SEATTLE – A sunny afternoon turned nightmarish in the final seconds of the Sounders’ match against Columbus on Sunday.
Sounders keeper Stefan Frei went down after defending a free kick in second-half stoppage time. He laid motionless backside, then rolled onto his side and briefly bent one knee as his teammates immediately motioned for medical attention. After about five minutes of on-field examination, an ambulance drove onto the field and Frei was placed on a stretcher and driven to the hospital.
Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer said Frei is being evaluated for a neck and head injury.
Referee Ismir Pekmic wasn’t going to call the match and would’ve restarted with a corner kick. But Columbus coach Wilfried Nancy campaigned for it be ended, according to an emotional Schmetzer. The full bench for both teams didn’t move from the penalty area until the ambulance was out of view. The silence among the 30,552 in attendance at Lumen Field was broken by the Brougham Supporters chanting “Stef-an, Stef-an,” but most quietly filed out of the stadium, the scoreline ending in a 1-1 draw.
In the opening half, Frei recorded his 1,000th save during regular-season play with the Sounders. It was likely the easiest of the 39-year-old’s career as Crew striker Diego Rossi had a soft chance in the 41st minute.
The Swiss netminder is second all-time in the category, joining retired Real Salt Lake keeper Nick Rimando (1,128).
Seattle (8-6-6) played down a man after Kalani Kossa-Rienzi was shown a second yellow in stoppage time.
The game’s opening goal was a simple finish in transition in the 27th minute.
Crew captain Darlington Nagbe picked up the ball in his team’s end and got a pass to forward Jacen Russell-Rowe. The latter’s through ball sent the Sounders’ backline racing with defender Nouhou unable to catch up to Rossi at the back post. All winger Ibrahim Aliyu had to do was send a low cross into the box for Rossi to tap in. It’s the Uruguayan’s 10th goal of the season.
The mirrored hustle and determination of left winger Paul Rothrock and right back Kossa-Rienzi led to the equalizer in the 43rd minute.
Kossa-Rienzi was up high on the right wing when he awkwardly jostled for possession of an Alex Roldan pass. Once collected, Kossa-Rienzi dismissed passing options, instead dribbling inside toward the box and sending a tight pass through multiple Columbus defenders to an open Rothrock. Capitol Hill’s finest used his left foot to score the goal, his third in MLS competitions. Kossa-Rienzi has two assists in league play.
Rothrock had a chance to get the game-winner in the 52nd minute. His shot from the center of the box was saved by Crew keeper Evan Bush, but he lost control of the ball. None of Seattle’s trailing runners were in position to get a shot off the rebound.
Bush upset a majority of the crowd when he needed medical attention after colliding with Sounders forward Danny Musovski on a header attempt in the 60th minute. The keeper appeared to hurt his shoulder on the clean play but remained in the match.
Schmetzer made his first substitution in the 71st minute when he brought on Jordan Morris for Musovski. The coach subbed on wingers Ryan Kent and Pedro de la Vega in the 80th minute for Albert Rusnák and Rothrock.
The different attacking unit was unable to get a game-winner. Columbus (10-3-8) was equally unsuccessful, snapping their three-game win streak.
Despite defender Jon Bell returning from a one-game suspension, Schmetzer only made one change to his starting lineup from last week’s win against Austin. Roldan remained at center back and Kossa-Rienzi started at right back.
Bell and Nouhou missed the Austin match due to being shown red cards against Vancouver. The latter returned to his starting role at left back while Bell was available off the bench.
Next up for the Sounders is a road match against Sporting Kansas City. It’s the club’s first road trip since June 8.