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Vancouver (9-15-8) entered the weekend with an outside chance
of making the playoffs, sitting eighth in the Western
Conference, six points behind Seattle (13-13-5).
The Sounders moved from sixth to fifth in the standings, and
they have a game in hand on the teams immediately ahead of them
and behind them. The top six teams in each conference make the
postseason.
The Whitecaps, who have won only once in their last 12 matches,
are now eight points behind sixth-place Sporting Kansas City
with only six points to play for with two matches remaining.
The Sounders, thanks to their fourth consecutive victory, have
44 points, one point behind Real Salt Lake and a point ahead of
Sporting Kansas City.
Seattle was awarded the late penalty kick when Vancouver
defender Jordan Harvey touched the ball with his hand in the
penalty area.
The match looked promising for Vancouver early when midfielder
Pedro Morales scored the match's first goal on a penalty kick in
the 25th minute, his eighth goal of the season. Seattle has
allowed a goal within the first 25 minutes in six of its seven
road matches dating to a 3-0 loss at Kansas City on July 24.
The Sounders answered Morales' goal in the 39th minute when
Osvaldo Alonso took a crossing pass from defender Joevin Jones
and scored past goalie David Ousted.
By halftime, Vancouver had twice as many shots and Vancouver
produced -- 10-5 -- but Ousted withstood that threat with four
saves. The Whitecaps finished with 15 shots, including four on
goal, while Seattle countered with 11 shots including six on
goal.
Seattle goalie Stefan Frei registered three saves. Ousted wasn't
credited with a save after halftime.
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