Gspurning earns short-handed Sounders split of points

• by Soccer America , Oct 18, 2012

[MLS REWIND: Video] MLS play resumed on Wednesday when the Seattle Sounders and Real Salt Lake played to a 0-0 tie before 38,356 fans at CenturyLink Field. Austrian Michael Gspurning saved the day for the short-handed Sounders with three dramatic saves late in the game, the first two on shots by Tony Beltran and Chris Schuler from short range and the second on a shot by Sebastian Velasquez in stoppage time that deflected off the foot of Andy Rose, then off Gspurning's leg and finally off the post.

-- Seattle had defender Zach Scott sent off in the 30th minute.

-- RSL still leads the Sounders by three points in the battle for second place in the Western Conference, though Seattle has a game in hand and the edge on goals scored.

Velasquez shot:


Schuler shot:


Beltran shot:


WEEK 32:
Oct. 17 in Seattle
Seattle 0 Real Salt Lake 0.
Seattle -- Gspurning, Evans, Scott, Parke, Burch, Rosales (Caskey 80), Alonso,  Rose, Tiffert, Montero (Estrada 76), Ochoa (Seamon 40).
Real Salt Lake -- Rimando, Beltran, Olave (Schuler 46), Borchers, Wingert, Beckerman, Gil (Viana 82), Steele, Morales, Espindola, Bonfigli (Velasquez 71).
Red Card: Seattle -- Scott 30.
Referee: Ricardo Salazar
Att.: 38,356.
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Saturday, October 20
Toronto FC vs. Montreal, 1:30 pm
New York vs. Sporting KC, 7 pm
D.C. United vs. Columbus, 7:30 pm
New England vs. Chicago, 7:30 pm
Houston vs. Philadelphia, 7:30 pm NBCSN
Chivas USA vs. Colorado, 10:30 pm
Sunday, October 21
San Jose vs. LA Galaxy, 7 pm Galavision
Vancouver vs. Portland, 7 pm
Seattle vs. FC Dallas, 9 pm ESPN ESPN Deportes

STANDINGS:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
PTS TEAM W-L-T- +/-
59 *Sporting KC 17-7-8 40/26
56 *Chicago 17-10-5 45/39
54 D.C. United 18-10-6 49/40
53 New York 15-9-8 54/46
50 Houston 13-8-11 45/38
-----------------------------
49 Columbus 14-11-7 40/40
41 Montreal 12-15-5 45/50
36 Philadelphia 10-15-6 35/37
29 New England 7-17-8 37/44
22 Toronto FC 5-20-7 35/60

WESTERN CONFERENCE
PTS TEAM W-L-T- +/-
64 *San Jose 19-6-7 69/40
56 *Real Salt Lake 17-11-5 46/35
53 *Seattle 14-7-11 48/31
50 *Los Angeles 15-12-5 56/45
42 Vancouver 11-12-9 35/40
-----------------------------
38 FC Dallas 9-12-11 39/42
31 Colorado 9-19-4 40/50
30 Portland 7-16-9 32/55
29 Chivas USA 7-17-8 22/54
*Clinched playoff berth.

All times ET.

WEEK 33:
Wednesday, October 24
Sporting KC vs. Philadelphia, 8:30 pm
Saturday, October 27
Philadelphia vs. New York, 1:30 pm NBC
Montreal vs. New England, 2 pm
Chicago vs. D.C. United, 4 pm NBCSN
Portland vs. San Jose, 6:30 pm NBCSN
Colorado vs. Houston, 9 pm
Real Salt Lake vs. Vancouver, 9 pm
Sunday, October 28
Columbus vs. Toronto FC, 4 pm
FC Dallas vs. Chivas USA, 7 pm Galavision
LA Galaxy vs. Seattle, 9 pm ESPN ESPN Deportes