Sunday’s match between the Seattle Sounders and New England Revolution was thought to be a potential MLS Cup Final preview, but with two key absences. As it turns out, they made a huge difference. Without Jermaine Jones, the Revs didn’t have a prayer of stopping Seattle’s attacks. Without Lee Nguyen, their attack lacked bite. And thanks to that, the hosts ran out comfortable 3-0 winners.
Seattle Sounders vs. New England Revolution 2015 results: Clint Dempsey dominant in win
The Revs got carved to pieces without Jermaine Jones.
Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
The designated player forward tandem of Obafemi Martins and Clint Dempsey picked up where they left off last season, playing a huge part in all of Seattle's goals. Dempsey scored twice -- from the spot on the penalty he won, then later from open play -- while Martins scored on a header that Dempsey had a part in setting up.
Seattle had a key absence of their own, and without Osvaldo Alonso in the center for them, this match was fairly even at the start. But over time, Martins and Dempsey started taking turns dropping deep to find the ball and made up for Alonso's absence. In the 24th minute, Seattle went ahead thanks to some clumsy defending. Juan Agudelo looked very much like a forward when he stuck his leg out at Dempsey, who won the penalty and stepped up to score it himself.
New England's best chance to score came in the 39th minute, when Stefan Frei came up with a stunning stop on a Kelyn Rowe shot from the top of the box. But they fell further behind just two minutes later off a brilliant Seattle attack. Dempsey sprayed the ball wide for Tyrone Mears, who paused to steady himself, then delivered a cross into the center. Revs defender Andrew Farrell switched off, allowing Martins to get a step on him, and the Nigerian directed a header past Bobby Shuttleworth.
The second half wasn’t any kinder to the Revs. They’d concede again, with the Dempsey-Martins combination working together perfectly to produce this 67th minute team goal, finished off by Dempsey.
Sounders make it look easy http://t.co/BOioa6zbGd
— Jose Rivera (@Jose8BS) March 9, 2015 After the Revs had made all three substitutions, Teal Bunbury suffered a right arm injury and had to exit the game, leaving them to finish the match with 10 men.
Seattle’s forward pair is already firing on all cylinders, and the Revs leave this game wondering if they can beat top teams without Jones in the lineup.
Seattle Sounders: Frei, Gonzalez, Marshall, Evans, Mears, Neagle (Rose 83'), Pineda (Roldan 90'), Azira, Pappa (Kovar 90'), Dempsey, Martins
Goals: Dempsey (penalty 24’, 67’), Martins (41’)
New England Revolution: Shuttleworth, Tierney, Goncalves, Farrell, Alston, Caldwell, Dorman (Kobayashi 57'), Fagundez (Neumann 77)', Rowe, Bunbury, Agudelo (Okoli 68')
Goals: None.
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