Stefan Frei made a key save in second-half stoppage time to help the host Seattle Sounders preserve a scoreless draw against Los Angeles FC on Saturday.
Frei thwarted Kwadwo Opuka’s left-footed shot attempt from in close in the 92nd minute. Frei finished with three saves to secure his 94th career clean sheet and third this season.
Frei’s heroics enabled the Sounders (2-1-1, 7 points) to extend their home point streak to seven games (4-0-3) against LAFC since the latter posted a 1-0 victory in its inaugural MLS match in March 2018.
John McCarthy turned aside all four shots he faced to notch his ninth clean sheet of his career and second this season for LAFC (2-0-1, 7 points). He also played a integral role in silencing Seattle, which was unable to convert any of its seven corner kicks.
Each team was whistled for four yellow cards in a test match between Western Conference rivals.
Tempers flared late in the first half after Frei denied Denis Bouanga’s sharp-angle shot from deep in the box.
LAFC’s Aaron Long attempted to dislodge the ball from the arms of Frei, causing several Sounders players — including Nouhou Tolo — to come to their goalkeeper’s defense and create a brief skirmish on the field. Both Long and Tolo were issued yellow cards after order was restored.
Seattle nearly opened the scoring in the 23rd minute after Albert Rusnak’s shot from outside the box caromed off the right post.
Sounders star Raul Ruidiaz, who was playing in his 100th career MLS match, nearly dented the scoresheet six minutes later with a bicycle kick from the top of the box. McCarthy made the save to deny Ruidiaz, who was making his first start of the season after working his way back from an injury.
–Field Level Media
