2001 May 5

Seattle Sounders Select  3 - 2  Spokane Shadow
Memorial Stadium, Seattle, WA

Goals:
2' SPO - Thompson (Gledhill)
18' SEA - Sagare (Faridnia)
34' SEA - Raymond (Somoza)
62' SEA - Raymond (Hogenhout)
82' SPO - Prichard

Seattle: Brandon Sewell; Aaron Heinzen, Billy Sleeth, Mike Casale, Bob Schefter (Kevin Houck 65'); Abbas Faridnia (Evan McNeley 87'), Mark Hogenhout (David Ludwin 62'), Ben Somoza, James Vert; Jake Sagare, Chris Raymond.

Spokane: Michael McCarthy; Aaron Grubb (Charles Wells 82'), Matt Stueckle, Zach Scott, Kenny Krestian (Pete Peterson 90'); Matt Prichard, Erik Buskey (Trevor Tharp 70'), Troy Ready, Mike Thompson; James Gledhill, Dustin Allberry (Ian O'Niell 80').



Match report by Ron Stickney:
 
An impressive collection of young players gave the Seattle Sounders Select and new head coach Teddy Mitalas a 3-2 win over the Spokane Shadow to open the 2001 season. The match counted as both a PDL match and a US Open Cup qualifier.

Spokane's Mike Thompson scored in the 2nd minute for the early lead, but Seattle came back with a goal by Jake Sagare and a pair by Chris Raymond. Spokane's Matt Prichard scored from an 82nd minute free kick to keep the outcome in doubt until the final whistle.

Seattle started Abbas Faridnia, who played last season for the Shadow, and Aaron Heinzen, Bob Schefter and Sagare, who played last year for the Yakima Reds.

First Half

2' Thompson (Gledhill). On Spokane's first attack, James Gledhill sent a nice through ball for Mike Thompson on the right, who placed his 15-yard shot into the top near corner. 0-1 Spokane, and a wake-up call to the Seattle defense.

Seattle came right back with chances. Ben Somoza dummied a cross and gave Sagare a chance from 8 yards, but goalkeeper Michael McCarthy made the leg save. Raymond broke through for a 20-yard chance with only McCarthy to beat, but the keeper saved overhead.

For Spokane, Thomspon was again open on the right after an attacker in the middle drew two defenders, but this time Brandon Sewell was out of goal to make the save.

18' Sagare (Faridnia). Sagare got the ball on the left side from Mark Hogenhout, then worked a nice, long wall pass with Faridnia in the middle and Sagare was through, finishing with a low shot inside the far post. 1-1.

Midway in the half Spokane had a few chances. Kenny Krestian tried from 30 yards, but sent it right to Sewell. Thompson was fed by Gledhill for a 15-yard shot from the right, saved by Sewell. Troy Ready forced a save from 35.

Seattle's Somoza saw McCarthy off his line and tried a 40-yard diving shot that hit the top of the cross bar and went out. Then Somoza got around the defense on the left for a shot from a steep angle that was wide of the near post.

34' Raymond (Somoza). Somoza put Raymond through up the middle, and Raymond chipped past the onrushing McCarthy and scored from 15 yards. 2-1 Seattle.

From a distance, Hogenhout tried for the top far corner and missed by a yard.

For the Shadow, Thompson headed a long free kick on goal, caught by Sewell.

There were 26 fouls called in the first half, and for the last several minutes it seemed that you could almost dance to the whistling. Fortunately, the second half would see more civil behavior from the players.

Halftime: Seattle 2 - 1 Spokane

62' Raymond (Hogenhout). With his substitute about to enter, Hogenhout from his own half curled a long, cross-pitch pass over the defense for Raymond on the right, who held a couple of seconds inside the penalty area before getting free with a feint and scoring inside the near post. 3-1 Seattle.

Ready came right back for Spokane with a 25-yard rocket that was a yard wide of the far post.

For Seattle, Raymond got around the defense on the right to roll a diagonal drop in front of goal for Sagare. McCarthy collapsed to make a great save of Sagare's 10-yard shot.

Gledhill fought off a defender to win a through ball and tried for the lower left corner from 20, but Sewell made a great save to push the shot wide for a corner.

Somoza fed Raymond at the top left corner of the area, and Raymond got free for a 15-yard chance at a hat trick, but McCarthy did well to catch the blast over his left shoulder.

82' Prichard. Spokane got a prime free kick from the right end of the arc, and Prichard bent it perfectly around the wall and inside the far post. 3-2 Seattle.

Raymond got in close on the left for one last chance at a hat trick, only the keeper to beat, but the shot missed the far post from a tough angle.

A 90th-minute free kick for Spokane gave Prichard a chance for the late equalizer, but from 25 yards on the right he missed the goal by several yards.

Final: Seattle 3 - 2 Spokane

Statistics:
         Seattle  Spokane
Shots:      12       13
Saves:       7        5
Corners:     3        2
Fouls:      15       25
Offsides:    4        2

Misconduct:
15' SEA - Sleeth cautioned for throwing an elbow near the touch line.
39' SEA - Sewell cautioned for coming outside his area and knocking down an attacker.
44' SEA - Somoza cautioned for a foul near the touch line.
50' SPO - Buskey cautioned for clipping Faridnia in the heel just outside the penalty area.

Referee: Mike Fox
Attendance: 100