2007 Sep 6

Seattle Sounders  4 - 0  California Victory
Qwest Field, Seattle, WA

Seattle: Chris Eylander (Ben Dragavon 69'); Danny Jackson, Taylor Graham, Adam West, Kevin Sakuda; Kenji Treschuk (Gabe Sturm 84'), Leighton O'Brien (Jake Besagno 81'), Josh Gardner, Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar (Andre Schmid 46'); Roger Levesque, Sebastien Le Toux (Craig Tomlinson 73'). Substitutes not used: Santa Maria Rivera, Nathan Knox.

California: Eric Reed; Chris Schwarze, Josh Tudela, Matt Languis, Omar Aguayo; José Retiz, Federico Bianchi, Mike Muñoz (Ronnie Silva 65'), Hugo Casillas (Aaron Chandler 73'), Ricardo Sanchez; Yuri Morales. Substitutes not used: Dominik Jacubek.

Goals:
6' SEA: Le Toux (Gardner)
24' SEA: Le Toux (Levesque)
61' SEA: Le Toux (Levesque)
66' SEA: Schmid (Treschuk)


Additional match reports: Seattle Times, Seattle P-I, Sounders, GOALSeattle.com, Shotgun Prose.
Photos: Chuckarelei.


Match report from Ron Stickney:

The result was never in doubt, it was just a question of how many goals and from whom. It ended 4-0 for the host Seattle Sounders over the last-place California Victory. Sebastien Le Toux managed a natural hat trick, scoring the first three goals. Andre Schmid added one for the final result.

The win moves the Sounders back into first place, just a point ahead of the Portland Timbers and the Montreal Impact. All three teams have one more match, on the road. The Sounders can clinch first place with a win.

With the hat trick, Le Toux moved into a tie for the league lead in goals with 10. Montreal's Charles Gbeke also has 10. Roger Levesque is 2 goals back with 8. Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar did not get an assist this evening and sits one off the league lead with 8 assists.

Regular defender Zach Scott sat this match out to avoid the possibility of an 8th yellow card, which would have resulted in a 2-match suspension that would have spilled over into the playoffs.

First Half

Seattle's first chance came in the 3rd minute, when Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar fed Le Toux on the right, and Le Toux got close to goal before crossing to the far post for Roger Levesque, whose shot was deflected wide by a defender.

6' SEA: Le Toux (Gardner). From the left touch line near the halfway line, Josh Gardner sent a diagonal ball in front of Le Toux, who got there first to shoot on goal. Goalkeeper Eric Reed got a small piece of the ball coming halfway out, but the deflection continued on into goal. 1-0 Seattle.

Mike Muñoz soon had a good chance for California, fed on a run into the penalty area, but goalkeeper Chris Eylander had the 15-yard shot covered. Then Muñoz fired a nice shot from 35 yards at the top left corner, but Eylander was at home to make the save.

For Seattle, Levesque put Le Toux free up the middle at 11', and the chip shot beat Reed only to be cleared a half yard from goal by a defender. Fed by Le Toux at 15', Leighton O'Brien's shot/cross forced a save.

For California in the same minute, Ricardo Sanchez shot nicely from 35 yards and glanced it off the top of the crossbar.

Then it was Seattle with the momentum. O'Brien was served in close for a shot blasted at the near side and deflected by Reed for a corner. A Gardner shot from wide left beat Reed only to be cleared off the line by a defender. A minute later Gardner fired another shot, from 20 yards, and Reed dove to the near post to make the save.

It was California's turn at 22' when Muñoz launched another good shot, just a half yard wide of the far post from 30 yards.

24' SEA: Le Toux (Levesque). Le Toux running forward worked a give and go with Levesque, then chipped a shot over Reed from a steep angle on the left. 2-0 Seattle.

Le Toux soon had another chance, from the left again, forcing Reed into a diving save at the near post at 26'.

The rest of the half saw chances only from California. At 33' Hugo Casillas was fed 15 yards from goal for a quick turn and shoot that went straight ahead to Eylander for a save. A dangerous cross was cleared out for a corner by Taylor Graham. At 44' Omar Aguoyo rocketed a 30-yard free kick a yard over the bar.

Halftime: Seattle 2 - 0 California

First shot of the second half was Seattle's, when Le toux was sprung from the halfway line and chipped a shot past Reed and a foot wide of the far post.

Then it was California when Sanchez tried a 30-yarder up the middle, but Eylander was there for the save.

For Seattle, Gardner forced a save with a 30-yarder up the middle at 58'.

For California at 60', Aguoyo from the arc bent a nice shot at the top corner that missed by inches.

61' SEA: Le Toux (Levesque). Levesque put Le Toux free up the middle with a pass, and Le Toux's first shot was saved by Reed. However, the rebound trickled on towards goal, and Le Toux was first to it to finish into the empty net. 3-0 Seattle.

A minute later Aguoyo had another nice shot, forcing a save with a try from 20 yards.

66' SEA: Schmid (Treschuk). Kenji Treschuk received a pass at the top of the arc, spun, and served a pass in front of Schmid, who was on the far-post run. Schmid's shot was touched by Reed coming out from goal, but it continued on into goal. 4-0 Seattle.

At 68' it was California's Aguoyo with another fine shot from 20 yards, with Eylander making the save at the near post.

Seattle substitute Craig Tomlinson shot on goal from 25 yards in the 75th, and Reed touched it wide for a corner.

After a rare quiet stretch in this match, California had a chance with a 20-yard free kick in the 87th, and José Retiz bent it nicely at the top corner only to see substitute goalkeeper Ben Dragavon leap sideways to make the save.

The final chances were Seattle's from corner kicks. Substitute Jake Besagno headed one down on goal, and it was deflected wide for another corner. This one was headed by Levesque 2 yards over.

Final: Seattle 4 - 0 California


Statistics:
          Seattle   California
Shots:       19        13
Saves:        7         8
Corners:      4         2
Fouls:       12        11
Offsides:     2         0

Misconduct:
14' CAL: Tudela cautioned for a late challenge on Gardner
28' SEA: Treschuk cautioned for a retaliatory foul against Casillas
57' CAL: Morales cautioned for going under the airborn Treschuk
82' SEA: Tomlinson cautioned for contacting goalkeeper Reed after a catch

Referees: Edvin Jurisevic; Mark Matthews, Scott Grace; Scott Lawrence

Attendance: 2,501