Clint Dempsey scored a critical late goal for the Seattle Sounders in a tense CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal first leg against CD Guadalajara Wednesday night.
The goal and subsequent clean sheet put Seattle on the front foot to advance in the tournament as the Sounders won 1-0 in front of an announced club Champions League-record 42,885 supporters.
After peppering Chivas with near misses in the second half, Dempsey hit pay dirt in the 78th minute. Henry Wingo, who five minutes prior had subbed on for a cramping Handwalla Bwana, raced into the right alley and sent a hard-struck cross into the penalty area. Unmarked, Dempsey met the ball centered on goal and redirected it toward the back post to beat Guadalajara keeper Rodolfo Cota. The goal was the third of Dempsey’s Champions League career for Seattle.
Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer was pleased with the effort from his side, particularly the group who soldiered through a bout of fixture congestion to start Seattle’s MLS season.
“As a soccer fan, I loved it,” Schmetzer said. “Both teams came out and played with a very high tempo. What I was most proud about was this was our third game in six days. For Gustav (Svensson), Cristian (Roldan), Nico (Lodeiro), (Will) Bruin — they put it in. That was impressive. A lot of times you might feel tired, but they had the mental toughness to persevere and play at that high level.”
Dempsey’s strike vindicates the concerns that arose around the decision to exclude the 34-year-old from the 18-man roster in Seattle’s 1-0 loss to Los Angeles FC in its MLS opener Mar. 4.
The Sounders met Chivas head on, out-dueling the Mexican club 64-47 and winning 19 duels to Guadalajara’s eight. The massive crowd, which seemed equally split between Seattle and Chivas supporters, roared back and forth at one another as the teams traded promising attacks.
Seattle’s back line came up with several crucial stops, including a standout performance from three-time MLS Defender of the Year Chad Marshall. Marshall finished with five recoveries, seven clearances and one blocked shot, earning him high praise from Schmetzer.
“I love talking about Chad,” Schmetzer said of the 33-year-old centerback. “He performed at a high level in many different areas. Not just the sacrifice of his body and those types of things that are easy to see but his tactical awareness, his pressure at the right moments. His aerial duels… I thought tonight he had a really magnificent performance.”
Seattle will take a weekend to rest, before traveling to Mexico to play the second leg Mar. 14. Chivas will face Lobos BUAP Saturday in the Liga MX Clausura.
After the lightning start to Seattle’s season, Schmetzer said his team was looking forward to the opportunity to recover before the decisive second leg.
Asked how he would prepare his team to face Guadalajara on the road, Schmetzer’s response highlighted the chance for the Sounders to catch their breath: “One week is better than two days,” he said.