Late goal by Wondolowski forces 1-1 draw between Seattle, San Jose

SAN JOSE, CALIF. — A frenetic finish on Saturday evening in Northern California saw the Seattle Sounders FC play to a 1-1 draw against the San Jose Earthquakes at Avaya Stadium.

Both goals came in the final six minutes of the contest, with Sounders FC midfielder Nicolás Lodeiro putting the visitors into the lead in the 84th minute, before San Jose’s Chris Wondolowski equalized six minutes later.

Saturday’s contest got off to a rocky start for Seattle, as Gustav Svensson came on for Román Torres in the 15th minute of action after the Panamanian international suffered a left hamstring strain.

The contest was evenly split for the majority of the game, with Seattle taking a slight edge in possession at 50.9 percent, while San Jose maintained an 18-14 advantage in shots. Nevertheless, both sides found opportunities, and Seattle capitalized on a broken play in the 84th minute, as Lodeiro pounced on a deflected Sounders FC free-kick to beat David Bingham at his far post. Clint Dempsey took the initial direct free-kick, but San Jose’s wall stood firm, only for the Uruguayan to hit a magnificent volley to help his team take the lead. The tally was Lodeiro’s second strike of the 2017 campaign.

San Jose answered before full-time, as perennial Sounders killer Wondolowski had the final word. Marco Ureña squared a ball for an onrushing Wondolowski inside Seattle’s six-yard-box, allowing the longtime Quakes forward to convert his 11th MLS goal against Sounders FC since 2009 — the most tallies of any opponent of the Rave Green. San Jose nearly found the winner in stoppage-time, as Ureña was through on goal, only for goalkeeper Stefan Frei to stand tall and deny a second Quakes goal.

With a point from tonight’s contest in-hand, Sounders FC continues its three-match road swing on Friday against Vancouver Whitecaps FC at BC Place in Vancouver, B.C.