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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

First-game draw with Sounders frustrated FC Dallas

Sounders defender Leo Gonzalez, left, and Dallas’ Fabian Castillo epitomized Sunday’s defensive struggle. (Associated Press)
Don Ruiz Tacoma News Tribune

You can imagine the mixed feelings FC Dallas must have experienced after the first leg of its playoff series with Seattle Sounders FC on Sunday.

On one hand, they shut out Sounders forwards Obafemi Martins and Clint Dempsey, who had combined for 32 goals over the regular season. But then they had to settle for a draw after surrendering a tying goal to Osvaldo Alonso, a defensive midfielder who hadn’t scored during the 34-game season.

“The frustrating part was that we held Dempsey and Martins in check but gave up a set-piece goal to Osvaldo Alonso,” Dallas defender Matt Hedges said. “After (that) result, I expect more of the same game in Seattle. It’s going to be a close game, a physical game, like it was (Sunday). Both teams will possess the ball for stretches and attack one another.”

The aggregate-score series will conclude Monday at CenturyLink Field. Because Major League Soccer uses away goals as the first tie-breaker, Seattle would advance with a win or a scoreless draw. Dallas would advance with a win or a draw of 2-2 or higher. A 1-1 tie at the end of regulation would send the match to extra time and then penalty kicks if necessary.

“It’s halftime (in the series) and the score is 1-1,” Seattle coach Sigi Schmid said. “But we’re coming into our field and we’re at home, so we’re anxious and excited about that. We know that Dallas – and Dallas knows – that they’ve got to score if they’ve going to have a chance of doing anything.”

Schmid indicated that prospect could create more chances for his high-scoring forward tandem. Even at that, he thought Dempsey and especially Martins didn’t lack chances in the opener, only goals.

“They did a good job of putting us under pressure and not allowing us to get into a really good passing rhythm,” Schmid said. “But on the same token, Oba had the breakaway, Oba has that chance right before the end of the first half. Clint had a couple of good looks where he normally hits the ball a little bit better than that. … Generally, if those guys get four looks of that quality, generally a couple of those are in the back of the net.”

Dempsey and Martins took a combined six shots and put five on target. Martins’ two shots on goal were among the best chances of the match: a breakaway behind the Dallas defense that ended in a one-on-one save by goalkeeper Raul Fernandez and another shot just before halftime that Fernandez managed to get a hand on.