2008 May 10

Seattle Sounders  0 - 0  Portland Timbers
Qwest Field, Seattle, WA

Seattle: Chris Eylander; Danny Jackson, Taylor Graham, Zach Scott, Kevin Sakuda (John Fishbaugher 79'); Kenji Treschuk, Leighton O'Brien (Youssouf Kante 80'), Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar, Josh Gardner; Andre Schmid (Jason Cascio 63'), Sebastien Le Toux. Substitutes not used: Ben Dragavon, Noah Merl, Adam West, Craig Tomlinson.

Portland: Ray Burse; Leonard Griffin, Scot Thompson, Justin Thompson, Cameron Knowles; Shaun Higgins, Andrew Gregor (Miguel Guante 63'), Tom Poltl; Chris Brown (Bryan Little 74'), Chris Bagley (Arsene Oka 69'), Takayuki Suzuki (Lawrence Olum 90'). Substitutes not used: James Jordan, Tim Karalexis, Neil Dombrowski.

Goals:
none

Additional match reports: Sounders, Seattle Times.

Match report from Ron Stickney:

The Portland Timbers spoiled the Seattle Sounders' home opener, turning it into a nil-nil draw. The Portland defense limited Seattle's offense to only a few good chances, and the Seattle defense limited Portland's offense to zero good chances.

Having secured their visas, Craig Tomlinson and newwcomer Youssouf Kante were available as substitutes for the first time this season, and Kante got ten minutes on the pitch.

First Half

Andre Schmid had the early chances, both from crosses from Sebastien Le Toux after he was fed by Leighton O'Brien. In the 3rd minute Schmid was on the near post run and a defender broke up the play just before Schmid could get a shot. In the 9th the square cross along the 6-yard line reached Schmid on a far post run, and with nearly the entire goal open Schmid shanked it and skied the shot over the top corner when his mother probably would have finished it. That would be the best chance of the match for anybody.

The next chances went to the Sounders' Josh Gardner. In the 20th minute he was served on a run to the middle and took a nice 20-yard shot that goalkeeper Ray Burse deflected onto the bar and over. In the 33rd a broken corner kick play resulted in a shot at the lower near corner by Gardner, and Burse dove for a good save.

In the half, Portland managed just one decent shot, a 30-yarder by Takayuki Suzuki that was watched wide of the post by goalkeeper Chris Eylander.

Halftime: Seattle 0-0 Portland

The first shot of the second half came at 52' after Sounders midfielder Kenji Treschuk turned the ball over, leading to a shot by Suzuki from 25 yards that missed by a couple of yards.

The defenses then ruled until Gardner managed a shot at 83', volleying a loose ball in the penalty area after a Seattle free kick, but sending it over the bar. Seattle's last chance came when substitute Jason Cascio got the ball from Le Toux and fought free for a 20-yard shot at the far post, forcing a diving save by Burse.

Portland had a chance at 90' when a cross from the left corner gave Suzuki a header that went just over the bar and landed on the roof.

On the whole, it was a rather uneventful match with little to write about, and Portland will be happy to take the point on the road. Seattle, meantime, seem like they have not yet started the 2008 season.

Final: Seattle 0-0 Portland

Statistics:
          Seattle   Portland
Shots:       10         9
Saves:        1         3
Corners:      5         1
Fouls:       10         9
Offsides:     4         2

Misconduct:
6' POR: J Thompson cautioned
13' SEA: Scott cautioned
78' POR: Poltl cautioned

Referees: Edvin Jurisevic; Manuel Soledad, Will Niccolls; Cory Dean

Attendance: 10,184