Seattle Sounders 2, Chivas USA 1 | MLS Match Recap

SEATTLE — Lamar Neagle scored the go-ahead goal in the 57th minute, leading the Seattle Sounders to a 2-1 come-from-behind victory on Sunday night over Chivas USA at CenturyLink Field that marked the home side's first victory in four tries.

Neagle was able to beat Chivas goalkeeper Dan Kennedy from about 12 yards out after finishing a ball that Mauro Rosales was able to get just enough of to get it free. It marked Neagle's first goal in six games and snapped Rosales' 604-minute spell of failing to get on the score sheet.

Rosales also helped start the play when he picked up a loose ball at midfield and put it ahead to Obafemi Martins, who then tapped it back through the penalty area.

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Until then, Kennedy had done a remarkable job keeping Chivas USA in the match, despite the visitors grabbing an early lead. The veteran netminder made six saves on the evening.

Although chances were tough to come by for Chivas in the early going, they made the most of them. Erick "Cubo" Torres scored his second goal in as many MLS games, giving the Goats an early 1-0 lead after just 16 minutes.

Rookie Carlos Alvarez wound his way through a befuddled Sounders defense that failed to clear the ball on a couple occassions. After beating Osvaldo Alonso, he left it for Torres, who coolly finished it inside the far post.

That seemed to awaken the Sounders, who had much of the run of play up until the Chivas USA goal but few chances to show for it. In the 23rd minute, Martins controlled a ball about 30 yards out and then slipped in Brad Evans, who made a nice run from a deep position. Evans took one touch and beat Kennedy to the near post for his first goal since March 30.

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Torres nearly gave Chivas USA another lead just seven minutes later, but his volley attempt from a Tristan Bowen pass was pushed off the crossbar by a leaping effort from Seattle 'keeper Andrew Weber.

With the victory, Seattle improved to 8-7-4 and leapfrogged past San Jose and back into seventh place in the Western Conference, four points behind the Vancouver Whitecaps, who currently occupy the final playoff place. The Sounders still have two games in hand on their Cascadia rivals. They next host FC Dallas on August 3.
Chivas USA, meanwhile, drop to 4-12-5 a week after winning their first match in 15 tries. They next travel to San Jose, also on August 3.
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