The game in 100 words (or less): The Seattle Sounders and Sporting Kansas City played a game on Saturday night. To be honest, that’s about all that can be said of their 0-0 draw at CenturyLink Field. Obafemi Martins and Dom Dwyer were absent through injuries, which took a significant amount of intrigue and quality out of this one. The Sounders held 65 percent of the game’s possession, but managed just a single shot on goal, in the 82nd minute, no less. Sporting weren’t much better, but with roughly half of their first-choice lineup out injured (no exaggeration), the scoreless draw suits them very well. Peter Vermes will be very pleased with his side’s defensive display and ability to muck up the game in the center third.
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Three moments that mattered
0' — Dwyer a late scratch from the starting lineup — Dwyer has reportedly been dealing with neck pain all season long, but has managed to soldier on and start every one of Sporting’s 11 games before Saturday night, but the Englishman couldn’t give it a go in Seattle and was a late scratch. Without the spearhead of their attack, Sporting were forced to play for a 0-0 draw.
57' — Medranda’s curling effort bounces wide — It was a chance for Sporting — just a half-chance — but a golden chance, by this game’s standards. Jimmy Medranda found a pocket of space just outside the Sounders’ penalty area and fired a left-footed shot, but it bounced just wide of Stefan Frei’s right-hand post.
93' — Feilhaber’s shot tipped over by Frei — Benny Feilhaber, often times the hero for Sporting this season, nearly stole all three points in the game’s final seconds, but Frei used every inch of his 6-foot-3 frame to paw the ball over the crossbar and preserve a point for the home side.
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Man of the match: Kevin Ellis — 12 clearances, 4 interceptions and a tackle won by Ellis is by far the most impressive stat line from this uninspiring draw, but the strong showing from Matt Besler’s latest partner at center back is the real story here.
LINEUPS
Seattle Sounders: Frei, Remick, Marshall, Evans, Mears, Pappa (Roldan 73'), Alonso, Pineda, Neagle (Rose 64'), Barrett (Jones 84'), Dempsey
Sporting Kansas City: Melia, Dia, Besler, Ellis, Anibaba, Mustivar, Carrasco (Zusi 77'), Feilhaber, Medranda (Abdul-Salaam 58'), Nemeth, Peterson (Hallisey 56')