2006 Apr 2

Preseason match:
Seattle Sounders  4 - 0  Dashen
Starfire Sports Complex, Tukwila, WA

Seattle: Nolan Hanson, Pat Doran, Cam Weaver, Zach Peoples, Ryan Purtell, Tyler Renaghan (Aaron Heinzen 45'), Ryan Valdez (Alex Woods 65'), Santa Maria Rivera (Geoffrey Poole 65'), Josh Hansen (Elliot Fauske 45'), Ebu Cham (Craig Tomlinson 59'), Alex Churskey.

Dashen: Not available.

Goals:
12' SEA - Cham
33' SEA - Cham
44' SEA - Chursky (Rivera)
90' SEA - Tomlinson (Chursky)

Match report from the Sounders:

The Seattle Sounders opened their 2006 Exhibition Schedule with a 4-0 victory over the Ethiopian Greater Seattle Soccer League Club, Dashen at Tukwila’s Starfire Sports Complex. With a roster of invited college and available professional players, the Sounders controled the tempo of the first half, settling into a 3-0 lead at the break. Sounder Forward Craig Tomlinson capped the victory with a goal of his own in the final minutes.

Highlighting the Sounders victory was a two-goal performance by forward Ebu Cham, and a one goal, one assist performance by forward Alex Chursky. The Sounders dominated possession of the ball most of the match and were able to hold Dashen scorless with great defensive plays towards the end.

Ebu Cham scored the game’s first two goals in the 12th and 33rd minutes of play. On Cham’s first goal, Alex Churskey played the ball to midfielder Josh Hansen at the top of the box. Hansen slipped through and released a shot; Dashen keeper Sadettin Alkan made a diving stop but deflected the ball back into play. With an open net, Cham sealed the goal with a light touch.

Cham scored his second goal of the half with shifty footwork inside, weaving through the goalkeeper and a defender. Chasing down a long pass, Cham received the ball near the top of the box, and outran the Dashen defender toward the endline. Seemingly out of room, Cham turned the ball inside and worked the ball around the goalkeeper and the defender and placed the ball just inside the far post.

In the 37th minute, Dashen made a run as Beheal Habte pushed the ball up field; Dereje Meskel slipped through the Sounders back line and rifled a low left footed shot, a sliding kick save by Nolan Hanson kept the Sounders shutout alive.

The Sounders took a three goal lead when Chursky scored in the 44th minute. Chursky’s Seattle University teammate Santa Maria Rivera played Chursky a ball from midfield. On his second touch, Chursky blasted a low line drive into the back of the net. Riviera was credited with the assist.

Dashen applied offensive pressure early in the second half forcing Sounders keeper Hanson to make two key saves. Sounder Defenders Ryan Purtell, Cam Weaver, Pat Doran and Zach Peoples made great defensive plays in the second half to fight off a late surge by Dashen.

In the 85th minute of the match the Sounders nearly scored their fourth goal of the contest. From deep in the Dashen corner, Sounders midfielder Alex Woods sent a free kick to the back post where Ryan Purtell anxiously waited to head the ball. Quick reactions by the Dashen goalkeeper kept the ball out of the back of the net as the ball danced near the goal line.

Late Sounders sub Craig Tomlinson eventually scored the Sounders’ fourth goal of the game in the closing minutes on a ball played by Chursky. The speedy Tomlinson received the ball, slipped by his defender and forced a one-on-one with the goalkeeper. A quick stutter step had the keeper moving, and Tomlinson delivered a shot to the far post. Churskey was awarded the assist.

The Sounders killed the remaining minute left in the match to capture a 4-0 victory in the club’s first official exhibition match of the 2006 season. The Sounders face USL First Division rival the Vancouver Whitecaps in their next exhibition match on April 14th in Chilliwack, B.C.