Alonso brace helps Sounders clinch CCL quarterfinal place

By JOSE M. ROMERO

The Seattle Sounders have gone unbeaten in Mexico and Central America in CONCACAF Champions League group play this year, and now they are into the quarterfinals of the tournament for the first time in the club's three-year MLS history. 

Seattle came from behind for a 2-2 draw with Comunicaciones on a rainy Tuesday evening in Guatemala City. Osvaldo Alonso brought the Sounders back from a pair of one-goal deficits, his second goal coming in the 89th minute.

The Sounders moved into sole possession of first place in Group D with 10 points from five matches and assured themselves of a place in the championship round, which will start with two legs of quarterfinals. Their CCL Group D finale is Oct. 18 against Monterrey at CenturyLink Field, and a win or draw gives the Sounders the group championship.

Comunicaciones scored first in the seventh minute thanks to miscommunication between Seattle's defenders. A ball came to the feet of Transito Montepeque onside, and he chipped a shot over Kasey Keller, who'd come out of the goal and was out of position to make a play on the shot. 

The Sounders came right back in the ninth minute with a shot from Fredy Montero that goalkeeper Juan Jose Paredes tipped over the cross bar.

Comunicaciones came dangerously close to a two-goal lead in the 19th minute. A corner kick was headed down in the box and Brayan Ordoñez tried a bicycle kick that bounced off the corner of the cross bar. 

The Sounders were fortunate again in the 28th minute, their first-half defense very suspect if not ineffective. Carlos Mejia ran right past Zach Scott for an open shot that went wide. 

Seattle managed to keep it at a one-goal lead, and then Alonso struck for his first goal. In the 44th minute, a throw-in came down in the box and was deflected out to Alonso. His shot glanced off a defender and into the net. 

Alonso found a TV camera and ran toward it, pulling out his shin guard to reveal the words "Happy Birthday," a wish from afar for his wife.

The Sounders became much more active in the second half. A shot by Michael Fucito in the 54th minute was slightly too high, and his next opportunity seven minutes later from the side was saved.

Keller was to blame for Comunicaciones' second goal. He punched a corner kick downward but not out, and Rafael Morales was there to clean up the loose ball and shoot it past Keller, who was out of the net.

After two golden opportunities for Montero in the 82nd and 84th minutes -- the latter off the cross bar -- Alonso was in the right place to score after three teammates got touches on the ball in front of the goal, the last one being a hustling Montero.