COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – Entering 1110600604" tabindex="0">Saturday night’s game between the Colorado Rapids and Seattle Sounders, only a point separated the two sides in the Western Conference standings. By night’s end, however, the Sounders fully asserted their dominance, taking a 3-1 win and extending their all-time series lead over Colorado with 13 wins out of 17 games played between the teams.
In the 4th minute, Colorado looked to take the early lead after a failed clearance by Sounders defender Chad Marshall fell to the feet of Rapids midfielder Dillon Powers, whose effort hit the far post.
Seattle then took the ball down the field on the counterattack and the buildup saw Clint Dempsey find Lamar Neagle, who curled in a shot from the top left side of the box, beating Rapids goalkeeper Clint Irwin and giving the Sounders a 1-0 lead in the 5th minute.
But the Rapids found the equalizer in the 22nd minute when Powers sent the ball through to a streaking Gabriel Torres who calmly finished to level the game at 1-1.
The deadlock was short lived, however. Sounders midfielder Marco Pappa was able to find Neagle with a lofted ball into Colorado’s box. Irwin saved the initial effort, but the ball deflected off Rapids defender James Riley and fell once again to Neagle who bagged his second goal on the rebound, giving Seattle a 2-1 lead in the 25th minute. And that's how the first half would end, despite Colorado having outshot Seattle 10-6.
Colorado continued to chase the equalizer in the second half, but only hit the target twice in the second stanza: a shot from Vicente Sanchez that went over the bar in the 63rd minute and another low hit from Torres that was saved by outstretched Seattle 'keeper Stefan Frei.
Despite the hosts' best efforts, Obafemi Martins put the game out of reach in the 73rd minute for the visitors. Martins split Rapids defenders Bobby Burling and Drew Moor with a deft spin move to score Seattle’s third goal and extend the lead to 3-1, which would prove the game’s final score.
With one win in six games, Colorado (1-2-3) will play another critical Western Conference match 1110600605" tabindex="0">next Friday at home when the Rapids host FC Dallas (10 pm ET, Univision Deportes). Seattle (3-2-1) will return to CenturyLink Field next Sunday to play Cascadia Cup rivals Portland (9:30 pm ET, FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes).
