2005 Sep 6

Puerto Rico Islanders  2 - 0  Seattle Sounders
Ramon Luis Rivera Stadium, Bayamon, PR

Puerto Rico: Dan Kennedy; Alejandro Gonzales, Caleb Norkus, Dante Poli, Luis Zuleta; Noah Delgado, Jonathan Lopuski, Sebastian Rozental, Petter Villegas; Corey Woolfolk (Isaias Bardales 67'), Mauricio Salles (Drew McAthy 78'). Substitutes not used: Andres Gomez, Isaac Nieves.

Seattle: Preston Burpo; Taylor Graham, Billy Sleeth, Ryan Edwards (Jake Sagare 46'), Zach Scott (Scott Jenkins 78'); Kevin Sakuda, CJ Klaas, Andrew Gregor, Leighton O'Brien (James Ward 88'); Roger Levesque, Welton.

Goals:
20' PR - Salles (Villegas)
24' PR - Rozental (Woolfolk)


Match report from the Sounders:

The Seattle Sounders ended their longest road trip of the season with a 2-0 loss to the Puerto Rico Islanders Tuesday before 2,028 at Ramon Luis Rivera Stadium. The Sounders went 1-0-2 on the three game, six day road swing out east but the lone win in Atlanta on Sunday did clinch the team's berth in the United Soccer League's First Division playoffs.

The Sounders actually came out and played very well through the firsts 15 minutes of the match, keeping the ball on the Islanders side of the field most of that time only to come up empty on their early chances. Meanwhile, when they got the opportunity, Puerto Rico made the most of their first half scoring chances.

In the 20th minute Peter Villegas controlled the ball to the left of the goal. He cut inside at the top of the Sounder penalty area and laid the ball off to Mauricio Salles. From 22 yards away Salles found a seam in the Seattle defense and sent a low-flying laser off his right foot past a diving Preston Burpo and into the back of the net just inside the post. It was Salles' third goal against Seattle in two matches.

Four minutes later the Islanders, who are vying with three other teams for the last available playoff spot, struck again. This time Corey Woolfolk chipped the ball from 30 yards out over the Seattle defenders. Rozental was the first to the ball, getting control 15 yards from the Sounder goal and sending it up and over Burpo in the 24th minute.

Seattle got a break in the second half when Islander defender Alejandro Gonzalez was issued his second yellow card and thus an automatic red card ejection. From the 57th minute on the Sounders played with an extra man but were unable to take advantage of the good fortune as they were whistled for four offsides.

The shutout ended a streak of five straight matches in which Seattle have scored the first goal. The win keeps Puerto Rico's playoff hopes alive.

Statistics:
        Puerto Rico  Seattle
Shots:      10         6
Saves:       1         1
Corners:     4         4
Fouls:      13         7
Offsides:    5         3

Misconduct:
13' PR - Gonzalez cautioned
29' SEA - Sakuda cautioned
57' PR - Gonzalez cautioned and sent off for his second caution
63' SEA - Sagare cautioned
76' PR - Poli cautioned

Referees: Merri T. Guthrie; Jimmir Tosado, Benjamin Rivera; Steve Kara

Attendance: 2,028