2006 May 7

Friendly:
Seattle Sounders  0 - 1  Chivas USA
Qwest Field, Seattle, WA

Seattle: Chris Eylander; Danny Jackson, Zach Scott, Seyi Abolaji (Nate Boyden 74'), Ben Somoza; CJ Klaas (Maykel Galindo 70', Craig Tomlinson 80'), Kevin Sakuda, Andrew Gregor (Gabe Sturm 66'), Leighton O'Brien; Roger Levesque, Jamal Sutton (Cam Weaver 57').

Chivas: Preston Burpo; Tim Regan (Esteban Arias 45'), Jason Hernandez, Carlos Llamosa (Rodrigo Lopez 66'), Jon Bornstein; Sasha Kljestan (Estuardo Sanchez 66'), Brent Whitfield, Francisco Mendoza, Juan Pablo Garcia (Lawson Vaughn 45'); Ante Razov (Drew Helm 58'), Francisco Palencia (Carlos Borja 66').

Goals:
43' CHI - Whitfield (Mendoza)

Additional match reports: Seattle Times, Seattle P-I, Everett Herald.

Match report from the Sounders:

On an overcast Sunday in Seattle Chivas USA defeated the Seattle Sounders 1-0. The friendly match and crowd of 5633 at Qwest Field were both lucky to have the sun poke through to occasionally contrast the cold and windy weather. The match's only goal was grabbed by former Sounder Brent Whitfield.

The first half was a hard fought back and forth battle that resulted in a big time goal for a former Sounder and Chivas USA just before the half-time whistle. Only five minutes in Chivas USA brought early pressure on Sounders keeper Chris Eylander when Chivas USA captain Francisco Polencia was slipped in by teammate Ante Razov forcing Eylander off his line and into a sprawling save. The next real opportunity for either squad was not until Razov pushed an easy cutback wide from six yards out in the 24 minute. Eylander was finally beaten in the 43rd minute when former Sounder Brent Whitfeld snapped a header toward the top shelf, just out of Eylander's reach. The assist, a product of one of Chivas USA's many quick counter-attacks, came off a cross from wide-midfielder Francisco Mendoza.

In the first half of his return to Qwest Field former Sounders goalkeeper Preston Burpo displayed a confident attitude in his start for Chivas USA. The Sounders gave Burpo his first test as a visiting MLS opponent when midfielder CJ Klaas sent a low cross toward forward Roger Levesque; Burpo came off his line and successfully intercepted the pass. In the second half Burpo aggressively left his line to clear a deep through ball, and collided with Sounders forward Maykel Galindo. The result of the play left Burpo with a caution from center referee Jeff Hosking and Galindo was forced to leave the field and head to the locker room with a broken nose. The only other player to receive a yellow card was Sounders captain Danny Jackson in the 86th.

The beginning of the second half saw more pressure on Sounders keeper and UW alumnus Chris Eylander. In the 55th minute Eylander responded to this pressure when Chivas USA forward Polencia was through one on one and Eylander flew in to staunchly reject the great opportunity. Later in the 69th the Sounders dodged another bullet when Chivas substitute Carlos Borja put his volley just wide of the back post. This miss proved costly as the Sounders continued to press for the equalizer. The home side saw their best chance of the match in the 89th when forward Craig Tomlinson barely missed the far post on his turn around shot. The shot appeared to have Burpo beat but it trickled just wide from six yards out.

Both teams made an abundance of substitutions.