Seattle edges 'Caps 1-0
Saturday, May 27, 2006
SEATTLE, WA -- In the tail end of a home and home series, the Seattle Sounders knocked off the undefeated Vancouver Whitecaps 1-0 at Qwest Field, leaving Rochester as the lone unbeaten and ending a six-game streak of draws between the two clubs.
An Andrew Gregor penalty kick in the 43rd minute captured the Sounders second win of the season. The Sounders’ rookie goalkeeper Chris Eylander recorded his second win and shutout in consecutive matches helping Seattle improve their record to 2-2-2, 8 points.
The first half of play was a defensive battle filled with multiple opportunities for both teams. Sounder Forward Jamal Sutton pressured the Whitecap defense with three shots. Sutton sailed a shot just over the crossbar in the 18th minute of play.
Sounder Forward Cam Weaver was tripped up by Vancouver keeper Tony Caig in the penalty box awarding the Sounders a penalty kick in the 43rd minute. Weaver took the ball diagonally across the box when Caig came off his line to challenge. Caig tripped up Weaver sending him to the turf. Sounder Midfielder Andrew Gregor nailed the penalty kick in the far left corner.
Vancouver pressured the Sounder defense, with four shots in the first half to the Sounders eight. Sounder GK Chris Eylander held strong in the back. In the 20th minute, Sounder Defender Ben Somoza was injured playing the ball back to a teammate. A closer look shows Somoza sprained his left ankle, x-rays will be taken early next week. Seyi Abolaji replaced Somoza in the lineup.
The battle continued in the second half with both teams applying strong offensive pressure. The Sounders had several key opportunities to put some distance on the Whitecaps. In the 55th minute, Sutton took the ball down the right side, sending it back to the top of the box where Weaver’s connection just missing the right corner of the goal.
Sounder Midfielder Andrew Gregor sent a free kick into the box in the 58th minute. Playing midfield, Roger Levesque got his head on the ball just missing the near post. Minutes later CJ Klaas sent a 30-yard blast that barely missing the right “upper-v.”
The Sounders dominated the match in the box tallying 19 shots to Vancouver’s nine. Forward Craig Tomlinson and Roger Levesque played strong offensively. Goalkeeper Chris Eylander shutout Vancouver, recording a win and shutout in each of his last two matches.
For the first time in four matches, Weaver was held without a point. He has scored four goals and one assist in the previous five matches.
The Sounders 1-0 victory is the first shutout win over Vancouver for the Sounders since May of 2002. The win evens Seattle’s record to 2-2-2, 8pts.
The Sounders face another home and home series next weekend when they face I-5 South rival, the Portland Timbers. The Sounders host Portland on Friday, June 2nd at Qwest Field. Kick off is scheduled for 7pm.
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