SEATTLE – The New England Revolution opened the 2015 MLS season with a 3-0 defeat at CenturyLink Field in Seattle on Sunday night. Playing just over three months after falling in MLS Cup 2014, New England conceded a pair of Clint Dempsey goals while Obafemi Martins had a goal and an assist as the Sounders handed the Revs their second season opening defeat in as many years.
Seattle took a 2-0 lead into the halftime break following goals by their forward pairing of Dempsey and Martins. Dempsey, who played for the Revs from 2004-06, gave his side a 1-0 lead in the 25th minute, converting a penalty kick after he had bene pulled down in the box by Juan Agudelo. The Sounders doubled their lead 16 minutes later with Dempsey again playing a role. He collected the ball in midfield and sent a pass to Tyrone Mears on the right flank. The Seattle defender sent a cross into the box for Martins, who out-jumped Revolution defender Andrew Farrell and headed the ball past Bobby Shuttleworth from seven yards out, giving Seattle a 2-0 lead.
Kelyn Rowe had the best chance of the opening half for New England less than a minute before Martins’ goal, but his shot was touched around the post by Sounders’ goalkeeper Stefan Frei.
The Sounders added a third goal in the 67th minute when Marco Pappa played Martins in behind the Revolution defense and he was able to lay the ball off to Dempsey, who rolled his shot into the open net for his second goal of the game, giving Seattle a 3-0 victory.
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Revolution Santander Man of the Match
KELYN ROWE – Registered the Revs’ lone shot on goal of the game, nearly equalizing in the 39th minute, only to see his shot touched around the post by Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei.
Next Game
The Revolution will be back on the road next weekend when they face New York City FC in their first-ever home game at Yankee Stadium. That game, which is scheduled to kick off at 5 p.m. ET, will be shown nationally on ESPN2 while 98.5 The Sports Hub will carry the game locally on the radio in English and WMVX 1570 AM Nossa Radio USA will carry the game in Portuguese.
New England Revolution at Seattle Sounders FC
March 8, 2015 – CenturyLink Field (Seattle, Wash.)
New England Revolution 0, Seattle Sounders FC 3
Scoring Summary:
SEA – Clint Dempsey 1 (Penalty Kick) 25’
SEA – Obafemi Martins 1 (Tyrone Mears 1, Clint Dempsey 1) 41’
SEA – Clint Dempsey 2 (Obafemi Martins 1, Marco Pappa 1) 67’
Misconduct Summary:
NE – Jose Goncalves (Yellow Card) 73’
New England Revolution: Bobby Shuttleworth; Kevin Alston, Andrew Farrell, Jose Goncalves ©, Chris Tierney; Andy Dorman (Daigo Kobayashi 57’), Scott Caldwell; Teal Bunbury, Kelyn Rowe, Diego Fagundez (Steve Neumann 77’); Juan Agudelo (Sean Okoli 68’).
Substitutes Not Used: Brad Knighton, Darrius Barnes, London Woodberry, Charlie Davies
STATS: Shots 8, Shots on target 1, Saves 0, Corner kicks 6, Offsides 1, Fouls 14, Possession 47.4%, Passes 378 (75.1%)
Seattle Sounders FC: Stefan Frei; Tyrone Mears, Brad Evans ©, Chad Marshall, Leo Gonzalez; Lamar Neagle (Andy Rose 83’), Michael Azira, Gonzalo Pineda (Cristian Roldan 93+), Marco Pappa (Aaron Kovar 90’); Clint Dempsey, Obafemi Martins.
Substitutes Not Used: Troy Perkins, Zach Scott, Dylan Remick, Chad Barrett
STATS: Shots 6, Shots on target 3, Saves 1, Corner kicks 8, Offsides 1, Fouls 16, Possession 52.6%, Passes 419 (79.7%)
Referee: Juan Guzman
Assistant Referees: Peter Manikowski and Corey Parker
Fourth Official: Baboucarr Jallow
Weather: Sunny and 54 degrees
Attendance: 39,782
Team Records:
New England Revolution: 0-1-0, 0 pts.
Seattle Sounders FC: 1-0-0, 3 pts.
Additional Game Notes
- With the loss, the Revolution are now 0-1-0 on the season. They are one of four teams in the Eastern
- Conference without any points after the opening weekend of the season.
- Of the 10 teams in the Eastern Conference, the Revs were one of five not to score a goal and one of four to lose their season opener.
- The Revs are now 5-11-4 all-time in season openers with 19 of those 20 games having been played on the road. Seattle is the 10th different club that New England has faced in its 20 season openers.
- New England has now lost each of its last two openers and has been outscored 7-0 in that time. The Revs’ last goal in a season opener came in 2013 when Jerry Bengtson scored in a 1-0 win over the Chicago Fire.
- The March 8 opener ties the Revolution record for the earliest season-opener in club history and comes exactly one year after the club’s 2014 season opener.
- Ten of the 11 players that started for the Revolution were on the club at the end of last season. Only Juan Agudelo, who played for New England in 2013, was not with the club a year ago.
- Eight players that started for New England in the 2014 season opener also started in this game.
- Sean Okoli entered the game in the 68th minute, replacing Juan Agudelo, to make his Revolution debut. He was acquired in a trade with Seattle in January.
- The Revolution were without three players because of injury with Jermaine Jones (Left Sports Hernia Surgery), Lee Nguyen (Right Groin Irritation) and Donnie Smith (Left Groin Surgery) all missing out. Those three players combined for 20 goals and nine assists in the regular season a year ago.
- Jose Goncalves was the only Revolution player to be booked in the game, collecting a 73rd minute yellow card.
- Steve Neumann, who led MLS with 20 appearances as a substitute in 2014, came on for Diego Fagundez in the 77th minute.
- New England played the final 10 minutes of the game with 10 men after Teal Bunbury was injured and the
- Revs had already used all three of their substitutions. He was diagnosed with a right shoulder injury and will be evaluated when the team returns to Boston.
- The Revs outshot Seattle 8-6 on the evening but had just one shot on goal compared to three for the Sounders.
- Kelyn Rowe had New England’s only shot on goal, forcing a 39th minute save from Stefan Frei.
