New players, new roles, but another defeat for Sounders

How thin were the Seattle Sounders at the start of their Wednesday match at Philadelphia?

Thin enough where three players were making their first MLS starts and one of those was making his MLS debut.

How desperate did the Sounders become by the end?

Desperate enough that normally starting central defender Chad Marshall was substitued in as a forward.

In the end, all that innovation and desperation wasn’t enough, as the Sounders fell, 1-0, to the Union at PPL Park in Chester, Pennsylvania.

“With all the players that were missing, the difficult part is we also don’t have a chance to train,” coach Sigi Schmid said. “If we had the same kind of injuries and everything else but we had a chance to train for a week things would be a little different. We were playing without a lot of important veteran players.”

Seattle (9-6-2) lost back-to-back games for the first time this season, and once again was without all three of its designated players – forwards Clint Dempsey and Obafemi Martins and midfielder Osvaldo Alonso – as well as No. 3 forward Chad Barrett. Beyond the injuries and Dempsey’s suspension, there also was the need to rest some players in what was the Sounders’ fourth game in 12 days – especially with another match rushing up Sunday at Portland.

With all those subtractions, Schmid chose some unconventional additions. Left back Dylan Remick was the only usual starter along a back line that also included Oniel Fisher, Jimmy Ockford and Zach Scott. Ockford was making his MLS debut, while Fisher and midfielder Aaron Kovar got their first MLS starts.

“I thought they all did all right,” Schmid said. “I thought Oniel Fisher played well. … We weren’t sure if (Ockford) could play 90 minutes. … For sure, you put young players next to each other, there’s going to be growing pains.”

The duct tape held for 69 minutes until Union (4-10-3) forward C.J. Sapong found enough space in front of the Seattle goal to head in a cross from Sheanon Williams.

Seattle keeper Stefan Frei saved a Maurice Edu penalty kick in the first half, but he had little chance on the header from Sapong, who nodded in his sixth goal of the season and fifth in six games.

Once down a goal, Schmid began pushing new buttons: Darwin Jones replaced Lamar Neagle in the 70th minute; Brazilian Thomas replaced Kovar in the 75th minute; and finally Marshall came in for Remick in the 81st minute. However, that wasn’t a straight defender-for-defender swap, as Marshall headed for the top, where Schmid hoped his 6-foot-4 frame might allow him to head something in.