After matchup with MLS team, Reds draw lessons

It helped.

That is the main lesson the Reds are drawing from their scrimmage against Major League Soccer sophomores Seattle Sounders FC reserves on Mother’s Day.

The final score, 4×1 for the MLS team was a minor footnote for what the team and the staff saw as all the positives gleaned from a morning of ‘futbol’ against the big boys.

First on the to-do list was to treat the scrimmage as if it were a real match.

Second on the list was to go out there and play to win, not just save face. Completely forbidden from the visitors’ locker room was the idea of camping out in front of the Yakima goal to avoid an embarrassment.

“We wanted to make sure we would put a good performance and play the beautiful game of soccer,” Yakima head coach Alex Silva said, “and not just defend.”

Seattle opened the scoring in the 15th minute, via a Sanna Nyassi goal. Abdulwali Aman tied it for the Reds five minutes later, assisted by Al Valencia.

Roger Levesque scored for Seattle in the 25th minute of the first half and again in the 25th and 29th of the second half.

The scrimmage lasted 30 minutes per half.

“Players got to see what it takes to play in the next level,” Silva wrote. “And it helped me prepare the team for our next match.”

The next game is this Saturday at 7 p.m. in Yakima, against Canada’s Victoria Highlanders and will be broadcast live on vinmedia.us.

Silva said the team played the Sounders as equals, not just sitting back and letting the hosts dictate.

“We had some good shots on goal, we had a good performance,” Silva said. “It was a really good experience for this young group.”