2002 Aug 17

Seattle Sounders  1 - 2  Minnesota Thunder
Memorial Stadium, Seattle, WA

Goals:
5' SEA - O'Brien
31' MIN - Torres
77' MIN - Morehead

Seattle: Preston Burpo; Zach Scott, Ryan Edwards, Scott Jenkins; Nate Daligcon (Darren Sawatzky 79'), Leighton O'Brien, Jason Farrell, Jason Boyce (Chad Brown 64'), Viet Nguyen; Kyle Smith, Brian Ching.

Minnesota: Jon Lowery; Chris Gores, Steve Schalk, Eric Otto, Donny Gramenz (Adam Frye 70'); Hugo Llamas, Matt Schmidt, Amos Magee (Mike Gentile 59'), Johnny Torres (Mark Schulte 79'); Orrett Prendergast (Marshall Morehead 77'), Johnny Menyongar (Jakob Fenger 88').

Match reports from the papers: Times, SCJ.

Match report by Ron Stickney:

The Minnesota Thunder managed to do what no team has done this year -- beat the Seattle Sounders in their house. Seattle went up early with a goal by Leighton O'Brien, but Minnesota answered in the first half with a goal by Johnny Torres, then won it with a second-half goal by substitute Marshall Morehead.

Out for Seattle were Andrew Gregor (yellow card suspension) and Dick McCormick (broken leg courtesy of El Paso's Eduardo Silva).

First Half

It was Seattle early. In the 2nd minute, Jason Boyce's cross from the left side was over the crowd to Viet Nguyen, who sent it on goal, and Kyle Smith deflected it over the end line for a goal kick. Smith created a corner kick, taken by O'Brien, and Brian Ching headed it on goal to force a diving save by Jon Lowery.

5' O'Brien. A poor clearance by Lowery went right to O'Brien 28 yards out, and he shot to the top right corner for a goal. 1-0 Seattle.

Orrett Prendergast took Minnesota's first shot in the 11th from 23 yards and sent it a yard over the top far corner.

Seattle had the advantage for the next 20 minutes. Ching put O'Brien through, but a weak shot from 15 yards was an easy save on the first bounce by Lowery. O'Brien's long service into the box was volleyed on goal by a sliding Smith, but Lowery anticipated well to make the save. Boyce got open wide left for a 15-yard shot, deflected to Lowery for another save.

31' Torres. A bad back pass from O'Brien was claimed by Torres as Scott Jenkins stabbed at the ball and missed. Torres was free with only Burpo to beat, and the low shot went by the charging Burpo and inside the far post. 1-1.

The last 15 minutes of the half produced naught but a couple of chances for the Thunder. Prendergast tried a quick shot from 30 yards, and Burpo had to dive right for the save and concede a corner kick. Prendergast took a 15-yard shot from the right after beating a couple of defenders, but the shot was sent well over the bar.

Halftime: Seattle 1 - 1 Minnesota

Smith was almost sprung cleanly from the halfway line, but he was a bit offside and was whistled for it, but he shot the ball into the net anyway.

For Minnesota, Menyongar from 25 yards sent a shot through a couple of players, and Burpo dove forward for the save. Torres sent a 30-yard free kick up the middle and on goal, but Burpo was there for the parry and grab.

In the 55th, a Seattle free kick taken by O'Brien was over the crowd and shot by Nguyen, just missing the far post by a half yard.  O'Brien recrossed the leftovers, but the defense cleared the ball. O'Brien had a promising free kick up the middle from 25 yards, but he hit the wall. In the 68th, O'Brien fed forward to Smith for a quick 25-yarder at the near post, and Lowery did well to dive for the save. Still Seattle in the 70th as Jason Farrell fed Daligcon for a 30-yard try up the middle that went two yards wide.

Minnesota challenged in the 71st when Menyongar tried from 35 yards, but Burpo was right there for the save.

77' Morehead. The Seattle defense failed to control a loose ball near their penalty area, and Morehead, who had just entered 3 minutes earlier, hit a quick 20-yard shot into the top right corner. 1-2 Minnesota.

The match produced just a single decent chance the rest of the way, when Seattle's Farrell crossed from the left touch line and Ching headed it, but well over.

Final: Seattle 1 - 2 Minnesota

Statistics:
        Seattle  Minnesota
Shots:     14       10
Saves:      4        7
Corners:    5        2
Fouls:     21       18
Offsides:   3        2

Misconduct:
56' SEA - Edwards cautioned for a trip that didn't seem to warrant a card.
57' MIN - Menyongar cautioned for a foul near the circle.
58' SEA - Jenkins cautioned for what he said after Menyongar's caution.
78' MIN - Torres cautioned for kicking Nguyen.
78' SEA - Nguyen cautioned for kicking Torres in retaliation.
90' SEA - Ching cautioned for bumping Lowery after he caught the ball.

Referees: David Simon; Nathan Lacy, Chris Castle; Mike Fox.
Attendance: 2,689