Sounders make late push but fall short to Botafogo in Club World Cup opener
SEATTLE – In a night full of emotions, Nouhou rode the wrong one.
The Sounders’ left back committed a foul in a dangerous position, clearing the way for Botafogo to net a goal off a set piece and settle into the FIFA men’s Club World Cup match Sunday. The Brazilian power won 2-1 at Lumen Field.
Nouhou was shown a yellow card in the 28th minute after getting the final shove in a pushing match with Botafogo forward Artur. The latter was knocked to the ground in clear view of Glenn Nyberg just outside the penalty box.
It’s the second consecutive match Nouhou has committed a questionable foul. He was shown a red card last week in a loss against Vancouver for a hard foul. But that was an MLS match where the consequence is manageable in a one-game suspension when Seattle resumes league play.
Sunday’s lack of composure spun an already difficult global tournament match where the Sounders were matching up well, into a herculean task just to get level.
Botafogo defender Alex Telles lined up for the free kick and curled an assist onto the head of defender Jair Cunha. Sounders center back Kim Kee-hee was in a bad position to defend the ball, Cunha scoring in the 28th minute.
Kim was burned again in the 44th minute. Botafogo forward Igor Jesus only had to connect with the cross and head it past Sounders keeper Stefan Frei, who was too deep in his goal to attempt a save.
Down 2-0 at the break, Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer subbed off Nouhou and Kim for Jon Bell and Reed Baker-Whiting.
Seattle nearly had their first goal in the 57th minute. Instead, while dribbling in the box, midfielder Albert Rusnák missed a close-range attempt and center back Jackson Ragen couldn’t knock in the rebound.
The Sounders continued to hunt for the score. A failed free kick created a surprising opportunity for midfielder Cristian Roldan on the rebound. Paul Rothrock raced to track down the ball and send it back into the box.
Roldan dug low to whip a header toward goal. It was on frame, but also deflected off Jesus and past keeper John Victor for the score in the 75th minute.
But the Sounders couldn’t get an equalizer.
Seattle’s home field received some upgrades for the tournament that features the top 32 teams from around the world. Natural grass was laid over the artificial turf and most signage was covered with FIFA’s sponsors.
Rothrock walked on the new surface barefoot hours before kickoff. The comforts of a home field were there with the bulk of the 30,151 in attendance draped in green and the supporters unfurling a tifo featuring Frei.
The Sounders were competitive from the opening kick. The opening 15 minutes offered plenty of entertaining moments like Sounders winger Ryan Kent juking a defender. Kim timing a tackle perfectly to stop a possible shot deep in the box and Frei collecting two saves that will be studied by future generations of goalkeepers.
One was on a header by Jesus in the 13th minute. Frei adjusted to corral the ball right on the goal line. The second in the 15th minute was a volley from Alex Telles.
Yet, the shots were foreshadowing.
Kim returned to the starting lineup Sunday. He injured his calf in the first half against San Diego last month and missed the team’s past two matches, both losses.
Kim and Danny Musovski up top were Schmetzer’s lone changes. Ferreira shifted to the right wing and Pedro de la Vega was on the bench.
With the win, Botafogo (1-0) joins Paris Saint-Germain (1-0) atop the Group B standings. The top two teams from eight groups advance to the Round of 16. The CWC final is on July 13 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The Sounders (0-1) continue group play against Atlético Madrid (0-1) on Thursday at Lumen Field. The Spanish side lost 4-0 to PSG on Sunday at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.