Finlay sparks Austin to 2-1 victory over Seattle Sounders

SEATTLE (AP) — Ethan Finlay had a goal and an assist and Austin FC handed the Western Conference-leading Seattle Sounders their second straight loss at home with a 2-1 victory on Wednesday night.

Stats from the match

The placement from @EthanFinlay13! 👌
pic.twitter.com/baLoRmB3qy

— Austin FC (@AustinFC) May 18, 2023

Finlay took passes from Adam Lundkvist and Emiliano Rigoni and scored in the 36th minute. Finlay’s first goal of the season gave Austin (3-5-4) a 1-0 lead at halftime.

Gyasi Zardes stretched the lead to 2-0 with a goal in the 57th minute off assists from Finlay and Jon Gallagher.

Fredy Montero pulled the Sounders (7-4-3) within a goal when he scored in the 79th minute. Héber and Jordan Morris picked up assists on Montero’s first netter of the season.

Brad Stuver finished with three saves to help Austin beat Seattle for the first time after going 0-2-2 in the previous four match-ups. Stefan Frei had two saves for the Seattle Sounders.

The San Jose Earthquakes are now the only team Austin has played at least four times without a victory.

Austin entered the match with an 0-4-4 record in its last eight matches, tying a club-record winless streak. Austin was shut out in five of its previous eight matches.

Seattle tied a club record set in 2015 with seven shutouts through its first 12 matches, but the Sounders have surrendered four goals in their last two home matches after a 2-1 loss at the hands of Sporting KC last week.

Seattle leads second-place and defending-champion Los Angeles FC by a point in the Western Conference standings after LAFC managed only a 1-1 tie at home against Sporting KC.

Seattle travels to play the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday. Austin returns home to host Toronto FC on Saturday.

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