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MLS Seattle Sounders FC

Carolina Challenge Cup: Seattle Sounders FC 2 vs. D.C. United 2

March 1, 2014 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Seattle Sounders FC News Release


CHARLESTON, SC - Seattle Sounders FC finished the 2014 preseason unbeaten (6-0-3) with a 2-2 draw against D.C. United in the final game of the Carolina Challenge Cup on Saturday afternoon at Blackbaud Stadium.

Kenny Cooper and Marco Pappa each scored their first goals of the preseason as Sounders FC came back to score two equalizers. D.C. United won the preseason tournament championship on the goal differential tiebreaker rule while Seattle finished second.

D.C. United opened the scoring in the eighth minute when a ball hit Chad Marshall's arm in the box. Fabian Espindola stepped up to slot the penalty past Stefan Frei for the game's first goal.

Sounders FC equalized in the 24th minute when Osvaldo Alonso recovered a loose ball in the midfield and found Dylan Remick on the left flank. Remick sent a cross into the box that Cooper headed past Andrew Dykstra to tie the game.

Moments earlier, Obafemi Martins got behind the D.C. United defense on a breakaway and found Cooper in box, but his low shot rolled wide of the post.

D.C. United regained the lead in the 53rd minute when Espindola sent a cross to the far post where Perry Kitchen volleyed it into the net.

Sounders FC again leveled the match in the 63rd minute when Pappa scored form close range. Brad Evans collected a ball in the box and found Pappa in front of goal, who slotted it into the right side of the net.

D.C. United defender Christian Fernandez was shown a red card for a tackle on DeAndre Yedlin in the 76th minute. Seattle played the remainder of the match with a man advantage.

Sounders FC continued to push for the game-winner in the final 15 minutes. In the 83rd minute, second-half substitute Kevin Parsemain hammered a shot from 35 yards out that was pushed away by Dykstra. Four minutes later, Aaron Kovar found Lamar Neagle on a corner kick but Neagle's headed attempt hit the side netting.

Seattle also played a 60-minute preseason match on Saturday morning, beating Coastal Carolina University, 2-1, with goals from Parsemain and Aaron Kovar.

Overall, Sounders FC went 6-0-3 over nine matches in the 2014 preseason, outscoring opponents 18-8 with two shutouts. Martins and Parsemain each scored three goals, and Remick led all players with three assists, including two game-winners. Remick and Jalil Anibaba both appeared in a team-high seven matches, logging 390 minutes.

Sounders FC returns to Seattle on Sunday and will host the MLS Cup champion Sporting Kansas City next Saturday in the opening match to the 2014 MLS season. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. PT on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field and will be nationally televised on NBC Sports Network.

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