Sounders stall in scoreless draw with FC Dallas

FRISCO, TX. – On a sweltering Saturday night in Texas, the Seattle Sounders failed to distinguish themselves in a 0-0 draw against FC Dallas that stretched their unbeaten streak to 13 matches. Despite the streak, Seattle is winless in its last four matches.

With kickoff temperature at 96 degrees, the heat sapped most of the energy from the game as each side sent long balls downfield before passing around their back lines to draw the other defense out of position.

Seattle (11-7-11, 44 points) had two shots on target. The best opportunity came in the final minute, when right back Kelvin Leerdam broke away down the right side and sent a clean cross along the ground in the box, but his service was parried away by Dallas center back Walker Zimmerman.

Coach Brian Schmetzer was satisfied with the result.

“Nothing concrete developed for us until maybe the 89^th minute, when Kelvin gets himself inside the penalty box,” he said. “We can’t manufacture a goal there. But overall, I’m pleased. Our shot total (10) was a little low, but we won 52 percent of our duels, which showed the effort.

“They possessed the ball for long stretches in the first half but we caught up to them. We need to find a way to be a little more dangerous, but this isn’t an easy place to play. That’s a good team. We were able to get a point. You look at a calendar at the beginning of the year and you think you can get a point from a really good team, you take it.”

Dallas (9-8-11, 38 points), may be the reigning Open Cup and Supporters’ Shield champions, but it is also a side that has not won in its last nine contests.

The Sounders were without the services of center back Chad Marshall, who did not travel due to a sore left hamstring. Also absent was Jordan Morris, who will miss several weeks after he strained his hamstring in a 1-1 draw against the Los Angeles Galaxy July 16.

Will Bruin, tapped to slot in for Morris at striker, could not match the 22-year-old’s raw speed as the Sounders slipped to fourth in the Western Conference, below Cascadia rivals Vancouver and Portland, as well as Sporting Kansas City.

A healthy Morris would have changed the tone of the match.

“Of course we (miss Morris),” Schmetzer said. “A couple of those balls that (Nicolas Lodeiro) tried to play into Bruin, you know maybe a faster guy gets in between (defenders).

“At some point, we need to start winning some games. That’s number one. But you know, soccer is pretty good right now in the Pacific Northwest, so credit to (Vancouver coach) Carl (Robinson], credit to (Portland coach) Caleb (Porter). We’ve done well.”