TUKWILA, Wash. — The Kitsap Pumas fought valiantly against MLS opposition, losing 2-0 to the Seattle Sounders in the fourth round of the 2016 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on June 15. Cristian Roldan scored the first goal for the Sounders, and Joevin Jones added a second as Kitsap pressed for an equalizer.
Kitsap took the first shot of the game, as Nick Hamer tested Sounders goalkeeper Tyler Miller in the third minute. The Sounders answered back with a header off the crossbar from Zach Scott on a sixth-minute corner kick, setting the tone for an exciting match.
Goalkeeper Matt Grosey, fighting off an ankle injury, put in a top performance as he punched out Seattle crosses and made a couple of point-blank saves to keep his team in the game. He was credited with four saves, as was Seattle’s Miller.
Eventually, the Sounders would break through as Roldan put home a flick from Aaron Kovar on a throw-in in the 71st minute. As the Pumas pressed for an equalizer, moving to a 4-4-2 with a diamond in midfield and pinging the ball around the attacking half, Erik Friberg sprung Joevin Jones on a counterattack in the first minute of stoppage time.
Friberg put the effort away, giving the game its final score. The final whistle went moments later, ending the final cup run in 2016 for teams that play in non-professional leagues.
The Pumas can find a silver lining in being the Open Division qualifier to advance farthest in the Open Cup this year, earning the club a $15,000 prize in the process. Kitsap and La Máquina of the UPSL both advanced to the Fourth Round, but the Pumas defeated a team one division higher to take the prize, as La Máquina only beat fellow Open Division teams.
Focus turns back to league play for the Pumas, as they visit the Seattle Sounders U23 on Friday, June 17. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Sunset Stadium in Sumner.
— Match Report —
Match: Seattle Sounders vs. Kitsap Pumas
Date: June 15, 2016
Competition: Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup — Fourth Round
Venue: Starfire Stadium — Tukwila, Wash.
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. PT
Attendance: 3,515
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
Seattle 0 2 2
Kitsap 0 0 0
SEA — Cristian Roldan (Aaron Kovar), 71’
SEA — Joevin Jones (Erik Friberg), 90+1’
Lineups:
Seattle: 1.Tyler Miller — 91.Oniel Fisher, 20.Zach Scott, 25.Tony Alfaro, 15.Dylan Remick — 32.Zach Mathers, 7.Cristian Roldan, 18.Nathan Sturgis (8.Erik Friberg, 46) — 11.Aaron Kovar, 9.Hérculez Gómez (99.Andy Craven, 84), 17.Darwin Jones (33.Joevin Jones, 63)
Subs Not Used: 22.Charlie Lyon, 4.Tyrone Mears, 13.Jordan Morris, 14.Chad Marshall
Head coach (acting): Brian Schmetzer
Kitsap: 18.Matt Grosey — 27.Ian Lange, 4.Rene DeZorzi, 3.Cory Keitz, 19.Matt Eronemo — 6.Nick Hamer, 20.Joel Waterman (8.Ibrahim Diaby, 67) — 28.Javier Castro (24.Enrique Cardenas, 78), 10.Jesús Sánchez, 30.Mike Ramos — 9.Hamza Haddadi (15.Darius Madison, 73)
Subs Not Used: 1.Arturo Oberto, 5.Trevor Jensen, 13.Kalem Scott, 17.Stefan Bangsund
Head coach: Cameron MacDonald
Stats Summary: SEA / KIT
Shots: 6 / 4
Saves: 4 / 4
Corner Kicks: 5 / 3
Fouls: 12 / 13
Offside: 1 / 2
