Anatomy of a Goal: How Cristian Roldan's defense, Clint Dempsey's movement led to equalizer against Portland – SoundersFC.com

The Seattle Sounders stole a dramatic road point against the Portland Timbers last Sunday in what was their arguably their best effort of the season. Down a man and a goal for the entire second half, substitute Clint Dempsey headed home an equalizer in the 94th minute to stun Providence Park.

The entire sequence, though Roman Torres pinpoint cross to Dempsey, Dempseys towering header and the unlikeliest of goals did not matriculate from nothing. What led to the Sounders game-tying tally was a seemingly inconspicuousdefensive play by Cristian Roldan on Dairon Asprilla.

Nearing the end of the 93rd minute, the Timbers cleared the ball from their own 18-yard-box and found Asprilla in open space on the left side of the pitch. Desperate for an equalizer, the Sounders had thrown almost everyone forward, which in turnleft Asprilla and Fanendo Adi in a 2-on-2 situation with Nouhou and a retreating Roldan.

Rather than sprinting back aimlessly, Roldan defended with purpose, coming in goalside on an angle behind Asprilla.

When Asprilla finally receivedthe ball, his options were limited because of Roldans positioning. Asprilla turnedand facedbackward, attempting to hold up the ball in search of a teammate. He never gets the chance to find one.

Hanging on Asprillas right shoulder, Roldan reached his left leg around Asprilla and poked the ball away. Roldan then quickly led the Sounders back in the ascendancy and left an off-balanced Asprilla on the Providence Park turf.

What Roldans stalwart defending did was not only unbalance Asprilla, but the entire Portland team that had just begun pushing forward to clear its own end in anticipation ofan attack. Roldan recognizedthis and pickedout Osvaldo Alonso wide open in the center of the park.

The Timbers were scrambling at this point, but they were not totally undone until Dempsey set up his own attempt on goal with a simple off-the-ball run that very few players would have had the wherewithal to make.

Alonso hadthe ball and was looking for Dempsey to his right, but he was being trailed by Diego Chara with Ben Zemanski blocking Alonsos passing lane.

Rather than stay put or check back to Alonso, Dempsey saw a pocket of space behind Zemanski and to Zemanskisright. Dempsey ran toward it and by doing so, pulledChara out of position and forcedZemanski to lean in that direction, opening a giant passing lane for Alonso to find the late run ofTorres.

Another reason why Dempsey was able to able to rise and meet Torres cross without much resistance was becausehis run into the box was unimpeded. When the ball swungwide to Torres, Chara shifted his attentionand left Dempsey free to roam.

This left the two Timbers center backs with very little time to communicate on whose responsibility it was to guard Dempsey. By the time they figured it out, Dempsey was jumping over Amobi Okugo and redirecting Torres cross past a helpless Jake Gleeson in goal.

Dempseys finish was a fantastic one and is another example of why hes on the brink of becoming the United States all-time leading goalscorer, but it would not have happened without his subtle off-the-ball movement and a little help from the Swiss army knife that is Cristian Roldan. Goals dont happen in a vacuum. Singular moments of brilliance are always preceded by several small but vital plays, and the Sounders proved that yet again on Sunday.

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Anatomy of a Goal: How Cristian Roldan's defense, Clint Dempsey's movement led to equalizer against Portland - SoundersFC.com