MLS Soccer

Sounders clinch playoff spot with 3-1 win against Real Salt Lake

By Mark Moschetti

The Associated Press
Seattle's Andreas Ivanschitz (23) hugs Clint Dempsey (2) after Dempsey scored a goal during the Sounder's regular-season finale as they play Real Salt Lake to decide if they will enter the playoffs, at CenturyLink Field, Oct. 25, 2015, in Seattle, Wash. The Sounders won, 3-1.
Seattle's Andreas Ivanschitz (23) hugs Clint Dempsey (2) after Dempsey scored a goal during the Sounder's regular-season finale as they play Real Salt Lake to decide if they will enter the playoffs, at CenturyLink Field, Oct. 25, 2015, in Seattle, Wash. The Sounders won, 3-1. Sy Bean Seattle Times
SEATTLE

Clint Dempsey scored two goals and assisted on another, all in the first 20 minutes of the game, as the Seattle Sounders beat Real Salt Lake, 3-1, to wrap up an MLS playoff berth Sunday.

The Sounders (15-13-6, 51 points) ended the regular season on an eight-game unbeaten streak (4-0-4). They have made the playoffs in all seven years of their existence.

With Sunday’s other results, the Sounders are the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference. They will play host to No. 5 seed and defending MLS Cup champion Los Angeles in a knockout game on Wednesday.

Dempsey put the Sounders on the board in the fifth minute when he met a cross from Obafemi Martins at the top right corner of the 6-yard box and sent it into the net while falling to the turf. It was his ninth goal of the year.

Marco Pappa scored in the 10th minute off of a cross from Dempsey. In the 20th Dempsey made it 3-0 when he buried the rebound of a hard shot by Martins. Luis Gill scored in the 77th minute for Salt Lake (11-15-8, 41 points), which missed the playoffs after seven consecutive appearances.

This story was originally published October 25, 2015 at 8:36 PM with the headline "Sounders clinch playoff spot with 3-1 win against Real Salt Lake."

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