Sounders win, move into 2nd place
Pull even with Salt Lake after beating FC Dallas
SEATTLE – Brad Evans scored twice, including the go-ahead goal, to lead the Seattle Sounders to a 3-1 victory over FC Dallas on Sunday night.
The Sounders (15-7-11, 56 points), who already have clinched their fourth straight MLS playoff berth, climbed into a second-place tie with Real Salt Lake in the Western Conference. Both teams have one game remaining.
It wasn’t all good news for the Sounders, however. Seattle played without head coach Sigi Schmid, who was suspended one game for criticizing the officiating in last week’s 0-0 tie with Real Salt Lake and also found out that the Portland Timbers clinched the Cascadia Cup.
Portland beat Vancouver 1-0 Sunday on a goal by Jack Jewsbury late in the first half, winning the Cascadia Cup competition and spoiling the Whitecaps’ bid to clinch a playoff spot in front of their home fans.
Portland finished 3-1-2 against its Pacific Northwest rivals to take the Cascadia Cup. Seattle was 2-1-3, and Vancouver 0-3-3.
Seattle’s Fredy Montero started the play that led to Evans’ tie-breaking goal early in the 60th minute. Montero took a quick throw-in down the left sideline. The ball went to Christian Tiffert, who brought it into the left side of the penalty area. He crossed it to Evans, and, from just to the right of the penalty spot, Evans beat Dallas keeper Kevin Hartman to the back left corner for his fourth goal of the year.
Evans gave the Sounders a 1-0 lead with a penalty kick early in the 32nd minute. Mauro Rosales tallied in the 79th minute for Seattle, his third goal of the season.