TUKWILA, Wash. -- Aaron Kovar scored in the third minute and Zach Mathers added a second-half penalty kick, pacing the Seattle Sounders to a 2-1 victory over the Portland Timbers at Starfire Soccer Complex in the 2017 U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday.
Seattle jumped on top off a finish from Kovar that was set up by a pinpoint cross from left back Nouhou. Portland’s Augustine Williams would equalize with a headed finish in the 38th, but Mathers’ PK after a handball in the box in the 54th would prove to be the dagger, sending the Sounders through to the Open Cup quarterfinals.
Box Score
- 3' -- SEA -- Aaron Kovar (Nouhou Tolo)
- 38' -- POR -- Augustine Williams (Rennico Clarke, Ben Zemanski)
- 54' -- SEA -- Zach Mathers (PK)
- Box score
- Stats
Lineups
SEATTLE SOUNDERS (4-5-1, right to left): #1 Tyler Miller -- #21 Jordy Delem, #92 Rodrigue Ele, #53 Sam Rogers, #5 Nouhou -- #88 Ray Saari, #77 Francisco Narbon, #11 Aaron Kovar (Henry Wingo 80'), #32 Zach Mathers (Alvaro Fernandez, 72'), #38 Irvin Parra -- #99 Felix Chenkam (Seyi Adekoya, 74')
SUBS: Meredith, Nana-Sinkham, Wingo, Fernandez, Roldan, Adekoya, Bruin
PORTLAND TIMBERS (4-4-2, right to left): #1 Jeff Attinella -- #45 Harold Hanson, #47 Rennico Clarke, #98 Lamar Batista, #32 Marco Farfan -- #44 Omar Mohamed (Russell Cicerone, 59'), #77 Andre Lewis, #14 Ben Zemanski, #19 Victor Arboleda -- #80 Augustine Williams, #17 Jeremy Ebobisse (Villyan Bijev, 71')
SUBS: McIntosh, Amick, Ornstil, Granitto, Lowe, Bijev, Cicerone