2012 Jun 1 2012 Jun 1
Starfire Stadium, Tukwila, WA
Goals:
26' VAN: Carlyle Mitchell (Michael Nanchoff)
72' VAN: Carlyle Mitchell (Floyd Franks)
81' SEA: Dom Dismuke (Aaron Kovar, Michael Seamon)
Seattle: Andrew Weber; Michael Seamon, Andrew Duran, Michael Gallagher, Jacob Beck; Servando Carrasco, Aaron Kovar, Christian Sivebaek (Cordell Cato 81'), Roger Levesque; Steve Zakuani (Michael Tetteh 46'), David Estrada (Dom Dismuke 61').
Substitutes not used: Bryan Meredith, Jordan Schweitzer.
Vancouver: Brad Knighton; Greg Klazura, Carlyle Mitchell, Jordan Harvey, Russell Tiebert (Daniel Stanese 39'); Floyd Franks, Matt Watson (Bryce Alderson 69'), Etienne Barbara; Omar Salgado, Michael Nanchoff (Long Tan 56'), Darren Mattocks (Caleb Clarke 79').
Substitutes not used: Collum Irving.
Match report from Ron Stickney:
Defender Carlysle Mitchell scored two headers from set plays to lead the Vancouver Whitecaps over the Seattle Sounders FC in a Reserve League match at Starfire Stadium. Seattle got one back late when substitute Dom Dismuke scored.
The brightest spots for Seattle were the first 2012 MLS minutes for the recovering Steve Zakuani and Michael Tetteh, who played the first and second halves, respectively.
With rookie Andrew Duran the only Sounders defender who was healthy and did not play two days previously, they brought in two from the Academy, Michael Gallagher and Jacob Beck, to play in back. The right back position was shared by Michael Seamon early and Roger Levesque late.
Vancouver, rich in forwards, had a strong front three with Omar Salgado, Michael Nanchoff, and Darren Mattocks. The Seattle defense did well enough with them, but poor marking on the set plays led to the goals.
Mattocks had the first good chance when his diving header on a ball over the defense was nicely saved by Andrew Weber, knocking it up and out.
A few minutes later Levesque forced the first save by Brad Knighton when a shot was deflected on goal, but the deflection took too much steam out of the ball. Zakuani had his best chance on a counterattack when he nearly put a short chip over Knighton, but the keeper stretched to get a mitt on it.
26' VAN: Mitchell (Nanchoff). Vancouver suddenly opened the scoring when Nanchoff's corner kick went to the 6-yard line and Mitchell easily won the air battle to head it in with power. 1-0 Vancouver.
Zakuani promptly had his second chance when he sprinted to earn a shot from the right that missed the far corner.
For Vancouver, Salgado chased down a long ball to win a similar shot from a steep angle and also missed the far post.
Seattle midfielder Christian Sivebęk then had a couple of good chances. He helped set up an attack and in the end skied his volley. He did better with the next chance, forcing Knighton into a diving save at the lower corner. Last chances of the half went to David Estrada, who was tightly marked when he headed Sivebęk's far-post cross wide, and Servando Carrasco, who sent a 25-yard free kick into the wall.
First chance of the second half was again for Vancouver's Mattocks, who was sprung with a through ball and got close for a shot, and Weber made a sprawling, one-handed save.
Academy midfielder Aaron Kovar earned Seattle's best chance yet near the hour mark when he muscled off a defender to win a ball that deflected into the penalty area. Kovar had a moment to measure his shot from close range, but then he fired within reach of Knighton, who held it. Seattle kept up the pressure, with Estrada stealing the ball and taking it to the arc for a shot that forced a save. Kovar tried to bend a long shot in and wasn't far from the top near corner.
72' VAN: Mitchell (Franks). Floyd Franks sent a long free kick to the far post, where Mitchell was left criminally open to calmly head it in. 2-0 Vancouver.
For Seattle, Tetteh looked good when he worked a give and go up the left side to get to the arc for a shot, but it was still not good enough to beat Knighton, who ended up with eight saves.
81' SEA: Dismuke (Kovar, Seamon). Seamon's straight through ball looked like it might have too much pace, but Kovar did well to run it down and cross to the goal's front porch. Dismuke beat his marker to tap it in from a couple of yards. 2-1 Vancouver.
Seattle's first chance to pull even came two minutes later when an attack ended with a drop pass to Carrasco, who skied his 20-yard shot.
Vancouver had one good chance left when substitute Bryce Alderson shot from the 18 and forced a diving save at the lower corner by Weber.
At 88' Seattle came very close when Seamon's hard shot from 15 yards was blocked by Knighton and Carrasco's immediate re-shot was also blocked by the keeper. Carrasco nearly had another attempt on the rebound, but a defender cleared it just in time.
Statistics:
SEA VAN
Shots: 17 13
Saves: 4 8
Corners: 4 8
Fouls: 11 8
Offsides: 2 2
Misconduct:
36' SEA: Carrasco cautioned for tripping
Referees: Paul Nothman; Jeremy Hanson, Timon Berry; Katja Koroleva
