2006 May 17

Seattle Sounders  1 - 2  Rochester Raging Rhinos
Qwest Field, Seattle, WA

Seattle: David Mahoney; Danny Jackson, Seyi Abolaji, Ben Somoza, Zach Scott (Jacob Besagno 79'); Kevin Sakuda, CJ Klaas, Gabe Sturm (Cam Weaver 71'), Andrew Gregor; Roger Levesque, Jamal Sutton (Craig Tomlinson 64'). Substitutes not used: Chris Eylander, Nate Boyden, Noah Merl.

Rochester: Scott Vallow; Frankie SanFilippo, Kenney Bertz, Scott Palguta, Nate Craft (Jason Perry 58'); Tenywa Bonseu (Ricky Lewis 80'), Johnny Menyongar, John Ball (Greg Howes 46'), Juninho DaSilva (Aaran Lines 46'); Charles Gbeke (Connally Edozien 68'), Matthew Delicâte. Substitutes not used: Neil Dombrowski, Mike Ambersley.

Goals:
70' ROC - Delicâte
85' SEA - Weaver (Gregor)
90' ROC - Howes

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

Match report by Ron Stickney:

The visiting Rochester Raging Rhinos downed the Seattle Sounders 2-1 with ex-Sounder Greg Howes' goal deep into added time. Earlier in the second half Rochester had opened the scoring with a goal by Matthew Delicâte, and the Sounders had equalized late with Cam Weaver's goal.

Mistakes by goalkeeper David Mahoney led to both Rochester goals. Sounders fans are really missing the reliable Preston Burpo. Just three matches into the season the battle for the #1 goalkeeper spot may be over and we should see rookie Chris Eylander between the pipes this Saturday.

First Half

Referee Colin Arblaster asserted control early, whistling Rochester's Delicâte for a foul in the first minute, Seattle's Kevin Sakuda for a foul in the third, and Rochester's Nate Craft got a yellow card in the fourth.

Rochester had the early chances. Johnny Menyongar took Rochester's first shot in the 8th up the middle from 30 yards, and Mahoney watched it wide. John Ball's shot/cross was saved by Mahoney. A throw-in to the penalty spot was headed a yard over the bar by Charles Gbeke. Ball tried a 30-yarder up the middle and missed the top corner by a yard with Mahoney flying. At 22' Tenywa Bonseu tried from further out and was 2 yards too high.

Seattle's early attacks mostly came from crosses from the right wing by CJ Klaas, only they couldn't connect with an attacker. A pretty cross to the far post at 26' had Gabe Sturm in a good position but the ball was about a foot too high for the leaping Sturm. Seattle only managed three shots in the half, and two of them were taken by Zach Scott on free kick plays. In the 27th, Andrew Gregor's long free kick from the circle deflected off a defender and gave Scott a quick shot from 10 yards on the left, but the rising shot cleared the top far corner.

At 36' in a play that foreshadowed woes to come, Mahoney came out to claim a 50-50 ball airmailed into the penalty area and failed to win it, giving Gbeke a header on goal with Mahoney out of the picture. Amazingly, three defenders had made it to the goal area and were waiting, and it was sweeper Danny Jackson who chest-trapped the shot for Mahoney.

Seattle's best chance of the half came in the closing minutes. A free kick from the left touch line came down near the far post for Scott's shot with the foot, but goalkeeper Scott Vallow got there in time to deflect the shot just over the bar.

Halftime: Seattle 0-0 Rochester

Seattle shot first in the second half when Jamal Sutton's chest trap and square pass gave Sturm a shot from the arc, but it missed the top far corner by two yards.

Rochester had a great chance in the 57th when a ball that rattled around in front of goal ended up going to an open Delicâte at the top right corner of the goal area, and with Mahoney picking himself up too late Delicâte fired it inches over the top near corner.

In the 62nd for Seattle Sutton turned nicely when fed 15 yards in front of goal and was open with only Vallow to beat, but Sutton somehow lost the handle and failed to get off a shot. He was soon replaced by Craig Tomlinson.

70' Delicâte. Goalkeeper Mahoney came out to the 18 to try for a long throw-in, but he failed to get a finger on it and the ball fell for a shot that was rejected by one of the defenders near the goal line. However, the cleared ball went back up the middle and Delicâte fired it back in from 15, finding a path through the crowd. 1-0 Rochester.

For Seattle, Sakuda shot low from 20 yards in the 78th, forcing Vallow's only save of the half.

85' Weaver (Gregor). Seattle's best chances had come from set plays, and their goal came from a corner kick. Gregor bent one beautifully from the right corner to the far post, where rookie Cam Weaver headed it just under the crossbar for his second goal of the season. It was the first goal scored against Rochester this season in four matches. 1-1.

In the 88th Rochester's shot from wide left was saved at the near post by Mahoney, but he gave up a rebound across the goal mouth, and fortunately the attacker near the goal line who tapped it in was offside.

Seattle came close in the 90th when Gregor was open for a 20-yard try. His worthy effort with the outside of his left foot bent around the far post, missing by inches.

90' Howes. Mahoney tried to punch away a cross in front of goal, but the weak clearance set up Howes perfectly for a low shot up the middle from 12 yards that deflected slightly off Mahoney on the way to the center of the net.

Final: Seattle 1-2 Rochester

Statistics:
         Seattle  Rochester
Shots:       8        12
Saves:       3         2
Corners:     4         4
Fouls:      16        17
Offsides:    2         6

Misconduct:
4' MIN - Craft cautioned for tripping Klaas at the touch line
32' SEA - Scott cautioned for pulling down Gbeke after a through ball went past them
75' SEA - Gregor cautioned for tripping Menyongar 25 yards from Seattle's goal
90' ROC - Edozien cautioned for a foul in Seattle's penalty area
90' ROC - Howes cautioned for delay

Referees: Colin Arblaster; Scott Lawrence, Manuel Soledad; Brian Armes

Attendance: 2,017 (What a drop from the home opener!)