2002 Jul 4

Minnesota Thunder  0 - 3  Seattle Sounders
National Sports Center, Blaine, MN

Goals:
17' SEA - O'Brien (Sawatzky)
44' SEA - Schulte own goal
77' SEA - Ching

Minnesota: Jon Lowery; Chris Gores, Mark Schulte, Adam Eyre, Don Gramenz; Matt Schmidt, Mike Gentile, Amos Magee; John Menyongar, Jakob Fenger (Orrett Prendergast 75'), Johnny Torres.

Seattle: Preston Burpo; Kieran Barton, Zach Scott, Ryan Edwards, Scott Jenkins; Chad Brown, Leighton O'Brien, Andrew Gregor, Viet Nguyen (Greg Foisie 79'); Darren Sawatzky, Brian Ching.

Match report from the Thunder. Match report from Thunder fan Aaron Propes.

Match report from the Sounders:

The Seattle Sounders Professional Soccer Club wrapped up their three-game road trip with a 3-0 Fourth of July victory over the Minnesota Thunder. The win improves the Sounders record to 13-2-0.

The fireworks started in the first half for the Sounders courtesy of Leighton O'Brien. O'Brien received a Darren Sawatzky pass in the 17th minute and rocketed a 25-yard blast past Thunder keeper Jon Lowery.

Minnesota dominated possession early in the half and an offensive barrage in the 26th minute was met by some luck and a great save by Sounder keeper Preston Burpo. Thunder forward Johnny Torres headed a ball off the crossbar and his linemate Johnny Menyongar picked up the loose ball. A diving Burpo met Menyongar's bicycle shot, taken from 12-yards out.

The Sounders got their second goal of the night thanks to an own goal by Thunder defender Mark Schulte. Viet Nguyen zipped down the right side of the field and hit a low cross toward Sawatzky at the far post. The ball bounced through one set of Thunder legs and onto the foot of a surprised Schulte, who inadvertently knocked the ball into his own net.

The second half featured more Thunder pressure and more Sounders defense. Kieran Barton and Burpo made numerous great plays to keep the Thunder off the board.

A sloppy defensive play by Adam Eyre led to the Sounders third goal. Brian Ching took a bad Eyre touch in on Lowery. With a Thunder defender draped on his back, Ching calmly beat Lowery, netting his 7th goal of the year in the 77th minute.

Torres supplied the Thunder's best offensive threat in the second half. His 22-yard direct kick in the 88th minute bounced off the crossbar.

The game turned chippy in the last ten minutes with Chad Brown and Menyongar both receiving red card ejections in the 90th minute.

Statistics:
        Minnesota  Seattle
Shots:     15         7
Saves:      0         5
Corners:    7         1
Fouls:     12        15
Offsides:   6         4

Misconduct:
9' SEA - Brown cautioned.
70' SEA - Jenkins cautioned.
74' MIN - Menyongar cautioned.
90' SEA - Gregor cautioned.
90' SEA - Brown sent off.
90' MIN - Menyongar sent off.

Referees: Elias Bazakos; Jeff Filipek, Jeremy Schroeder; Paula Hildman.
Attendance: 4,481