OKC drops points in Seattle
The Energy, despite losing one of its best players to a red card, made a significant rally in Seattle late Monday night. Unfortunately, a persisting issue in the final minutes once again saw Oklahoma City concede the winning goal.
TUKWILA, WASH. — A slow start to the 2017 season brought a slew of problems to the Energy.
The absence of attacking pressure, undisciplined play, missed penalty kicks, inability to win on the road — The Energy eventually addressed these early season issues and entered Monday’s match at Seattle Sounders 2 unbeaten in five of its past six USL matches.
But there remains one problematic trend for the Energy, and late Monday the club lost at least a point for the third time this season because of it.
Seattle substitute David Olsen scored the match’s winning goal in the 90th minute after running unmarked down the left wing as Seattle defeated Oklahoma City 3-2.
The goal was a result of a last-ditch Seattle counter attack. The Energy, who had equalized four minutes earlier on an Andy Craven penalty kick, brought additional men forward for an 89th minute corner kick. After Seattle goalkeeper Tyler Miller gathered the corner kick, multiple Energy players continued to press in the final third in pursuit of the winning goal, most notably center back Mickey Daly.
With OKC players still forward, Seattle was able to break pressure and clear the ball pitch-length down the right wing. When this occurred, Olsen slipped unbeknownst behind Daniel Gonzalez on the left wing. Once Olsen received the pass within the penalty box, he had a 10-yard cushion to beat Energy goalkeeper Cody Laurendi for the winning goal.
The ending surely brought a deja vu feeling to the Energy. Including Monday’s loss, the Energy’s past three USL road losses involved the home side catching the Energy pressing forward in the final minutes. Phoenix (May 13) scored its last-minute winner on a counter-attack after a long Energy throw-in into the Phoenix penalty box. Colorado Springs (June 3) scored its winner after the Energy failed to adequately clear Colorado Springs’ final push into the penalty box.
The fact that the Energy was tied at the waning moments of the match was an impressive feat. OKC played a man down for the entire second half after Miguel Gonzalez received a 35th minute red card. Seattle’s Ray Saari was pulling on Gonzalez’s jersey, a foul that earned him a yellow card, but Gonzalez swung his elbow into Saari’s face as Gonzalez attempted to break free.
Already trailing 1-0 at Gonzalez’s dismissal, Seattle quickly pressed with Zach Mathers scoring his second goal in the 39th minute.
But the Energy thoroughly outplayed Sounders 2 during the second half despite the man disadvantage. Alex Dixon, in particular, applied constant pressure during the second half. Dixon had his 53rd minute shot bounce off the right post, but he finally scored in the 71st minute after he timed his run perfectly for Philip Rasmussen’s one-timed a pass five feet in front of goal.
Craven, who has scored three penalty-kick goals during the past two matches, earned the 86th minute penalty as he cut across the face of goal. Seattle’s Brian NanaSinkam slid underneath Craven and pushed the ball to the side with his hands, momentarily denying Craven a certain goal.
Seattle presented Craven a 2016 Major League Soccer Cup championship ring before Monday’s match. Craven played with both MLS Sounders and Sounders 2 from 2015-16. Although the club released him last August, his Sounders teammates won the MLS Cup in December.