LANGLEY, B.C. – Seattle Sounders FC 2 continues to alternate between wins and losses going all the way back to the start of June. S2 was on the positive end Saturday with a 2-0 victory against Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 at McLeod Athletic Park. Ray Saari tallied in the first half and Zach Mathers provided some cushion with a second-half strike. Seattle and Vancouver have traded wins against each other thus far this season, with WFC2 earning a 3-0 victory on April 8 at McLeod. S2 moves back to the .500 mark, improving to 7-7-2 (23 points) overall and 3-4-1 on the road. WFC2 falls to 4-8-3 (15 points) overall and 2-3-2 at home.

Scoring:
31’ – SEA – Ray Saari
60’ – SEA – Zach Mathers (Lorenzo Ramos)

• #VANvSEA: Full match and Opta box score

Three Things That Mattered:

• 1. Seattle had posed a threat a couple times in the early going against WFC2 goalkeeper Spencer Richey, with Zach Mathers’ one-on-one attempt in the 22nd minute, forcing Richey into a solid diving stop. S2 continued to create some chances after that, and it was a bit of good fortune that aided in the game’s first goal in the 31st minute. Ray Saari’s volley from the left of the box took a heavy deflection off of Vancouver defender Sem de Wit, and the ball trickled past Richey and inside the right post for a 1-0 Seattle lead. Saari was credited with the goal. Seattle then pushed the lead to 2-0 with Lorenzo Ramos providing a nice setup with the through ball toward Zach Mathers, who finished from the right side of the box in the 60th minute. The two goal scorers were subbed off in the 67th minute.

• 2. WFC2’s Myer Bevan earned his first start with the club. The New Zealander, coming off a successful performance for his country at the 2017 FIFA U20 World Cup in recent months, tried to open up his scoring account. One of his better chances came in the 20th minute with a curving, right-footed strike that was pushed a little wide right.

• 3. Vancouver is now winless in four straight (0-3-1), and the club was disjointed and lacking some finishing prowess. WFC2 relied on some wide play and crosses to try to break through Seattle’s defense, and the possession game certainly improved as the minutes ticked on, but the host side couldn’t find the final product. Between that and some apprehensive defensive sequences, Vancouver is still searching from some answers.

USLSoccer.com Man of the Match:
Lorenzo Ramos, Seattle Sounders FC 2 – Ramos’ distribution throughout the game was iron-clad, with the setup of Zach Mathers’ goal serving as his standout moment of the game.

Upcoming Games:
Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 at Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC – July 8, 8 p.m. ET, Weidner Field
Seattle Sounders FC 2 at Real Monarchs SLC – July 8, 9 p.m. ET, Rio Tinto Stadium