Seattle Sounders News Release - www.seattlesounders.net

 

Friday, June 2, 2006

 

SEATTLE, WA -- Friday night would bare witness to a hardcore back and forth battle between two rival northwest soccer clubs.  And despite a plethora of opportunities for both teams, 29 total shots, the Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers played to an exciting 0-0 draw.

 
The Sounders offense wasted no time to assault the Timber's goal.  The home town attackers were led by Weaver, Levesque, and Gregor who each had 3 first half shots. 

 
Gregor would arguably create the best chance for the Sounders in minute number one.  The ball was cleared to Gregor's right foot at the top of the Timber's eighteen.  Gregor took a quick look to see Timber's goalie Josh Saunders way off of his line.  Gregor then proceeded to send a crafty fader off the crossbar that had a lucky Saunders reeling backward with little hope to make the save.

 
In the 35th minute Saunders would redeem his earlier poor positioning when he came off his line to stop Roger Levesque's one-on-one.  Roger broke free of the defense just past half and sped toward the Timber's goal.  Saunders hit the deck at the edge of the eighteen and picked the ball directly from Roger's foot, before Roger could even attempt a shot on goal. 

 
Saunders's Sounder counter part, Chris Eylander, would make equally impressive saves all game on the dangerous Timber offense.  Eylander robbed many Timber goal scorers but no save was more notable than his stop on former MLS player and current Timber star Midfielder Luke Kreamalmeyer. 

 
The play developed off a short Portland corner.  The ball was rolled back to Kreamalmeyer who looked up and sent a bender weaving through heavy traffic toward the back post.  Amazingly, Eylander saw the shot and calmly back-pedaled to punch the bending ball just wide of the back post, this save left Kremalymeyer frustrated and goalless with his head in his hands.

 
Eylander would solidify his place as the man of the match in the 90th minute.  Timber substitute Oral Bullen drove the sideline and cut back a low cross toward the oncoming Tom Poltl to create the goal scoring chance.  Poltl made a connection with the swift cross forcing Elylander to lay-out and make an uncanny kick save to stop the ball from entering the net.  With this final save Eylander secured his 3rd consecutive clean sheet. 

 
The Sounders travel to Portland tomorrow June 3, to settle a home and home series with their bitter northwest rival the Timbers.  Hopefully, the Sounders can snatch a road a win tomorrow to help kick off a 7 game road trip on a positive note.  The next Sounder home game is June 28 at Qwest field, against the Puerto Rico Islanders.