Match One

Colorado Foxes
May 6, 1995

Seattle - Colorado
      3 - 0

Webber (S) 10' (2nd)
Hoggan (S) 15' (2nd)
McCormick (S) 26' (2nd)

Cautions: Hattrup (S), Santel (C)

This weeks match report comes from my fellow soccer hooligan Mark Coker, who watched it on TV in Newport, RI:

I was a bit disappointed with the level of play demonstrated by the Sounders. Maybe it's early in the season, maybe the (apparently) new turf at Memorial. But it just seemed to me that the midfield wasn't clicking. Absent were the crisp one-touch passes from last season that would spring Jason or Chance free. I only recall one shot from Jason; Chance was a ghost.

I liked Hattrup early on. He was getting the ball on the wing and generally taking two defenders before the cross. But something happened....He's got to learn not to hold on to the ball so long. It got predictable after a while--you just knew he was going to lose it.

Fortunately, the set pieces were spot-on. Seattle definitely had a size advantage on Colorado, which showed on the first two goals. The third goal, by McCormick, was first-rate.

IMO, an inelegant match for Seattle. Worse was Colorado. We were warned to expect some chippy play from them. We got it. But it's always nice to start the season with three points. There's room for improvement, but this team's capable.

A couple added notes: As hoped, the Sounders were sporting new kits for the season opener. Nice solid purple Nike jerseys with snazzy sleeve designs. Black shorts. Gone is the Microsoft ad across the chest and the 3/4 length disco sleeves. Now when will they offer them for sale?

After much wringing of hands and mashing of teeth, the dreaded timeouts never materialized. Not even a TV timeout, except for a one minute delay before the national anthem.