Sounders FC's Brad Evans: "Both goals were my fault"

TUKWILA — Brad Evans didn't make excuses.

After being the closest Sounders FC defender to both goals scored by Real Salt Lake in a 2-2 draw Saturday, including the tying header by Alvaro Saborio in the last minute of stoppage time, the 24-year-old accepted the blame.

"Both the goals were my fault, so obviously it's tough," Evans said after training Tuesday at the Starfire Sports Complex.

But with the bad comes the chance to make it good. To that end, Evans is using Saturday's mistakes as a learning opportunity.

His primary area of focus?

"Just watching the ball and the player at the same time," Evans said. "On the first goal, I saw the player, turned and looked, and it was a first-time cross, and by the time I turned back around, he was gone. And the second one, I had him tight and I don't even think he jumped; the ball just ... hit him in the head."

Evans has played every minute of every game this season for Seattle. In the home opener against expansion Philadelphia, he scored the first goal in the 12th minute of a 2-0 win.

Evans missed part of preseason to train with the U.S. men's national team in preparation for an international friendly Feb. 24 against El Salvador — a game he started and played all 90 minutes as a right fullback.

Sounders FC coach Sigi Schmid, who said on Saturday that the defensive error on the final goal was a "criminal mistake," is confident Evans will get it right.

"I don't think anybody is more aware or takes it more to heart than Brad if he feels he has made an error," Schmid said. "He has made a lot of good plays for our team as well. So right now I know he will take care of what he needs to."

Schmid, who coached Evans for two years at Columbus, said the team will practice defending free kicks and corner kicks later this week. All of the three goals allowed by Seattle have been on crosses, with two on corner kicks.

Gonzalez OK after early exit

Sounders FC defender Leo Gonzalez felt fine before Saturday's game against RSL, but had to subbed out in the 48th minute after not feeling well.

"I was feeling a little dizzy, a little exhausted," Gonzalez said through a translator. "It might have been because of the altitude. I wasn't playing the best that I could and it was better in that situation to get someone else in who was on the top of their game."

Gonzalez, who has started all three games this season, said Tuesday he hasn't had any lingering effects and feels totally healthy.

NOTES

• Seattle defender Tyrone Marshall has been awarded a goal in the RSL game, with Freddie Ljungberg getting an assist. The score in the 73rd minute was previously deemed an own goal by Salt Lake defender Nat Borchers. Marshall gave a delayed goal celebration after practice Tuesday when told of the news.

• Ex-Sounder Sebastien Le Toux was named MLS Player of the Week after scoring a hat trick for Philadelphia in a 3-2 win against D.C. United.

Joshua Mayers: 206-464-3184 or jmayers@seattletimes.com