Sounders FC misses its chance to put away FC Dallas

FRISCO, Texas — This could be the week Sounders FC goes to finishing school — as in being drilled in practice on finishing chances so as to put away struggling teams.

For the first time in the past three games, Seattle finished a match with 11 players on the field. Nevertheless, it managed the same result: a 1-1 draw, for the third match in a row.

This one was difficult to absorb. Seattle lost no one to red-card ejections Saturday night at Pizza Hut Park against FC Dallas, but several missed scoring opportunities kept it from defeating the team with the worst record in Major League Soccer.

• Fifth minute: Midfielder Steve Zakuani, who spent much of the game confounding his defenders, sent in a ball that forward Nate Jaqua deflected to Fredy Montero. Montero's open shot was blocked.

• 21st minute: Jaqua from Zakuani, another missed net. Jaqua said later he hit the ball with the wrong foot.

• 36th minute: Midfielder Brad Evans' shot glanced off the left goal post.

• 45th minute: Midfielder Sebastien Le Toux had time to stop and set up his open shot, but it missed wide left.

Sounders FC lost the intensity of its attack in the second half, and rarely threatened while having to fend off FC Dallas' increased pressure.

"At the end of the day, it's no excuses," Sounders FC coach Sigi Schmid said. "We should have and needed to put the game away in the first half, and we didn't."

Sounders FC did score in the 18th minute when defender Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, down in the goal area for a corner kick, lifted his leg to knock in a header from Jaqua. It was Hurtado's first goal in rave green.

"It's something you can't compare anything to," he said, in Spanish, of the goal. "I hope for many more."

FC Dallas answered in injury time of the first half, with midfielder Andre Rocha sending the ball past Kasey Keller far post seconds before the whistle.

But it was the times Seattle didn't score that had the coach and players frustrated. Fortunately for the team, Sounders FC (4-2-3) got two huge saves from Keller in the second half to preserve the draw and remain undefeated in its past four games.

"A point's a point, but I feel a little more like we left two points here," Schmid said. "It's better than a loss, but we don't want to be the inchworm, just inching forward a point at a time."

Sounders FC played without three starters and lost one of the replacements, defender Zach Scott, to an abdominal strain in the first half. Scott, who started in place of injured left fullback Nathan Sturgis, was replaced by Tyson Wahl in the 18th minute.

Like Wahl, Patrick Ianni made his regular-season debut, replacing suspended right fullback James Riley. Midfielder Freddie Ljungberg was scratched from the travel roster after coming down with a migraine, so Evans moved back inside from the wing.

Evans left the game in the 79th minute after a midair collision with FC Dallas goalkeeper Ray Burse which led to an apparent head injury. Evans also sprained a knee ligament and was on crutches in the locker room.

José Miguel Romero: 206-464-2409 or jromero@seattletimes.com

SOUNDERS FC 1, FC DALLAS 1

Seattle	1 0 — 1
Dallas	1 0 — 1

First half — 1, Seattle, Hurtado 1 (Jaqua 4), 18th minute; 2, Dallas, Rocha 2 (Saragosa 1), 48th+. Second half — None. Shots — Seattle 14, Dallas 16. Shots on goal — Seattle 3, Dallas 5. Saves — Seattle 4, Dallas 2. Fouls — Seattle 15, Dallas 7. Offsides — Seattle 4, Dallas 1. Corner kicks — Seattle 5, Dallas 1. Cautions — Seattle, Zakuani 48th+, Marshall 64th; Dallas, Rocha 20th, Saragosa 75th, Guarda 80th. A — 8,247 (21,193).

LINEUPS

Seattle — Kasey Keller (GK), Brad Evans (Sanna Nyassi, 79th), Patrick Ianni, Osvaldo Alonso, Sebastien Le Toux, Steve Zakuani, Tyrone Marshall, Fredy Montero, Zach Scott (Tyson Wahl, 18th), Nate Jaqua (Stephen King, 74th), Jhon Kennedy Hurtado.

Dallas — Ray Burse (GK), Drew Moor, Marcelo Saragosa, Pablo Ricchetti, Dave van den Bergh, Jeff Cunningham (Brek Shea, 24th), David Ferreira, Andre Rocha, George John (Daniel Torres, 28th), Steve Purdy (Bruno Guarda, 46th), Kenny Cooper.

Seattle	1 0 — 1
Dallas	1 0 — 1

First half — 1, Seattle, Hurtado 1 (Jaqua 4), 18th minute; 2, Dallas, Rocha 2 (Saragosa 1), 48th+. Second half — None. Shots — Seattle 14, Dallas 16. Shots on goal — Seattle 3, Dallas 5. Saves — Seattle 4, Dallas 2. Fouls — Seattle 15, Dallas 7. Offsides — Seattle 4, Dallas 1. Corner kicks — Seattle 5, Dallas 1. Cautions — Seattle, Zakuani 48th+, Marshall 64th; Dallas, Rocha 20th, Saragosa 75th, Guarda 80th. A — 8,247 (21,193).