2; CORNER KICKS: 8; SAVES: 4.
Colorado Rapids – John Berner (Joe Nasco 46), Kortne Ford, Marvell Wynne, Brenton Griffths, John Neeskens, Jovanni Chavez, Jared Watts (Miles Chow 70), Charles Eloundou, Marlon Hairston (Enda O’Neill 46), Danny Mwanga, Kamani Hill.
Subs not used: None.
TOTAL SHOTS: 13; SHOTS ON GOAL: 10; FOULS: 13; OFFSIDE: 2; CORNER KICKS: 6; SAVES: 9.
Misconduct Summary:
COL – John Neeskens (caution) 83’
COL – Kortne Ford (caution) 88’
COL – Joe Nasco (sent off) 89’
Referee: Josh Wilkens
Referee’s Assistants: Farhad Dadko, Mehmet Akin
4th Official: Ian Johnson
All statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial
