2005 Apr 25

Preseason friendly:
Seattle Sounders  1 - 4  USA U-20 National Team
Husky Soccer Field, Seattle, WA

Seattle: James Ward (Jacob Banas 46'); Scott Jenkins, Zach Scott, Billy Sleeth (Jacob Besagno 74'); Kevin Sakuda (Brett Wiesner 70'), CJ Klaas, Andrew Gregor (Ben Somoza 17'), Franklin Chacon (Chad Brown 46'), Gabe Sturm; Brent Whitfield, Welton (Josh Hansen 63').

U-20: Andrew Kartunen (Justin Hughes 46'); Hunter Freeman, Marvell Wynne (Brad Evans 59'), Robby Rogers (Benny Feilhaber 11'), Tim Ward; Patrick Ianni, Danny Szetela, Will John; Michael Bradley, Arturo Alvarez (Robbie Rogers 66'), Chad Barrett (Arturo Alvarez 83').

Goals:
28' SEA - Whitfield (Welton)
32' U-20 - Feilhaber (Barrett)
51' U-20 - John (Barrett)
66' U-20 - Szetela (Barrett)
84' U-20 - Ward

Additional match reports: Sounders, US Soccer, Seattle Times, Seattle P-I.

Match report by Ron Stickney:

The Seattle Sounders scored first against the USA U-20 National Team, but the U-20s quickly replied to level the score in the first half. The U-20s exposed a porous Sounders defense in the second half, running away with the match 4-1.

The Sounders started two players with recent U-20 experience. CJ Klaas was a recent captain of the USA U-20 team. Franklin Chacon has competed against the USA U-20s as a current member of the Costa Rica U-20 National Team.

First Half

After Scott Jenkins cleared a couple of dangerous balls from the Seattle penalty area, Sounders forward Welton earned the first shot of the match, sending an 18-yarder over the bar.

In the 7th minute, Chad Barrett stole the ball from Zach Scott in the circle and served Will John 8 yards from goal on the left, and James Ward did well to collapse on John's near-post shot.

In the 9th, Welton beat Robby Rogers to a ball over the defense and fought off the challenge from Rogers who was a half step behind. Rogers went down and Welton was alone but had a sharp angle for his shot, which missed the far post by a half yard. Rogers was down for a few minutes, then limped off with help to be replaced by Benny Feilhaber.

In the 14th it was Sounders midfielder Andrew Gregor who limped off injured and was replaced by Ben Somoza. Gregor reportedly suffered a broken foot.

28' Whitfield (Welton). The Sounders opened the scoring with a goal from rookie Brent Whitfield. A long air ball up the middle was flicked on by Welton's head and it glanced off the defender on Welton's back. The nearest defender seemed content to let the ball roll to his goalkeeper, but Whitfield darted around the defender to get to the ball before 'keeper Andrew Kartunen could. Whitfield made a nice feint at the ball, then put a low shot by Kartunen. 1-0 Seattle.

Two minutes later Danny Szetela stole the ball and just missed the top far corner with a blast from 25 yards.

32' Feilhaber (Barrett). While falling, Barrett sent a pass to Feilhaber, open in the midfield. Feilhaber fired a rocket from 25 yards that went past an outstretched Ward and inside the far post. 1-1.

Two minutes later the U-20s nearly scored again. John got open in close on the right for a shot that rebounded off the inside of the near post and went to Barrett, unmarked 6 yards out from the far post. Barrett's shot at the middle of a wide open net didn't make it to the net, as Ward recovered in time to chest the ball up and out for a corner kick.

A minute into added time goalkeeper Ward gave Sounders fans a scare when he slipped and fell trying to clear Jenkins' routine back pass, and only the inside of the post kept the ball from rolling into goal.

Halftime: Seattle 1-1 U-20

In the second half the U-20s dominated play, holding the Sounders to three shots and netting three times.

51' John (Barrett). Barrett advanced up the right side, worked his way towards the middle, and chipped a nice pass over the defense that found John making a well-timed break. John took the ball a step ahead of his marker, drew second half 'keeper Jacob Banas out, went left to round Banas, and finished into the open net. 2-1 U-20.

The Sounders nearly answered two minutes later when CJ Klaas' free kick gave Jenkins a shot on goal, but second half 'keeper Justin Hughes dove to block the shot, then gathered the loose ball in near the goal line.

66' Szetela (Barrett). A Sounders defensive mistake gave Barrett the ball alone on the right. Banas came out to the edge of the area and nearly got the ball, but Barrett got the lucky bounce and reclaimed possession, then held the ball, then crossed for the onrushing Szetela to finish from two yards. 3-1 U-20.

After Josh Hansen replaced Welton in the 63rd and Brett Wiesner entered for Kevin Sakuda in the 70th, the Sounders had three rookie forwards in the match to seek a comeback. If any of them had scored it would have improved their chances for playing time early in the league campaign, but none of them would score. Wiesner had a couple of chances in the 76th, sending a shot across the goal mouth from steep on the right and missing over the bar from 20.

84' Ward. Tim Ward finished the scoring when he got the ball open on the left from Feilhaber and chased his long touch into the corner of the penalty area. Gabe Sturm beat Ward to the ball and got between Ward and the ball, but failed to send it. Ward clipped Sturm in the heel from behind and down went Sturm, but no whistle was heard and Ward was now alone for the shot, curled around Banas and inside the far post.

Final: Seattle 1-4 U-20

Statistics:
          Seattle   U-20
Shots:       7       23
Saves:       6        2
Corners:     3        5
Fouls:      10       17
Offsides:    3        5

Misconduct:
24' U-20 - Wynne cautioned for a reckless foul
26' SEA - Scott cautioned for something off the ball
41' U-20 - Alvarez cautioned for holding Sturm

Referees: Yader Reyes; Shahram Pourazari, Baboucarr Jallow; Jeff Hosking.

Attendance:
2,112