Ruidíaz, Shipp help Sounders beat Atlanta United 2-1
SEATTLE (AP) — Raúl Ruidíaz and Harry Shipp scored to help the Seattle Sounders beat Atlanta United 2-1 on Sunday.
Shipp bounced a header into the net to break a 1-1 tie in the 71st minute. Jordan Morris stole a pass from Leandro González Pirez in the attacking half and tapped it to Nicolás Lodeiro, whose though pass led Morris toward the end line. Morris chipped a first-timer to Shipp for the finish from the corner of the 6-yard box .
Ruidíaz chest-trapped a pass from Cristian Roldan, beat one defender and lobbed it over another before finishing with a volley from the center of the area to make open the scoring in the 58th minute.
Josef Martínez headed home a corner kick from Gonzalo Martínez to tie it in the 65th. Josef Martínez has eight goals in his last five starts and 13 overall. Atlanta (9-8-3) is winless in its last three games.
Seattle (10-5-5) is unbeaten at home this season and has won three of its last four overall. Over the past five seasons, the Sounders rank first in MLS in points at home with 187 and their 58 wins are tied with the New York Red Bulls for most in the league.
The Sounders mostly controlled the action, finishing with 56.7% possession and outshooting Atlanta 18-12, including 6-2 in shots on goal, but came away empty-handed on several chances. Ruidíaz pushed a side-footer just outside the post in the opening minutes, goalkeeper Brad Guzan turned away a shot by Roldan from point-blank range in the 29th minute and defender Miles Robinson made a sliding block of what appeared to be a 1-on-1 opportunity for Shipp after a through pass by Lodeiro in the 32nd. Ruidíaz bounced a header off the outside of the near post in the 66th.
Former Seattle Mariner Edgar Martinez, a seven-time All-Star who will be inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame on July 21, led the Sounders in Scarves Up prior to kickoff.
