The Seattle Sounders stole a dramatic road point against the Portland Timbers last Sunday in what was their arguably their best effort of the season. Down a man and a goal for the entire second half, substitute Clint Dempsey headed home an equalizer in the 94th minute to stun Providence Park.
The entire sequence, though — Roman Torres’ pinpoint cross to Dempsey, Dempsey’s towering header and the unlikeliest of goals — did not matriculate from nothing. What led to the Sounders’ game-tying tally was a seemingly inconspicuous defensive play by Cristian Roldan on Dairon Asprilla.