Sounders FC rolled to a 5-2 win over Atlante FC on Wednesday in Cancun, Mexico.
However, the win seemed too easy for coach Sigi Schmid, who was unhappy with the host club because it made a late change of venue and fielded a low-quality lineup.
“We’re disappointed because the agreement or understanding between ourselves and Atlante was one thing, and today everything sort of changed: from the field to who we were playing …,” Schmid said in a Sounders release. “We’re just disappointed that the opposition and the circumstances were not as we understood them.”
The game was switched from a Mexican Primera Division stadium to Atlante’s training field, and the club fielded players who weren’t even identified on the Sounders’ press account of the game.
“With everything, our philosophy as a club has been, ‘OK, it is what it is, and now we’re going to make the best of the situation ... get our fitness in, play soccer,’ ” Schmid said. “I thought we did a good job. It’s just tough when you know you’re better than the opposition. You lose that little bit of … concentration sometimes.”
Fredy Montero scored twice for Seattle, and other goals came from David Estrada, Christian Sivebaek and Leo Gonzalez.
Schmid praised the goal-scorers along with defender Adam Johansson and forward Sammy Ochoa, who came on in the 74th minute.
Seattle moved its preseason record to 4-0-2. The Sounders have scored in every game and have scored multiple goals in the last four.
The team is scheduled to return to the Northwest tonight. Its next game is the free Community Shield match at 7 p.m. Wednesday when Jaguares of Mexico visits CenturyLink Field.
U23 PITCH UNSETTLED
Sounders FC U23s hasn’t settled on a venue for the coming season after all.
The Premier Development League schedule released this week showed Curtis High School as the site for club’s home games. However, owner Lane Smith clarified that the league needed a site to be listed before the schedule was released. The former Tacoma Tide’s longtime home was used as a placeholder. Smith said the club is considering other possible home pitches in Pierce County.
Don Ruiz, 253-597-8808 don.ruiz@thenewstribune.com
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