Nicolas Lodeiro’s sixth minute shot was closer to being a goal than you think it was
Nick Rimando is amazing and so is science.
In the sixth minute Nicolas Lodeiro nearly opened the scoring for the Seattle Sounders in Saturday’s match against Real Salt Lake. He had a free kick from a horrible angle about 12 yards from the endline and wide of the 18. Like any confident goalscorer he shot at the near post side of the wall, forcing a brilliant save by Nick Rimando.
Very good opportunity here for Seattle but Rimando does JUST enough to keep it out pic.twitter.com/TyMVnI1S5Z
— Total MLS (@TotalMLS) May 20, 2017
At Friday’s match, the Seattle Sounders’ point of emphasis was to get an early goal. Their grinding possession game can stifle teams, but often only when Seattle has a lead. Unfortunately, Rimando rendered that strategy mostly useless.
Maybe as impressive as Rimando’s save was that Kevin Stott got the call right—by an inch-and-a-half.
@LyleLowery @sounderatheart I can probably do better, but first attempt shows no-goal by about 1.5" #SEAvRSL pic.twitter.com/bqEY635HKe
— SoccerPhotogrammetry (@OffsideModeling) May 21, 2017
Yes, the Sounders were less than two inches from cruising to victory.
Instead they needed to battle their way to a 1-nil win.