Seattle Sounders edge FC Dallas in Game 3 to advance to MLS Cup semifinals
The Seattle Sounders defeated FC Dallas 1-0 Friday night in Game 3 of their Round 1 playoff series. Here’s what you need to know:
- Albert Rusnák opened the scoring for Seattle in the 36th minute. He capitalized on a Dallas turnover and put the ball in the net off a feed from Joāo Paulo.
- Dallas registered just one shot on target during Friday’s match. Seattle outshot Dallas 16-1 and controlled the possession 56 percent to 44 percent.
- Seattle advances to the MLS Cup semifinal round where it will take on LAFC. LAFC won its first round playoff series against the Vancouver Whitecaps.
How Seattle advanced past Dallas
Seattle was the aggressor all night, spurred on by the home crowd at Lumen Field. The Sounders dominated in every statistical category and matched the execution of Brian Schmetzer’s game plan with a high level of intensity. They were not, however, clinical at all. That kept an undermanned FC Dallas side alive for 90 minutes. Dallas battled despite being without designated player and U.S. international striker Jesus Ferreira due to injury, as well as their star No. 10 Alan Velasco.
Ferreira was ruled out of Friday’s contest with an undisclosed injury, while Velasco tore his ACL in game one against the Sounders. Without those two players, Dallas was anemic in the attack and generally unorganized and inaccurate in possession. The visitors finished with one shot on goal.
The win pits Seattle with LAFC, a club that has challenged the Sounders’ dominance of the Western Conference, and of MLS, since joining the league in 2018.
The winner will be a favorite to win the MLS Cup final on Dec. 9. — Felipe Cardenas, staff soccer writer
