Seattle Sounders News Release - www.seattlesounders.net

 

Saturday, May 20, 2006

 

SEATTLE, WA -- The Seattle Sounders met the winless Toronto Lynx on Saturday, May 20th in front of 3,051 fans at Qwest Field. New Sounder Forward Jamal Sutton helped the Sounders secure a 2-0 victory for their first win of the season. An insurance goal in the 70th minute by Forward Craig Tomlinson handed the Lynx their fourth consecutive 2-0 loss of the season.

 
On Saturday night the Seattle Sounders got their offense firing early for the first time this season. Sounder Forward Jamal Sutton found the back of the net in the 3rd minute when the ball fortuitously fell to his feet inside the eighteen.  After a quick turn to his left, Sutton slotted the ball into the goal with a crisp confidence.  The finish was vital for the Sounders and also Jamal's first Sounder goal.

 
After the quick start the Sounder's enjoyed the majority of the first half possession.  This possession allowed for the Sounder offence to maintain a constant pressure on the Toronto defense.   

 
Sutton would have three more of the Sounder's eight first half shots.  In the 12th minute, Sutton broke free of the Toronto defense and appeared to be in one-on-one with the Lynx keeper.  However, a Toronto defender caught Sutton and grabbed his jersey just before he shot.  The grab sent Sutton to the ground and Sounder's fans out of their seats looking for a penalty that would not be awarded. 

 
Despite a number of opportunities in the first half, the Sounders would not find their next goal until the second half. 

Both teams began the second half making a few line-up changes.  Sounder's super sub Cam Weaver entered the game in the 55th minute, and created a great scoring chance with his head yet again.  In the 70th minute Cam nodded a corner down to Levesque, and Roger's subsequent connection with the ball was saved off the line.  Levesque was robbed by Toronto substitute Gordon Chin, who luckily found himself in the path of Roger's point blank shot.

 
Toronto would not have a man on the line to deny Seattle substitute Craig Tomlinson in the 79th minute.  The play developed when Cam Weaver flicked a Roger Levesque cross to the back post, leaving a practically empty net for Sounder forward Tomlinson to smash home his first goal in almost two years. Tomlinson's last goal was on August 22, 2002 at home against the Puerto Rico Islanders. The insurance goal came as a relief to the Sounder side, solidifying the club its first victory of the season.

Sounder rookie keeper Chris Eylander recorded his first professional victory and shutout against the Lynx.

Next weekend the Sounder's play a home and away series with northwest rival Vancouver. The Vancouver White Caps currently stand in second place and travel to Qwest field Saturday, May 27 to play a Sounders team they will meet in Vancouver the night before on May 26.