Sounders Header July 27, 1997

Seattle Sounders 0 - 0 California Jaguars (California wins crapshootout)

Seattle: Hudock; James, Jenkins, Barton, M. Watson; Megson (McNiel 82), Gelvezon, Hoggan, Hattrup; Fry (58' Stoddard), Gailey.

California: Rueda; Bruckner, Annichero, Rullo; Mann, Robertson, Holocher, Collins, Louis; J. Watson, Baena.

Cautions:
65' Cal: Rullo (fighting)
65' Cal: Annichero (fighting)
65' Sea: Hoggan (fighting)

Shots: Seattle 10, California 10
Saves: Hudock 2, Rueda 2
Corners: Seattle 4, California 7
Fouls: Seattle 25, California 17
Offside: Seattle 0, California 3

Referee: Roger Attaya (sp?)



Match report by Ron Stickney

After a rather boring scoreless draw, the visiting California Jaguars won the CrapShootout (tm Chris Allen). The Seattle Sounders and the Jaguars managed only ten shots apiece in 105 minutes of playing time. Only two shots apiece were on goal, and those were all easily saved. The game put a damper on the birthdays of Sounders head coach Neil Megson and club President Tor Taylor.

All three Sounders player/coaches started for the first time this season. The result suggests that a better lineup can be found. Indeed, Neil Megson and Chance Fry were both largely ineffective. Megson could still be effective as a defender, but as a midfielder he generates little offense.

Neither keeper was tested the first half. Jerome Watson received a rolling cross 6 yards out from the center of the net, but Seattle defender Kieran Barton slid in to deflect the shot out for a corner.  Ralph Robertson tried a 25-yard shot from a cleared corner kick, but missed a yard wide left.

For Seattle, Chance Fry tried a sideways volley from a Peter Hattrup cross 15 yards out, but Jason Annichero had Fry covered and the shot went wide and high. Paul Gelvezon tried an artistic, far-post flying bicycle kick from David Hoggan's cross, but missed the target.

The first 20 minutes of the second half produced just one notable attack, when California had numbers in the area and played a diagonal ball in front of the defense for Richie Louis to run onto. Seattle keeper Dusty Hudock came out and pressured Louis' first touch shot, which went wide by a yard.

At 65' the players tried to give the fans their money's worth the hard way, as a fight broke out after Gelvezon was fouled and taken down. As that melee was stopped, another one broke out back at the corner of the California penalty area, then another one closer to the California goal. After the dust settled, yellow cards were shown to California's Steve Rullo and Annichero, then to Seattle's Hoggan.

Seattle finally took their first shot of the second half at 78', a flying header by Megson that California keeper Rueda slid in to save.

At 85' California forward Mark Baena ended up in a 1v1 battle for the ball with Hudock that lasted for several seconds. Hudock won the battle when the ball went out off Baena for a goal kick.

Seattle substitute Justin Stoddard got a look at an empty net when Rueda came out for a ball and failed to get it, but Stoddard's shot hit a defender and went out for a corner kick. Mike Gailey headed Gelvezon's corner harmlessly over the bar. Stoddard earned a shot in the final minute of regulation, but his pressured header from Gelvezon's far-post cross was over the bar.

The referee failed to add time even though the brawl had stopped the game for several minutes.

Two minutes into overtime Seattle sweeper Bernie James gave away the ball, resulting in a California attack, but Paul Holocher shot over the bar from Baena's cross when Holocher should have ended the game.

The other way, Scott Jenkins took a hard 25-yard shot from a cleared cross, but missed over the bar.

California earned a 3 on 2 counterattack in the final minute, but Jerome Watson miskicked the shot and missed badly.

California won the CrapShootout, as Seattle still couldn't find the net:

California                      Seattle
------------                    ------------
Mann       1                    Hattrup    0 (wide right)
Robertson  1                    James      1
Louis      0 (wide right)       Stoddard   0 (leg save)
J. Watson  1                    Hoggan     0 (wide left)



 
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