Sounders FC comes up short in D.C., loses 2-1

WASHINGTON — For the first time in club history, Seattle Sounders FC left RFK Stadium on the losing side, falling 2-1 to D.C. United Wednesday evening.

Charlie Davies and Josh Wolff tallied goals for D.C., snapping Seattle's six-game unbeaten streak.

Brad Evans scored a second-half penalty kick goal to get Sounders FC back in the game, but a second-half rally fell short as Seattle lost for the first time in its fourth trip to the nation's capital.

"It's tough to go into a place and win four games in a row, that's for sure," Evans said. "To have a record like that of three victories is good, but for us we take away a few things we need to work on in this game and move forward."

The Sounders had a chance to take the lead in the game's first two minutes. Forward Fredy Montero stripped the ball from D.C. defender Ethan White and had a free path against D.C. goalie Bill Hamid, but hit his shot straight at the goalie.

It was a tight, back-and-forth affair in the game's early stages. Seattle threatened on a couple of set piece opportunities as D.C.'s back line tried to cope with Montero and Nate Jaqua up front.

D.C. would score in the 31st minute on a counter attack. With Jhon Kennedy Hurtado making chase, Davies muscled past the defender and crossed to teammate Wolff, who buried the ball past Kasey Keller.

D.C. defender Perry Kitchen almost doubled the lead minutes later but his shot was saved off the line. Seattle held firm defensively, and went into the half down a goal.

It wouldn't get much better after the break. The same offensive trio of Andy Najar, Wolff and Chris Pontius did the damage, this time Wolff crossing to an open Davies to double D.C.'s lead in the 52nd minute — almost an identical goal as the first.

"The goals we took were identical, so we've got to talk about that," Seattle head coach Sigi Schmid said. "It's frustrating because I don't think we dealt with the situation well."

Down two goals, Seattle began to press forward. In the 70th minute, Montero was taken down in the penalty box by D.C. defender Dejan Jakovic. Evans calmly stepped up and converted the spot kick, trimming the deficit to 2-1.

If not for the heroics of Hamid, Seattle would have tied the score. Alvaro Fernandez had a free header in the 73rd minute that the 20-year-old goalie saved, and the shot-stopper was equal to a test from Montero a few minutes after that.

When substitute Mauro Rosales suffered a hamstring injury, Seattle had to finish the game with the injured midfielder on the field as they were out of substitutions.

"In the second half we got back into the game, and I really thought we'd get the equalizer, but Mauro Rosales pulls his hamstring in the last 12 minutes — he's just standing on the field, he can't move anymore," Schmid said.

The Sounders still attacked. Keller was pleased with the effort.

"Even with the 10 guys, we really put them under a lot of pressure and had chances to tie this up," he said. "So on that side of it I think we can take a little positive out of it and say this team doesn't quit. We just didn't play as well as we have."

There's little time to lament the loss. Seattle flies to Ohio on Thursday afternoon in preparation for Saturday's match against the Columbus Crew.

Second half — 2, D.C. United, Davies 6 (Wolff), 52nd. 3, Seattle FC, Evans 4 (penalty kick), 70th.

Goalies — Seattle FC, Kasey Keller; D.C. United, Bill Hamid.

Yellow Cards — White, D.C. United, 13th; Davies, D.C. United, 35th; Jaqua, Seattle FC, 55th. Shots on goal — Seattle F.C. 5, D.C. United 5. Saves — Seattle F.C. 3, D.C. United 4. Fouls — Seattle FC 11, D.C. United 10.

Referee — Hilario Grajeda. Assistant Referees — Bill Dittmar. Paul Scott. 4th Official — Daniel Fitzgerald.

Lineups

Seattle FC — Kasey Keller, Patrick Ianni, James Riley (Mauro Rosales, 59th), Tyson Wahl, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Alvaro Fernandez (Leo Gonzalez, 76th), Osvaldo Alonso, Erik Friberg, Brad Evans, Fredy Montero, Nate Jaqua (Roger Levesque, 64th).

D.C. United — Bill Hamid, Dejan Jakovic, Ethan White, Daniel Woolard, Perry Kitchen, Dax McCarty, Clyde Simms (Stephen King, 82nd), Chris Pontius (Santino Quaranta, 49th), Andy Najar (Fred, 77th), Josh Wolff, Charlie Davies.