Crazy 8: Sounders winless streak grows on stoppage time heartbreaker

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - An Eddie Johnson brace fueled Sounders FC (7-5-5, 26 points) in a 2-2 draw with New England Revolution (5-7-4, 19 points) Saturday night at Gillette Stadium. Diego Fagundez netted the equalizer for New England just moments before the final whistle.

In the fourth minute of second half stoppage time, Fernando Cardenas crossed from the left side into a crowded box, and Fagundez found some space and headed the ball inside the far post.

The first of Johnson’s goals came in the 23rd minute when Mauro Rosales took possession outside the box and chipped in a short cross. Johnson charged in, rose above the defense, and pounded a header into the back of the net to tie the game 1-1.

It was the fourth assist of the season for Rosales, tied for the team-lead.

The 28-year-old American completed his brace in the 36th minute on a cross from Marc Burch. The left back sent a lofting ball from the corner and Johnson rose above charging goalkeeper Matt Reis to head it in.

It marks the first multi-goal game of the season for Johnson, who has now scored in three of the past four matches and leads the team with seven goals in 2012.

New England got on the board first in the 12th minute when Blake Brettschneider got into the box on the right side and slipped a pass behind the defense to Saer Sene, who tapped in his eighth goal of the season.

So close: Seattle’s Sounders drew 2:2 at New Engand on Saturday night after forward Eddie Johnson scored twice and the Revolution got a 94th minute equalizer. (Sounders Facebook)

Goalkeeper Bryan Meredith came on for starter Andrew Weber at halftime after the latter suffered a groin injury. Two minutes into the second half, Meredith made a diving save at the near post on a hard shot from Lee Nguyen.

Right back Adam Johansson made his first start since suffering a strained right hamstring on May 23 against Columbus.

Seattle almost picked up a third goal in the 69th minute when Johnson dribbled all the way down to the end line and sent a cross to a streaking Alonso, whose powerful header barely missed wide.

Sounders FC return to action Wednesday night in a road match against Real Salt Lake. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. PT at Rio Tinto Stadium.

Scoring Summary:

NE – Saer Sene (Blake Brettschneider) 12′

SEA – Eddie Johnson (Mauro Rosales) 23′

SEA – Eddie Johnson (Marc Burch) 36′

NE – Diego Fagundez (Fernando Cardenas) 90+4′

Seattle Sounders FC:
Andrew Weber (Bryan Meredith 46), Adam Johansson, Zach Scott, Patrick Ianni, Marc Burch, Brad Evans (Alvaro Fernandez 56), Osvaldo Alonso, Andy Rose, Alex Caskey (Leo Gonzalez 80), Mauro Rosales, Eddie Johnson.

Substitutes Not Used:
Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Roger Levesque, Sammy Ochoa, Cordell Cato.

TOTAL SHOTS: 10 (Johnson 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (Johnson 2); FOULS: 20 (Rosales 5); OFFSIDE: 5 (Johnson 4); CORNER KICKS: 2 (Rosales 2); SAVES: 2 (Meredith, Weber 1).

New England Revolution:
Matt Reis, Florian Lechner (Diego Fagundez 81), A.J. Soares, Stephen McCarthy, Chris Tierney, Shalrie Joseph, Clyde Simms (Kelyn Rowe 70), Saer Sene, Lee Nguyen, Blake Brettschneider (Fernando Cardenas 71).

Substitutes Not Used:
Bobby Shuttleworth, Ryan Guy, Sainey Nyassi, Darrius Barnes.

TOTAL SHOTS: 14 (Sene 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Four players, 1); FOULS: 8 (Soares 2); OFFSIDE: 1 (Brettschneider 1); CORNER KICKS: 4 (Tierney 3); SAVES: 1 (Reis 1).

Misconduct Summary:

SEA – Andy Rose (caution) 18′

SEA – Osvaldo Alonso (caution) 50′

SEA – Leo Gonzalez (caution) 90′

Referee:
Edvin Jurisevic

Referee’s Assistants:
Anthony Vasoli, James Conlee

4th Official:
Jose Carlos Rivero

Attendance:
15,264

Time of Game:
1:55

Weather:
Clear and 81 degrees

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