Montero makes magic as Sounders pull away vs Loyal in US Open Cup round three
By Charles Hamaker
Tukwila, WA – The 2023 US Open Cup began in bizarre, thrilling fashion for the Seattle Sounders, as they advanced to the round of 32 after a 5-4 victory over the San Diego Loyal. Club legend Fredy Montero recorded a brace in the win, bookending the match with goals to begin and end the match. Seattle ended up with a two-goal lead heading into the final third of the match, but a late comeback attempt saw this match headed to extra time. Again, the Sounders struck first but were answered by San Diego, before a Fredy Montero penalty sealed the deal and sent Seattle onto the next round of the US Open Cup.
Seattle Sounders forward Fredy Montero daps up defender Nouhou after the clubs draw to LAFC on March 18th, 2023 (Photo by Mathew Bermudez)
A club legend begins things, and ends them
Sounders forward Fredy Montero has a history for scoring goals at Starfire Stadium, particularly in the US Open Cup, including in last year's edition of the tournament when the club hosted the San Jose Earthquakes. That match unfortunately ended in a long, bitter cold bout of penalty kicks that San Jose took, and it seemed like this match just might get to that sort of level as Seattle choked away a late lead to send us into extra time. No matter, Montero (a top goal scorer in club history) remained cool and was able to deliver the final blow to San Diego after scoring the first of the match in interesting fashion. After all, it’s just the magic of the US Open Cup.
Montero’s first goal of the match, and the score that opened the game, was a bit of an odd sequence. Seattle had been applying great pressure to San Diego early on but couldn’t seem to find the right ball into the box. Finally, Obed Vargas brought the attack up through the middle of the field as he looped a ball up in the air and ahead of Ethan Dobbelaere who streaked into the box. A clean tackle was applied by San Diego’s Nick Moon, taking Dobbelaere down in the process. All play seemed to stop as both sides appeared to believe a penalty kick was going to be given, but the whistle was never blown. Play continued, a rebounded ball bounced right to Montero, who hammered home a shot that clipped Loyal keeper Koke Vegas and before finding the back of the net.
Local contribution
With the US Open Cup match, it was obvious that Seattle wasn’t going to send out a first team starting lineup. The club often speaks on how much it wants to in every tournament that it takes part in and continue to add to their trophy case, and they’ll do their best, but won’t jeopardize the health of their stars doing so. Like last season when the club hosted San Jose, the Sounders rolled out a lineup of mostly Tacoma Defiance stars with a few Sounders second team names to boot. This year's crop of talent was highlighted by local players, as the club had ten players who either attended high school or college in the area in this match, as well as eleven who came through their academy or the Defiance.
Three of those players scored goals, all of them born in the city of Seattle. Ethan Dobbelaere was the first of the three to get on the board for the Sounders, as he followed up Fredy Montero’s 15th minute goal with a score just eleven minutes later. Off a throw in, Seattle caught San Diego in an odd-man situation and were able to fully press, as a Leo Chu cross was deflected mid-air by Loyal keeper Koke Vegas, falling right at the feet of Dobbelaere for an easy volley. Rothrock’s goal displayed some fine skill from the young midfielder, as he blazed through the Loyal defense to catch up to a through ball, making a move to send a defender sliding before playing pin ball off the Loyal keeper to score. Baker-Whiting's goal was an absolute rock, as the 18-year-old found space before blasting a ball from the top of the box to beat Koke Vegas top corner and regain Seattle’s lead in the 101st minute.
Quick notes
Sounders FC’s all-time record in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup play moves to 24-6-5 dating back to 2009. The Rave Green are now 20-2-2 at home in that span.
Wednesday’s match was Seattle’s first contest in 2023 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup play, and the Rave Green’s first meeting in a competitive match against USL Championship side San Diego Loyal. The two clubs played one another in an exhibition match on April 10, 2021 (a 1-0 win for Seattle at Lumen Field).
Seattle now advances out of its opening round in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup for the first time since 2017. Sounders FC is a four-time winner of the Open Cup (2009-2011, 2014), tied with the Chicago Fire and Sporting Kansas City for the most titles among MLS Clubs.
Adding to his all-time scoring lead for Sounders FC, Fredy Montero bagged his 77th strike in all competitions for the Rave Green in the 15th minute, followed by his 78th overall goal with his match-sealing penalty in 123rd minute of play. The Colombian remains the club’s all-time leading scorer, three tallies ahead of teammate Raúl Ruidíaz.
Montero now has 10 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup goals for Seattle, the best mark in Sounders FC history and three goals ahead of former teammate Nate Jaqua in Open Cup action.
With his goal in the 26th minute of play, Ethan Dobbelaere recorded his first goal for Sounders FC. The Seattle native has five pro goals with Defiance dating back to 2019.
Substitute Paul Rothrock recorded his first goal for Sounders FC in the 55th minute of play. The Seattle native had previously scored once for Sounders FC developmental side S2 in 2017, while also adding 12 goals for Toronto FC II from 2021 through 2022.
Reed Baker-Whiting’s goal in the 101st minute of play was his first professional strike for Sounders FC. He had one goal for Tacoma Defiance in 2022.
Head Coach Brian Schmetzer heavily rotated the squad that defeated Minnesota United on Saturday, with nine new starters taking the field. Only Obed Vargas and Léo Chú were holdovers from the April 22 MLS match at Lumen Field.
Four Tacoma Defiance players were eligible for tonight’s match via short-term agreements, and all featured in the contest. Cody Baker started at leftback, while Paul Rothrock, Travian Sousa and Hal Uderitz came into the match as substitutes. Baker and midfielder Sota Kitahara each made their first career starts for the First Team.
Between five home matches at Lumen Field in MLS play and tonight’s contest at Starfire Stadium, Sounders FC is 5-0-1 on home turf in 2023.
3,728 fans attended the match at Starfire
What’s next?
There are two ways to look at what’s next for the Sounders, where they head next in general and when/ who they may face in their next US Open Cup competition. For the latter, the round of 32 draw took place immediately following the end of all matches that night, and Seattle ended up in group three. That group of four includes all MLS clubs, as Seattle is joined by the LA Galaxy, Portland Timbers, and Real Salt Lake. It’s a bit of an odd draw for the Sounders, who are guaranteed to deal with MLS level talent and could possibly face off against their next regular season opponent. The next club that Seattle will face in MLS play is Real Salt Lake, on the road, on April 29th with a kickoff time of 6:30PM PST.