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Seattle Sounders FC 1-2 Celtic FC: Officiating Mars Meaningless Friendly
Jul 18, 2010 4:54:00 PM
By Zac Lee Rigg
SEATTLE, Wash. -- In a sleepy noontime friendly, Celtic FC beat Seattle Sounders FC with a little help from a referee blunder.
Both Celtic and Seattle struggled to break down the offside trap each team set out in the first half.
It took half an hour before a player finally cracked it. Greek striker Georgios Samaras raced onto a through-ball and into the box. There, Sounders goalkeeper Terry Boss caught his leg, but Samaras managed to scuff the ball into the net on his way down.
In an outlandishly harsh decision, especially for a meaningless friendly, referee Paul Ward called back the goal and issued Boss a red card. Jordan Jennings, a former University of Washington goalkeeper without a pro contract or any MLS games to his name, stepped onto the pitch to face the penalty.
Samaras coolly dispatched to notch his goal.
Jennings only had the chance to make one routine save before Celtic struck again. A Pete Vagenas shot ricocheted off the back of a defender and sailed up field. Defender Milan Misun raced down the pitch and passed to Patrick McCourt, who slotted into the bottom corner.
Ten-man Seattle reacted immediately. David Estrada entered the pitch and thwacked a doozy from distance with his first touch which swerved into the net. Estrada is on the injured reserve and cannot feature in MLS action until Sept. 4.
As the 45,631 in attendance started to liven up with the game brightening, McCourt clanked another open shot off the base of the upright.
In turn, Estrada hit a near-post shot off the woodwork, but neither team found a way past the posts for another goal.
For more on Major League Soccer, visit Goal.com's MLS page and join Goal.com USA's Facebook fan page!
Both Celtic and Seattle struggled to break down the offside trap each team set out in the first half.
It took half an hour before a player finally cracked it. Greek striker Georgios Samaras raced onto a through-ball and into the box. There, Sounders goalkeeper Terry Boss caught his leg, but Samaras managed to scuff the ball into the net on his way down.
In an outlandishly harsh decision, especially for a meaningless friendly, referee Paul Ward called back the goal and issued Boss a red card. Jordan Jennings, a former University of Washington goalkeeper without a pro contract or any MLS games to his name, stepped onto the pitch to face the penalty.
Samaras coolly dispatched to notch his goal.
Jennings only had the chance to make one routine save before Celtic struck again. A Pete Vagenas shot ricocheted off the back of a defender and sailed up field. Defender Milan Misun raced down the pitch and passed to Patrick McCourt, who slotted into the bottom corner.
Ten-man Seattle reacted immediately. David Estrada entered the pitch and thwacked a doozy from distance with his first touch which swerved into the net. Estrada is on the injured reserve and cannot feature in MLS action until Sept. 4.
As the 45,631 in attendance started to liven up with the game brightening, McCourt clanked another open shot off the base of the upright.
In turn, Estrada hit a near-post shot off the woodwork, but neither team found a way past the posts for another goal.
For more on Major League Soccer, visit Goal.com's MLS page and join Goal.com USA's Facebook fan page!
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