Match Twenty-Three
SEATTLE 1 - 0 MONTREAL Jason Dunn (S) '71This was a great match! Both teams played very well throughout most of the match. The intesity started high and ended even higher. That lone score late in the match was a huge mutual goal-gasm for the crowd. We felt satisfied.
The lads had numerous great opportunities throughout the evening. They just could not put the finishing touch on any of them, until the substitutions arrived on the pitch. With Jason and Chance up front and Hattrup and Farrell on the wings the boys are unstoppable.
My vote for man-of-the-match would definitely go to Marcus. He must have saved our collective behinds a dozen times. He is definitely out of his mini-slump, as is the whole squad.
This report comes from Ron Stickney. He's a bear for details...
Seattle: Hahnemann (G), James Dunn, Webber, Megson, Crook, Rizi (56 Fry), Haynes (64
Jason Dunn), Medved, Kinnear, Farrell, Hattrup.
Montreal:Onstad (G), Limniatis, Pizzolitto, Sahrane (66 #17 [name?]), #12 [name?], Biello,
Holness, Dougherty, Hooper, Paulinho (82 Thompson), Barker.
Yellow cards: Seattle - 90 Hattrup; Montreal - 20 Biello.
The Seattle Sounders climbed back into a first-place tie with a home victory over the Montreal Impact, following an away 1-2 victory over the Vancouver 86ers the previous night and last Friday's 1-3 televised away victory over the Impact.
Montreal played without defender and captain Steve Trittschuh, red-carded for violent conduct for throwing the ball at referee Sonia Denoncourt in injury time in Friday's game. I learned from a reliable source that Montreal coach Gazzola watched tonight's game from the press box, as he was dismissed from the field immediately after Friday's game for foul and abusive language toward referee Denoncourt. It seems that Mazzola accused her of practicing the world's oldest profession. [Thanks to Peter McKay for suggesting the wording for reporting this sensitive matter!] So Mazzola added insult to the injury inflicted upon Denoncourt by Trittschuh!
On to the game. Seattle had the early chances. At one minute, Jason Farrell burst down the right side and crossed well, but Dominic Kinnear's attempt at a flying header was just late. A minute later, a Sounder corner kick was dropped to Rizi, who shot over the crossbar. At ten minutes, Shawn Medved's worm burner hit the outside of the left post and went out.
Montreal got their first opportunity after a Sounder defensive mistake ended with Barker alone with the ball at the edge of the penalty area, but Hahnemann slid in to kick the ball clear just before Barker could shoot.
At 13 minutes, Sounder defender Wade Webber headed across the goal mouth and Peter Hattrup headed over the bar. At 18 minutes, Montreal's Biello earned a yellow card for holding the ball and complaining when a throw-in decision went against him.
At 22 minutes, Montreal's Barker, while in front of the goal, let a ball go by, turned, and shot just wide with his left foot. Six minutes later he beat Megson down the left side, turned toward goal and shot, but Hahnemann slid in with the first good save of the match.
Neither team could earn a good shot for the last 20 minutes of the firt half, as both teams were running hard and challenging well on defense. But they couldn't keep up the pressure forever and the second half saw far more offensive threats.
At 49 minutes, Holness' cross was deflected by Paulinho and headed over the bar by Dougherty. At 55 minutes, Seattle's Kinnear shot just wide left from 25 yards out.
Chance Fry came on for Sounder Marco Rizi at 56 minutes and Jason Dunn came on for Haynes at 64 minutes, in what would prove to be effective substitutions.
At 63 minutes, Montreal's #12 headed on goal from a corner kick play but Hahnemann made a point-blank save and held on to the ball. A minute after entering, Jason Dunn shot just over from 25 yards.
At 66 minutes, Montreal's #17 came on for Sahrane.
The goal came at 71 minutes. Kinnear's free kick went across the field in the air and into the right corner, where Webber headed it into the goal area. Fry chest-trapped the ball with his back to the goal and defenders on his back. He thought about turning, but saw Jason Dunn coming forward unmarked and made a short drop pass which Dunn hammered into the net. Onstad had no chance to save.
The attacks came fast and furious the last 20 minutes. Hahnemann saved a header on goal at 74 minutes. Then Dougherty dribbled through into the penalty area and passed to Paulinho, whose shot was saved by Hahnemann. After a quick counterattack, Jason Dunn shot just wide left. Harper shot over from 20 yards. Another Paulinho shot was saved by a diving Hahnemann. Fry received a long pass in the penalty area and tried to chip the keeper but shot just over.
At 82 minutes, Thompson came on for Paulinho. The last five minutes saw a shot a minute. Dougherty shot just high and left from 25 yards. An offside Montreal attacker shot into the net, but the linesman correctly raised his flag. Jason Dunn's breakaway shot was saved by Onstad. Thompson shot just over from 25 yards. In the 90th minute, Thompson got a clear shot from 15 yards after two Sounder defenders collided and fell trying to head out a Montreal cross, but Thompson again shot over the crossbar. He was visibly upset with himself for missing that opportunity.
In injury time, Hattrup earned a yellow card, I believe for failing to promptly give 15 yards on a free kick. The free kick was headed out of danger by Seattle and time expired with Jason Dunn's lone goal proving sufficient.
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