MLS Seattle Sounders FC

Sounders FC Earn Tie, Advance in CONCACAF Champions League

Published on September 28, 2011 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Seattle Sounders FC News Release


GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala - Seattle Sounders FC clinched advancement to the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal next March with a 2-2 draw against CSD Comunicaciones in the fifth round of group play on Tuesday night at Estadio Cemetos Progreso.

Osvaldo Alonso netted a brace for Seattle, both equalizing goals in the dying minutes of either half. His second leveler came in the 89th minute.

Sounders FC (3-1-1, 10 points) remains atop Group D and clinched advancement out of the group stage for the first time in club history.

Comunicaciones (2-2-1, 7 points) are now in third place after CF Monterrey (3-2-0, 9 points) beat CS Herediano (1-4-0, 3 points) tonight, 1-0.

Seattle will host Mexico's Monterrey in the final Champions League group stage match on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field on October 18. Kickoff is 7 p.m. PT.

Transito Montepeque opened the scoring for Comunicaciones in the 7th minute. Montepeque ran onto a ball played over the Seattle backline by Carlos Mejia and chipped it over Kasey Keller, dipping just under the crossbar.

Sounders FC equalized shortly before halftime. A long throw-in by Zach Scott bounced in the box until an attempted clearance fell to Alonso just inside the box. Alonso blasted a shot that ricocheted off a defender and slipped inside the near post.

Comunicaciones regained the lead in the 64th minute when a corner kick dropped in the box and Rafael Morales' 6-yard strike found the back of the net.

Alonso supplied the dramatic late equalizer when he struck in the 89th minute. The defense knocked Fredy Montero's sliding attempt out to Alonso who put the ball past the keeper from 8-yards out.

The brace marked the first two CCL goals for Alonso and he now has five in all competitions this season.

Montero hit the crossbar with a shot from 18-yards in the 85th minute and Comunicaciones' Bryan Ordonez hit the frame with an overhead attempt from a corner kick in the 18th minute

Seattle had two early shots in the 9th minute that were saved as keeper Juan Paredes first denied Lamar Neagle's attempt, then tipped Montero's volley over the crossbar.

Montero sent another dangerous shot on frame in the 36th minute but Paredes dived and his outstretched hand tipped the ball around the post.

Mike Fucito had a pair of scoring opportunities in the second half as he sent a long-range shot just over the crossbar in the 54th minute and was then denied by Paredes in the 61st minute on a breakaway.

Seattle went unbeaten (2-0-1) on the road in group stage play. The match was the first draw in Group D.

Jhon Kennedy Hurtado was issued his second yellow card of the competition and will miss the final round.

Erik Friberg made his first appearance since suffering a hip flexor strain against Real Salt Lake on September 10.

Sounders FC will travel north to Foxborough, Mass. on Saturday night to face the New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium. KONG 6/16 will televise the match live beginning at 4:30 p.m. PT. Seattle then returns home for a four-match home stand on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink field that begins on October 4 when Seattle hosts the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup final versus the Chicago Fire. First kick is 7 p.m. PT.

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Major League Soccer Stories from September 28, 2011


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