Seattle Sounders supporters take part in the traditional "March to the Match" before a CONCACAF Champions League soccer match against Santa Tecla, Thursday, March 1, 2018, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
SEATTLE — The Seattle Sounders took 48 minutes to find the net but gave it a beating once they did.
After serving a 4-0 thrashing to Salvadoran side Santa Tecla at CenturyLink Field Thursday night for a 5-2 aggregate victory, the Sounders progressed to the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals. They will now face Liga MX side CD Guadalajara in a home leg March 7 and on the road March 14.
Santa Tecla seemed uninterested in pressing the Sounders high up the pitch after winning 2-1 in the first leg Feb. 22. The Sounders struggled to break down the compact defense played by the visitors, frustrating their efforts from open play.
Midfielder Magnus Wolff Eikrem subbed on at the start of the second half and provided the offensive spark Seattle needed. In the 48th minute, Eikrem pulled down a rebound from a corner kick and found Nicolas Lodeiro wide of goal. Lodeiro connected with a sprinting Will Bruin to open the scoring.
Trailing on away goals, Santa Tecla was forced to attack the Sounders. A costly turnover in midfield allowed Eikrem to slip a ball to the end line, where Clint Dempsey connected with the head of Lodeiro to put Seattle up 2-0.
Centerback Chad Marshall, who previously had several near misses on headers from set pieces, struck true from a Lodeiro corner kick in the 81st minute.
Eikrem delivered the final dagger two minutes later, working a give-and-go with Dempsey that bisected the back line for an easy finish past beleaguered keeper Joel Almeida. Almeida punted the ball away in disgust as Eikrem celebrated his debut goal for the Sounders.
Tactically, Seattle seemed fluid. Starting the match in a 4-2-3-1, the formation seemed to drift into a 4-1-3-2 in the second half after Eikrem replaced centerback Tony Alfaro. Alfaro’s removal may have stemmed from a poor showing after he misplayed several passes and seemed to struggle with Santa Tecla’s speed.
Gustav Svensson demonstrated the utility that made him indispensable last season, dropping back from his holding midfield position to become Alfaro’s replacement.
Leading to the first goal, the Sounders were prevented from playing the brand of quick-passing soccer they have come to favor. The match witnessed 39 fouls and five yellow cards as the sides settled into a pattern of retaliatory behavior.
Seattle’s victory qualifies them for a grueling schedule turnaround.
They will face CD Guadalajara at home Wednesday, three days after their MLS season opener and first-ever meeting against Los Angeles FC.
Guadalajara cruised to the quarterfinals after pummeling Dominican Cibao FC 7-0 across two legs, but the Mexican side will be forced to face fellow Liga MX giant Club America in the Clausura on Saturday before travelling to face the Sounders.
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