SEATTLE — Getting a penalty kick called is hard enough. Getting it called twice in one game, now you just may be asking for too much.
That seemed to be the case for the Seattle Sounders Saturday, as Alvaro Fernandez failed to convert a first-half penalty and a potential second one late in the second half went uncalled as Seattle had to settle for a scoreless draw with Chivas USA in front of 36,364 fans at CenturyLink Field.
The result continued a trend in matches between the two sides, as Seattle has failed to score in five of the six games all-time against Chivas. It was the third time the Sounders shut out the Goats.
“The problem we still have is we don’t put both sides together,” Seattle keeper Kasey Keller said. “We defend well but we don’t attack with the same precision. Or we attack well but we don’t defend. I liked what we did defensively and we created enough chances to win.”
The Sounders (11-5-9) have lost just one Major League Soccer game since May 25 but given the number of chances they had against Chivas (7-8-9), the disappointment was clear. Seattle outshot Chivas 10-4 and was in control for much of the match but was unable to get the ball past Goats’ keeper Dan Kennedy.
And while there were many failed attempts, what most will remember is an attempt that wasn’t allowed.
In the 89th minute, second-half substitute Lamar Neagle seemed to be taken down in the goal box by Chivas’ David Lopes. Referee Kevin Stott appeared to point to the penalty spot, indicating a call, but never blew his whistle against Lopes, preventing the Sounders from getting one last shot at the win.
“I got toward the inside and got a good touch and beat my guy,” Neagle said. “I thought I beat the next guy and thought I got clipped. I’m not known for diving. I’ve never dived in my career. But what can you do?”
Sounders coach Sigi Schmid felt that besides Neagle’s non-call, the referee failed to make another potential penalty call late in the second half.
“I guess penalties are like mulligans,” Schmid said. “You only get one per round. So once we used up our mulligan we weren’t allowed another one.”
Forward Pat Noonan, who got his first start in a year for Seattle and had three shots that were off target, said there’s “no question” that it’s tough to get two penalties called in one match.
“You can’t leave it to the referees to make another penalty call,” he said.
The Sounders still could have walked away with three points had it converted any of its many chances, in particular the first penalty kick in the 19th minute. Fernandez made an outstanding move to get into the box and sent a ball to the center that touched the hand of Chivas’ Michael Umana, who was called for a hand ball.
Fernandez stepped to the spot and sent a low shot that bounced off the post, deflected off of Kennedy’s back and went out of bounds.
“I don’t think the problem was the power of the shot,” Fernandez said. “It was the direction. I shot it right into the post. That’s how penalties go. I don’t think it was kicked badly but it cost us two points.”
Seattle had two other strong chances in the second half, both turned away by Kennedy. Noonan slid to tap in a loose ball but Kennedy lunged back toward the goal to knock it away. And Fernandez one-touched a James Riley lob that Kennedy kick-saved.
The game marked the beginning of a rough stretch for Seattle, which plays six games in 17 days. It next plays the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions League matchup with Comunicaciones at 7 p.m. Tuesday. The Sounders will have to put the disappointment of Saturday’s game behind it quickly.
“It was the refereeing,” Schmid said. “We had our chances to score.”
White has complication
There was a belief that O’Brian White might be in line for more playing time Saturday after missing most of the season with a blood clot in his leg. But Schmid said there were “complications” along the same lines of the blood clot and that the team is being cautious until it learns more about the situation. Schmid said defender Jhon Kennedy Hurtado (knee) would be available to play Tuesday. He did not mention Brad Evans (hamstring).
Alonso out Tuesday
Midfielder Osvaldo Alonso won’t be available to play Tuesday after accumulating too many yellow cards in preliminary round games.
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