VANCOUVER, B.C. -- Vancouver Whitecaps and Seattle Sounders kicked off their 2015-16 CONCACAF Champions League campaigns at BC Place on Wednesday night, cancelling each other out in a 1-1 draw that was light in goalmouth action and moments to remember.
Seattle will likely be the happier of the two teams, coming away with an away point, but with both sides putting out second string lineups, no one really grabbed their opportunity to impress to the full.
For a brief moment it looked like a Vancouver centre back would be Seattle's downfall for the second time in less than a week, with Tim Parker following in Pa Modou Kah's footsteps with an excellent backheeled goal just past the hour mark.
Seattle earned a share of the points in the 72nd minute, however, when Lamar Neagle was left unmarked and fired home with ease.
As expected, both coaches rang the changes, with Vancouver changing their entire starting 11 and Seattle keeping just three starters from Saturday's meeting between the Cascadia clubs.
The new-look teams took their time in finding their feet and establishing some chemistry, with neither side able to carve out any clear openings in a dire first half.
The closest either team came to opening the scoring came with ten minutes of the half remaining, when Andy Rose got on the end of an Aaron Kovar cross, rising unchallenged but heading narrowly over.
The second half started in much the same way, with Vancouver finally having their first chance in the 61st minute when Pedro Morales played in Erik Hurtado but he couldn't get a clear shot off.
That seemed to spark the game into life and the Whitecaps took the lead moments later when Parker back-flicked home Morales' corner.
Vancouver had a couple of chances to double their advantage and looked in the ascendency but sloppy defending gifted Seattle an equaliser in the 72nd minute.
The Whitecaps failed to clear a free kick and as the ball was played back in Neagle was left unmarked in the box to drill home from close range.
Vancouver tried to push for a winner but Troy Perkins was rarely called into action and Seattle easily held out for what could be a vital point when Group F plays out.
Both teams will now be back in MLS action this weekend, with Vancouver hosting Real Salt Lake on Saturday evening (10 pm ET, TSN1 in Canada, MLS LIVE in US) and Seattle heading to LA on Sunday afternoon (4 pm ET, ESPN/ESPN Deportes in US, TSN2 in Canada).
Seattle Sounders say breaking scoreless run in Champions League draw vs Vancouver is "a big step"
It wasn’t exactly an offensive bonanza but the Seattle Sounders finally scored a goal and also managed to get a result in their 2015-16 CONCACAF Champions League group play opener, salvaging a 1-1 draw with the Vancouver Whitecaps at BC Place on Wednesday night.
Coming into the game, the Sounders hadn’t scored in more than 400 minutes, dating back to July 3 and had been shutout in four straight games.
On Wednesday, they finally broke through courtesy of a close-range 72nd-minute strike fromLamar Neagle -- who found himself unmarked in the Vancouver penalty box before finishing a cross from Andy Rose -- a drought-breaking goal that Sounders head coach Sigi Schmid said would be a much-needed psychological step for his team to get back on track offensively.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve found the back of the net,” Schmid said after the game. “Hopefully this is a start going forward. …You want to be able to win your games at home and get a result on the road [in Champions League]. Being able to come up here and get a point is good for us.”
The fact that the goal came from Neagle was surely an especially welcome sight for the Sounders, as the 28-year-old hasn’t found a consistent run of form this year after posting a career-best campaign with nine goals and nine assists a season ago.
“After having a few years where I was continually getting better and statistically it was showing, this year has been kind of a standstill for absolutely everybody it seems like,” Neagle said. “It’s good to get back on the board and hopefully we can keep this going.”
After getting blown out 3-0 by the Whitecaps just five days ago in Seattle, the Sounders fell behind again on Wednesday, trailing 1-0 after rookie defender Tim Parker backheeled a corner kick past goalkeeper Troy Perkins.
But with Neagle’s equalizer finally getting Seattle back on the scoresheet, the Sounders now hope they will be able to parlay the momentum into the sort of consistent offensive output that they have sorely lacked in recent weeks as MLS and Champions League play move forward in August.
“A good start to the tournament for us,” defender Brad Evans said. “[The tie] doesn’t feel like a win but it still gives you a little pep going forward. Especially getting that goal, getting the monkey off our back, finally putting one away. It feels good. I think the team deserved that tonight.”
Seattle now turns its focus right back to MLS play, as they head south for a weekend matchup on the road against the LA Galaxy (4 pm ET, ESPN/ESPN Deportes). The Sounders will also play at home against Orlando City on August 16 before resuming CCL play back home in Seattle against CD Olimpia of Honduras on August 19.
“We’re a team right now that’s still searching to get back into our groove,” Schmid said. “Tonight was a big step in that direction.”
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