2008 Mar 22

Preseason match:
Seattle Sounders  1 - 2  Vancouver Whitecaps
Starfire Sports Complex, Tukwila, WA

Seattle: Chris Eylander; Danny Jackson (Yannick Boumsong 45'), Taylor Graham (David Oberholtzer 45'), Zach Scott (Daniel Scott 45'), Kevin Sakuda (Jason Cascio 45'); Leighton O'Brien (Kenji Treschuk 45'), Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar (Jamie Watson 45'), Jesus Mendoza (Josh Gardner 45'), Jean-Martial Kipre (Mason Trafford 45'); Roger Levesque (Samir Imessad 45'), Sebastien Le Toux (Craig Tomlinson 45').

Vancouver: Jay Nolly; Adrian Cann, Omar Jarun (Mason Webb 87'), Takashi Hirano, Lyle Martin; Vicente Arze (Geordie Lyall 45'), Steve Kindel (Alfredo Valente 69'), Jeff Clarke, Martin Nash; Nicholas Addlery, Jason Jordan (Eduardo Sebrango 70').

Goals:
15' VAN: Jordan (Addlery)
44' SEA: Levesque (Mendoza)
64' VAN: Sebrango (Lyall)

Additional match reports: Sounders, Whitecaps.

Match report from Ron Stickney:

The Seattle Sounders kicked off their 2008 preseason at Starfire Sports Complex, losing 2-1 to the Vancouver Whitecaps.

Prior to the match were a couple of meetings. General manager Bart Wiley first met with members of Emerald City Supporters. Discussion was primarily about MLS in 2009, and nearly everything Bart said was already known. Bart will be the MLS team's liaison with supporters groups. Bart did promise to maintain a close relationship with Qwest Field security to assure that supporters and security personnel are on the same page regarding what is allowed in the stadium on match day. Bart said it would be safe to assume that what has been allowed at Sounders matches in the past will be allowed at MLS matches.

The second meeting was a meet and greet for 2008 season ticket holders. Season ticket packages were handed out. Present for signing and chatting were all of the 2008 team members who have been announced plus Josh Gardner, who has been signed and is waiting for paperwork to clear. Head coach Brian Schmetzer reportedly gave a talk to fans, but we were already gone for the free slice of pizza.

The Whitecaps opened their account in the 15th minute of the match when a Sounders turnover in their own half led to a Nicholas Addlery cross from the left side near the end line, and he found Jason Jordan wide open at the spot for a relatively easy goal.

Seattle came close 2 minutes later when Leighton O'Brien's free kick was headed off the top of the crossbar by Danny Jackson.

Seattle's goal came from another set play at 44', a corner kick taken by trialist Jesus Mendoza and sent to the near side, where Roger Levesque headed it in nicely.

Vancouver used only a few substitutes, but Seattle replaced everyone except the goalkeeper at intermission. The second half saw mostly trialists on the pitch for the hosts. Seattle's only good chances in the second half were a couple of free kicks from just outside the top of the box, sent over the bar by Josh Gardner and then by Kenji Treschuk.

Vancouver's match winner was a nice header by Eduardo Sebrango from Geordie Lyall's cross, the shot hitting the underside of the bar on the way in.

Statistics:
         Seattle   Vancouver
Shots:        6        13
Saves:        6         1
Corners:      3         0
Fouls:       13        20
Offsides:     3         2

Misconduct:
49' SEA: Cascio cautioned
71' VAN: Cann cautioned
82' SEA: Gardner cautioned

Referees:

Attendance: 752