Coelho Lifts Sporting KC over Seattle Sounders FC
Published on March 6, 2016 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release
Defender Nuno Andre Coelho scored in his Major League Soccer debut on Sunday as Sporting Kansas City opened the 2016 MLS season with a 1-0 road victory over Seattle Sounders FC at CenturyLink Field.
A 30-yard strike from the Portuguese center back in the 73rd minute gave Sporting Kansas City its first win in Seattle since 2009 and extended the club's unbeaten streak against Sounders FC to four matches. Goalkeeper Tim Melia was forced to make just two saves on Sunday, but both were of the spectacular variety as Sporting Kansas City emerged with three points on an MLS opening day in which all 20 teams kicked off their respective seasons.
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Melia was first tested in the 15th minute when Seattle was awarded a free kick 20 yards from goal. Clint Dempsey's curling strike was destined for the top corner, but the 2015 MLS Comeback Player of the Year dove at full extension to touch the ball over the woodwork. Sounders FC nearly went ahead on the ensuing free kick, but Chad Marshall's header rattled the crossbar.
The visitors carved out their first chance in the 21st minute. Dom Dwyer had space in the central channel and played a through ball to Connor Hallisey, whose low drive from the left side of the box was saved by Stefan Frei.
The complexion of the match changed significantly in the 41st minute when Seattle fullback Oniel Fisher received a straight red card from referee Alan Kelly after a two-footed challenge on Hallisey. The Sounders were reduced to 10 men for the remainder of the game, and Sporting Kansas City used the advantage to control possession and territory for much of the second half.
Despite Fisher's ejection, Seattle created the first scoring chance after halftime. Melia produced his second superb stop in the 53rd minute, parrying a stinging shot from Andreas Ivanschitz onto the crossbar to keep the hosts off the scoresheet.
Seeking its first win in Seattle since April 2009, Sporting Kansas City turned its numerical advantage into a flurry of chances. A pair of opportunities fell to Roger Espinoza - making his first appearance for the club since August - in the space of a minute just after the hour mark. Graham Zusi, himself making his 150th MLS start, lofted a ball to the far left post where Dwyer cushioned a header into the path of Espinoza. The shot inside the box was blocked amidst heavy traffic, but the Honduran was at it again shortly thereafter, firing wide of Frei's lefthand post.
Sporting Kansas City broke through in the 73rd minute, courtesy of Coelho's right boot. The 6-foot-4 defender received a pass from Jordi Quintilla and sent a long-range blast into the far left corner of the net, skipping below the outstretched Frei to give his new club a 1-0 advantage at rain-soaked CenturyLink Field. The scoreline would hold to the final whistle as Manager Peter Vermes' men kept Seattle at bay.
Sunday's result gave Sporting Kansas City its 13th season-opening win, more than any other MLS club.
Sporting Kansas City will return to MLS action on Saturday for the club's 2016 home opener against Vancouver Whitecaps FC at Children's Mercy Park. The match will kick off at 7:30 p.m. CT and a limited number of tickets are available via Ticketmaster.com.
FAST FACTS
Sporting Kansas City's 1-0 victory over Seattle Sounders FC in the 2016 MLS regular season opener marks the first time Sporting KC has won in Seattle since April 2009.
Sunday's match saw the MLS debut of Portuguese defender Nuno André Coelho at center back. He scored his first league goal for Sporting KC in the 73rd minute.
Graham Zusi made his 150th career MLS start on Sunday (including postseason).
Seattle played more than half the match with 10 men on the field after Oniel Fisher's 41st-minute red card.
Sporting KC went undefeated against Seattle Sounders FC in 2015, playing twice to a draw and winning one at home. The club is now unbeaten in four straight against Seattle.
Sporting KC maintained 59 percent possession throughout the game, putting four shots on goal to Seattle's two.
All 13 regular season games between Sporting Kansas City and Seattle Sounders FC have been decided by one goal or less.
Including Sunday's match, Sporting KC has a 3-7-3 all-time record against Seattle Sounders FC in the regular season.
For the ninth time in 13 games in series history, Sporting KC and Seattle entered halftime scoreless.
Sporting KC goalkeeper Tim Melia earned his third straight shutout against Seattle, making two saves in Sunday's match.QUOTES
Sporting KC Manager Peter Vermes
On how he feels about Sunday night's win at Seattle Sounders FC...
Any time you're able to record a shutout and get three points on the road, it's a huge victory for sure. We've played here plenty of times, and they've always found a way to get a goal late against us and in this situation I thought we were very well organized and really well-disciplined in the game. I think that was a big help to why we got the result.
On playing a man up for much of the match...
We were kind of fortunate that it came right before halftime because we had a chance to talk to the guys a little bit. The thing we were really good with most of the time was that we were patient. We moved the ball and we waited for that one little breakdown where somebody didn't close the gap or the channel, and look: we got a goal from our central defender. It was an excellent place for him to be at the time - not because he scored but because the play called for it. So his movement in between and up the field was good and he took advantage. I mean, the opportunity was presented to him but I really think his patience was good for not having spent a lot of time with this group. We just moved the ball and we were patient with it and I thought that was very good.
On whether he considered Nuno André Coelho's ability to shoot from distance when bringing him onto the team...
During training, for sure. The other thing is Nuno has a very good quality of going forward. He just has a really good quality of how to move forward with the ball, and he sees the game and reads the game really well. And the other thing is he's a very good shot from a distance. So I'm happy for him. It's a good start for him. He's been really good in preseason and more importantly he had a very good game tonight.
On Tim Melia's performance...
I thought he had some very good reaction saves, and he was explosive like he normally is. I think as a team we can be a little bit better about how we manage the game at certain points, and that includes him and how we come out with the ball as a group. But in regards to shots stopped and things like that, I think he was very, very good.
On his goals for the team going into the game...
I told the guys before we started the game, "You know, it's not the time to talk about what the big goals are yet. The small goals are that it would be great to get a goal, it would be great to get a shutout, and it would be great to get one on a set piece, as well." So we did two or three. So that was good for us.
On the Benny Feilhaber, Brad Davis and Seth Sinovic injuries...
They're minor, but they're the ones that can become long-term if you don't give them the time that they need to get better, and the time is not four weeks. If you push them they could become four to six weeks, and that's what we don't want to do. So we want to make sure those guys are healthy, ready to go and fit. So until they're ready there's nothing else to really have a discussion about. I think the guys that played tonight all played very, very well. I thought the two best things about the team tonight were how organized we were and also discipline. We were disciplined in our game. We didn't lose ourselves in place on the field. So we were really well organized and really well disciplined and I think that's one of the reasons why we got the result.
On whether this confirmed his strategy of adding depth in the offseason...
There's no doubt that adding the players that we have has been important to our team. What I'll say - and I'm really honest about this - is that it's hard to tell what the starting team is. I'm not trying to be coy here, but there are a lot of players, and when guys are healthy, they're competing. So the nice thing is that when you like at a guy like T [Amadou Dia] and you look at a guy like [Connor] Hallisey, these guys both had time last year and obviously that's paying dividends for them at the moment, being able to start this game and play to a really good level. Both guys were very focused on the organization and discipline that we preached all week long trying to get ready for the game.
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