Seely’s late free-kick goal helps Shadow gain tie with lowly Reds

Sometimes soccer can be a complex and multifaceted game.

Sometimes one word can cover it – frustrating.

For the Spokane Shadow, Friday night’s clash with the Yakima Reds at Joe Albi Stadium can be described by the latter.

Spokane’s Tim Seely scored on a free kick from 20 yards out in the 82nd minute to cancel out Mike Chabala’s 69th-minute strike and secure a hard-fought but hair-pulling 1-1 tie with the Yakima Reds.

The tie allowed the Shadow to hold on to first place. They’re 4-0-1 on the season, good for 13 points. Yakima improved to 0-4-1 and is still in last place with one point.

Spokane held the run of play for the majority of the game, but in the offensive end of the field, the Shadow were more often than not left wanting, scoring just the one goal despite outshooting the Reds 17-4 and earning 12 corner kicks to Yakima’s one.

“I thought we were a bit unlucky,” said defender Matt Stueckle, whose header off a corner just 5 minutes in was cleared off the line by Yakima defender Victor Calderon. “We created a lot of chances, had a lot of shots on goal. We were a little unfortunate to only get one of them to go in. It was just a frustrating night.”

Sparked by the play of midfielder John Palladino, who was returning from suspension after being shown a red card against Yakima in their last meeting, the Shadow outmuscled the Reds in the air and outran them on the ground.

It was their finishing that let them down.

As was fitting on the night, Yakima’s goal came right after Spokane couldn’t connect on a scoring opportunity.

Left-winger Troy Ready broke down the side, but his cross to Brett Hite was too long and was picked off by Reds goalie Chris Eylander. Eylander quickly sent it out and Yakima forward Alonso Rojas sent in a pass from the left wing to forward Bryan Neal. Neal sent it along to Chabala, who, with his right foot, sent a 20-yard shot that bounced in front of Shadow goalie Kris Wright and snuck between him and the right post.

Palladino had a header crash off the crossbar in the 4 minutes before Seely’s goal.

Jake Moug was fouled hard from behind by Calderon just 2 yards from the penalty box, and with Eylander covering the right side of the net, Seely bent his ball up and over the wall and just inside the left post, leaving Eylander no chance.

Seely hit the right upright in the fifth minute of overtime and substitute Dustin Allberry had a header fall just over the crossbar in the eighth minute of OT, but as was the theme on the night, the Shadow were just left shaking there heads.

The Shadow return to action tonight against the Abbottsford Rangers at Joe Albi Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.