2006 May 26

Vancouver Whitecaps  2 - 2  Seattle Sounders
Swangard Stadium, Burnaby, BC

Vancouver: Tony Caig; Steve Klein, Adrian Cann, Steve Kindel, Geordie Lyall (Stefan Leslie 84'); Jeff Clarke, Jay Alberts (Dave Morris 67'), Martin Nash, Alfredo Valente (Anthony Noreiga 56'); Joey Gjertsen, Dave Testo (Sita-Taty Matondo 60'). Substitutes: Josh Wicks, Tino Cucca, John Jones.

Seattle: David Mahoney; Danny Jackson, Seyi Abolaji (Jake Besagno 46'), Ben Somoza, Zach Scott; Kevin Sakuda, CJ Klaas (Nate Boyden 88'), Gabe Sturm (Craig Tomlinson 46'), Andrew Gregor; Roger Levesque (Santa Maria Rivera 73'), Cam Weaver. Substitutes: Chris Eylander, Jamal Sutton, Noah Merl.

Goals:
18' VAN - Gjertsen (Testo)
23' SEA - Weaver (Gregor)
32' VAN - Gjertsen
73' SEA - Weaver

Additional match reports: Whitecaps, Seattle Times.

Match report from the Sounders:

The Seattle Sounders clashed with Northwest rival Vancouver Whitecaps to a 2-2 draw at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby, B.C. Late game heroics once again by Sounders' rookie forward Cam Weaver tied the match in the 73rd minute. Weaver finished the match with two goals, both goals tying the match at different stages. Weaver's goals are the first goals allowed by Vancouver at home this season. The Sounders and Whitecaps have battled to six consecutive draws spanning back to 2004.

The Whitecaps drew first blood in the 18th minute to take a 1-0 lead. The USL First Division's leading scorer, and Tacoma, Wash. native, Joey Gjertsen scored his fourth goal of the season. Gjertsen pushed the ball upfield about 15 yards drifting to the top right corner of the box. On a low shot to the back post, Gjertsen's shot snuck by Sounders keeper David Mahoney.

The Sounders answered back just four minutes later in the 23rd as the Sounders' leading scorer Cam Weaver delivered yet another equalizer. Midfielder Gabe Sturm played the ball back to Gregor outside the box about 22 yards out. Gregor's chip into the box set up Weaver for his third header of year just 10 yards off the goal line. Gregor was credited with the assist.

Gjertsen's second goal of the match gave the Whitecaps a 2-1 lead in the 32nd minute. Gjertsen earned the goal sneaking by a Sounders defender and drawing out Mahoney. A quick move toward the endline left Mahoney guessing and Gjertsen created an open-net shot. With a trickler, Gjertsen's shot creaped along the goal line. In an attempt to clear the ball, Sounders defender Seyi Abolaji knocked the ball into the net. Official ruling has deflected shots off defenders being credited to the attacker.

Applying offensive pressure early in the second half, the Whitecaps' Gjertsen nearly tallied a hat trick in the 52nd minute with a left-footed blast toward the far top corner. His shot sailed just inches over the crossbar.

In the 67th minute C.J. Klaas set up one of the best shots of the night. On a free kick about 25 yards out, Klaas curled a ball to the back post where Defender Zach Scott waited for the header. Klaas' ball into the box was about a yard too long as Scott's header hit the side of the net.

On a loose ball in the box, the Sounders were able to tie the match at 2-2 in the 73rd minute thanks to the work of Weaver. A header by Scott upfield sent the ball bouncing into the box. Tightly marked by a Whitecaps defender, Weaver chased down the ball, collected and skipped a 15 yard shot past Caig who was coming out to play the ball.

Weaver's second goal of the night is his fourth goal in five matches. Tonight is his second start of the season; his first was in the season opener on the road in Minnesota.

Mahoney preserved the draw in the 86th minute making a sprawling save to his right, knocking a shot by Vancouver's Dave Morris out of play. Mahoney played well in the second half, recording five saves throughout the match.

Spanning from the 2004 season, tonight's match is the sixth consecutive draw between the Sounders and Whitecaps. Weaver's two goals against the Whitecaps are the first goals scored on the Whitecaps at home in 2006, ending a four-match shutout streak.

Sounders second half substitute Craig Tomlinson was issued a yellow card in the 55th minute, called while challenging a Whitecaps player for the ball down the sideline.

Battling back to a 2-2 draw improves the Sounders season record to 1-2-2, 5pts. The Sounders host the Whitecaps in the tail end of the home and home series on Saturday, May 27th, at Qwest Field. Kickoff is set for 7pm.

Statistics:
         Vancouver   Seattle
Shots:       13        12
Saves:        5         5
Corners:      2         0
Fouls:       16        13
Offsides:     2         0

Misconduct:
36' VAN - Testo cautioned
56' SEA - Tomlinson cautioned
67' VAN - Lyall cautioned
87' VAN - Leslie cautioned

Referees: Kevin Duliba; Martin Reid, Paul Ward; Mauricio Navarro

Attendance: 4,658