The Seattle Sounders jumped ahead with three first-half goals and cruised to a 3-1 victory over CONCACAF Champions League newcomer Caledonia AIA on Thursday night.
Sammy Ochoa, Fredy Montero and Andy Rose all tallied in a 24-minute stretch to give the American side a comfortable cushion by the interval.
Kareem Joseph converted a penalty for Caledonia after Jhon Kennedy Hurtado bundled Jamal Gay to the ground five minutes after halftime, but Seattle held out for the remainder of the match to secure the victory.
Seattle squandered several set-piece opportunities inside the first 15 minutes before Ochoa finally put the home side in front in the 19th minute. Alex Caskey collected a deep cross into the left wing corner and supplied a ball back into the penalty area. Rose corralled the service and sent it to Ochoa to slot home from close range.
Joseph nearly engineered an immediate response for the Trindad and Tobago side - managed by assistant Jerry Moe in the absence of manager Jamaal Shabazz - six minutes later and forced a reaction save from Sounders FC goalkeeper Andrew Weber, playing only his fourth game of the season.
Weber's stop preserved the advantage and set the stage for Montero to extend the lead in the 30th minute. Former TT Pro League standout Cordell Cato played a neat ball into the penalty area to start the move. Rose made a darting run from midfield to latch onto the pass before sliding the ball back toward the penalty spot. Montero arrived at the perfect time to glance his first-time effort inside the far post.
Rose grabbed a goal of his own two minutes before halftime. Osvaldo Alonso's feed slipped through several players to the unmarked Montero inside the penalty area. Caledonia goalkeeper Glenroy Samuel knocked away Montero's far post shot, but the rebound fell kindly for Rose to turn home.
Caledonia reduced the deficit five minutes into the second half after referee Stanley Lancaster ruled Jhon Kennedy Hurtado wrestled Jamal Gay to the ground as a corner kick sailed into the area.
The goal did little to spark Caledonia, or ruffle Seattle, as both sides exchanged only occasional chances before the final whistle.
Caledonia will hope to secure its first points in Champions League play in a home match against Honduras' Marathón on August 22, while the Sounders will look to duplicate their victory against Caledonia when they visit Manny Ramjohn Stadium eight days later.
Highlights: - Click Here
Teams
Caledonia AIA: - 33.Glenroy Samuel; 29.Radanfah Abu Bakr, 2.Aubrey David, 3.Nuru Muhammad, 15.Walter Moore, 12.Kareem Joseph, 10.Conrad Smith (8.Cornelius Stewart 58th), 7.Stephen David, 13.Trayon Bobb (6.Trevin Caesar 58th), 9.Keyon Edwards (Yellow 39), 23.Jamal Gay (28.Sheldon Holder 82nd).
Coach: - Jerry Moe (T&T).
Seattle Sounders: - 33.Andrew Weber; 8.Marc Burch, 31.Jeffrey Parke, 34.Jhon Hurtado, 3.Bradley Evans, 6.Osvaldo Alonso (23.Servando Carrasco 46th), 27.Alexander Caskey (12.Leonardo González 75th), 25.Andrew Rose, 26.Samuel Ochoa, 17.Fredy Montero (Yellow 56) (5.Adam Johansson 90th), 21.Cordell Cato.
Coach: - Siegfried Schmid (Germany).
Referee: - Stanley Lancaster (Guyana).
Venue: - CenturyLink FieldSeattle, Washington.
Standings
GP W T L GF GA GD Pts
Seattle Sounders 1 1 0 0 3 1 +2 3
Marathón 0 0 0 0 0 0 +0 0
Caledonia AIA 1 0 0 1 1 3 -2 0