Slightly lost amidst the excitement of Major League Soccer’s Tuesday Champions League resurgence was the significance of Álvaro Fernández’s heroics. Seattle’s newest designated player (DP) has received sufficient press over the last week, but last night’s goal in Metapán was the seed of legend. Sounder supporters were already proud of their club’s willingness to look out-of-the-MLS-box for their DP option. That an assumed distributor repaid that pride with the most important Sounder goal many of their fans have seen is sure to solidify Fernández as an early favorite.
Sounder At Heart: Alvaro Fernandez Carves Places In Seattle Lore
It’s a sentiment echoed by Jeremiah Oshan at SB Nation’s Seattle Sounders FC blog, Sounder at Heart:
In just his second match as a Sounder, Alvaro Fernandez made sure his place in our lore was secure. Fernandez’s header in the 73rd minute tied the score in the road half of Seattle’s two-leg CCL preliminary stage series with Metapan, and gave the Sounders a 2-1 aggregate score victory.
The goal assured the Sounders of no fewer than six more CCL matches, including two home matches against Costa Rican powerhouse Saprissa and Mexican side Monterrey.
Fernandez was a second-half substitute in the match and scored off a cross from James Riley. His whipped header into the far post was an absolute beauty and gave fans a glimpse of the kind of talent they now get to watch with increasing regularity.
Sounder at Heart has a full review of last night’s 1-1 draw in El Salvador: (Not so) Quick Review: Sounders advance to CCL Group Stage.
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