Dempsey ties Sounders' scoring record in draw with Fire
Clint Dempsey tied a franchise record while scoring his first goal of the season as the Seattle Sounders rallied for a 1-1 tie Saturday night with the visiting Chicago Fire at CenturyLink Field.
Aleksandar Katai scored for the Fire (5-7-5), which extended their unbeaten streak to four straight matches.
Goalkeepers Richard Sanchez of Chicago and Stefan Frei of Seattle each made six saves to keep the score level.
The Sounders (3-8-3) tied the score at 1-1 in the 22nd minute as Dempsey tallied off assists from Will Bruin and Harry Shipp.
Shipp slotted a pass through to Bruin at the top right of the 6-yard box. Bruin slid a cross under Sanchez and found a sliding Dempsey between three defenders near the goal line, and he deflected it in with his left foot.
It was Dempsey's 47th regular-season goal with the Sounders, tying Fredy Montero (2009-12) for the club record.
Katai opened the scoring in the ninth minute.
Katai took a nifty back-heel pass from Brandt Bronico and moved toward the center of the field, where he unleashed a low, 25-yard shot just inside the right post. Frei made a diving attempt, but he could only get his fingertips on the ball and was unable to deflect it wide.
It was the sixth goal of the season for Katai, tying Nemanja Nikolic, the reigning MLS Golden Boot Award winner, for the team lead.
Both teams had solid chances in the second half.
The Sounders' Victor Rodriguez, making just his third start of the season after returning from arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, nearly scored his first goal in the 60th minute, as his 18-yard shot just missed the upper right corner of the net.
Katai had a goal waved off because of an offside call in the 65th minute and put one off the crossbar in the 75th.
Nikolic got behind the defense off a pass from Bronico in the 80th minute, but Frei charged off his line to cut down the angle and snuff out the shot from the top of the 18-yard box.
Chicago's Jorge Corrales hit a shot that was headed for the bottom left corner of the net in the 89th minute, but Frei made a diving save.
The Sounders were without defender Roman Torres (Panama) and midfielder Gustav Svensson (Sweden), who are playing in the World Cup in Russia.
--Field Level Media
