The Sounders created multiple opportunities to come away with three points and their first MLS victory, including three quality shots from Steve Zakuani that came agonizingly close, but a major effort by Seattle failed to produce the desired result in a 0-0 draw with the New England Revolution at CenturyLink Field Saturday.
In remarks to reporters Friday, Sounders coach Sigi Schmid promised that the Sounders would win for the first time this season. But in their fifth MLS match, the Sounders fell to 0-3-2 and picked up only a point despite outshooting New England 13-5, eight in the first half.
Seattle, last in the West, goes on the road for three. The Sounders have tallied only two goals.
Neither starting forward played. Eddie Johnson and Obafemi Martins are nursing leg injuries. In their place, Zakuani and Lamar Neagle put constant pressure on the Revolution, but couldn’t get a ball to find the net, to the considerable consternation of a sellout crowd of 38,323.
Dominating the time of possession (68 percent), the Sounders had four superb scoring chances in the first half. At the 14:04 mark, Zakuani had a point-blank shot blocked; a second later, midfielder Osvaldo Alonso blasted a shot that New England goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth deflected over the top of the goal.
In the 27th minute, Mauro Rosales hammered a shot wide, and Zakuani was vexed again in the 44th minute on a low ball directly in front of the goal on a kick save by Shuttleworth.
Zakuani delivered a nice, left-footed shot 10 minutes into the second half but skinned it past the right corner of the post at the 55:17 mark. Seattle had one final chance to score in the 89th minute, but Jhon Kennedy’s Hurtado’s header sailed wide.
New England, which has scored just one goal in five games, played for a tie the entire match, leaving Seattle goalkeeper Michael Gspurning with little to do. The Revolution had its best scoring chance in the 54th minute, but a shot landed on the roof of the goal.
The Sounders are idle until Saturday when they travel to Colorado to face the Rapids. After playing at Philadelphia May 4 and at Sporting Kansas City May 8, the Sounders return to CenturyLink Stadium May 11 to face the San Jose Earthquakes.
NOTES: Midfielder Shalrie Joseph, who spent the first nine and a half years of his MLS career with New England, started for the Sounders and played for 74 minutes until he was replaced by Andy Rose . . . New England extended its scoreless streak to 388 minutes.