SEATTLE – Playing without star strikers Clint Dempsey and Obafemi Martins on Friday night against D.C. United at CenturyLink Field, the slumping Seattle Sounders were firmly locked in a frustrating 0-0 tie in the game’s waning moments and in dire need of an offensive savior.
They would find one in the form of a highly unexpected source.
It was not Chad Barrett or Lamar Neagle, both of whom usually assume portions of Seattle’s goal-scoring responsibilities when Dempsey and Martins are out. Nor would it be rookie strikers Andy Craven and Darwin Jones, who each saw minutes as second-half substitutes.
No, it was Tyrone Mears -- Seattle’s 32-year-old right back – who would play the role of game-winning goal-scorer, lashing a dramatic 88th-minute laser strike past DC ‘keeper Andrew Dykstra and sending Seattle to a big 1-0 victory.
“He hit that just as good as Steven Gerrard could have hit it,” Barrett said after the game.
It was the first goal Mears has scored in five years, dating back to his career in the English Premier League, and a tally that couldn’t have come at a better time for a Seattle squad that has been adapting to life without Dempsey (US national team duty) and Martins (groin injury).
“We needed that,” Mears said. “My first thought [after the goal] was just to run over to the bench. We’re a big family here, you know? And we’re all hurting, I know the fans have been as well. I wanted to celebrate with everybody.”
Mears said the goal was also rewarding from a physical standpoint after he missed substantial time the past several seasons with a major leg injury.
“I’ve missed a lot of football with my broken leg,” Mears said. “Pretty much three seasons. So it’s been really frustrating. But I’m feeling better, playing a lot more games now and there’s still a lot more to come from me, definitely.”
Overall, the prevailing emotion from the Sounders seemed to be one of relief, as the team managed to avoid what would have been a disappointing draw at home against a D.C. side that was also a man down for most of the game after a first-half red card to forward Fabian Espindola.
“Sometimes, to get out of a little bit of a slump or the funk we were in, a couple of things just need to break your way,” Sounders head coach Sigi Schmid said. “It seems like it’s a struggle a little bit and it was a little of that tonight.”
As for Mears’ heroics, Schmid said that while the Englishman isn’t exactly his number one goal-scoring option, he has flashed an aptitude for similar exploits at times in training this season.
“He’s hit a few like that in practice,” Schmid said. “He actually struck that really well. I think he said he did for the queen."
