Despite a promising first half display from the Seattle Sounders, it is the New York Red Bulls that take all three points from the match, the goal from Juan Agudelo proving to be sufficient to earn the home side their first MLS victory of 2011. The visitors had plenty of chances in the first half, but failed to capitalize on any of them, thoughts that likely haunted the Sounders during the second half as they searched for not so much a goal but a chance at goal.
The match started off poorly for the Sounders as New York had two shots on goal within the first five minutes. The pressure mounted when Jhon Kennedy Hurtando pulled down Agudelo in the area, Thierry Henry stepping up to take the resulting penalty kick. The French international sent his shot low and to the left, but Kasey Keller guessed correctly and performed an easy save.
Fredy Montero and Alvaro Fernandez worked well together in the first half, playing off one another's passes, with Montero in particular troubling New York keeper Greg Sutton. Unfortunately for Seattle, O'Brian White was just as incapable of finishing tonight as he was against the Galaxy,but even more worryingly, the forward appeared to have no clue what to do with the ball once he took possession. The Sounders need another forward to be healthy, like, yesterday.
For the first seventy minutes of the match, Seattle had done fairly well with their bunk and counter system, defending against any threatening New York attacks and putting forth a few of their own. But then Agudelo sprung the trap, pushing past Hurtado to grab a long, lofted ball. He pushed aside Leo Gonzalez to go one on one with Keller, easily putting the shot into the back of the net.
Erik Friberg nearly equalized for Seattle, sending a chipped shot over the keeper, but the midfielder was judged to have fouled Rafa Marquez in the lead up, and the goal was not given. The Sounders' best chance of the second half came in injury time. A free kick from Fredy Montero was pushed away by Sutton. It fell to Lamar Neagle but he sent his shot wide.
That's 0-2-0 for the Seattle Sounders. What a way to start the season.