San Francisco Bay Seals 2 - 4 Seattle Sounders
Kezar Stadium, San Francisco
 
38' SEA: Duncan own goal
51' SEA: Henderson (PK)
58' SEA: Henderson (Jenkins)
59' SEA: Baena (Heald)
69' SFB: Utush (Simpson)
84' SFB: Sobye (Gore)

San Francisco Bay: Greg Connell; Todd Duncan, Angelo Sablo, Shani Simpson (Adam Siegman 75), Chris Davini (Jay Gore 82); Robert Gallo (Ali John Utush 68), Keith Ratzburg, Jorge Salazar, Braedon Cloutier (Clay Harty 64); Marquis White, Stale Sobye.
 
Seattle: Bill May; Kieran Barton, Jason Annicchero, Scott Jenkins, Craig Waibel; Shan Gaw (Randy Mann 77), Sean Henderson, Oliver Heald, Ralph Robertson; Ian Russell (Viet Nguyen 68), Mark Baena.
 

The Seattle Sounders finished a successful 2-match trip to California by beating the San Francisco Bay Seals 4-2. An own goal by SF Bay's defender Todd Duncan was the only score in the first half. Early in the second half, the Sounders pulled away, scoring thrice in 8 minutes. Ian Russell was taken down to give Sean Henderson a penalty kick for the second goal, then Henderson scored from the run of play a few minutes later. Mark Baena finished Seattle's scoring less than a minute later after Oliver Heald stole the ball after the kickoff and gave it to Baena. SF Bay found the net too late with a pair of goals by Ali John Utush and Stale Sobye; by then Seattle's win seemed certain.

San Francisco Bay started two MLS players, forward Marquis White loaned from the Colorado Rapids and midfielder Braedon Cloutier loaned from the San Jose Clash. While the Sounders are also "affiliated" with those same two MLS sides, no players have been loaned by MLS to Seattle, not even when Seattle needed help due to injuries.

First Half

San Francisco Bay, with the wind in the first half, had all of the shots in the first 15 minutes. Jorge Salazar tested goalkeeper Bill May in the 2nd minute with a 35-yard shot, forcing a dive by May to push the ball wide and concede a corner kick. A Seals shot from 25 yards was sent high and wide. SF Bay's best chance of the half came at 10' when May was cautioned for handling the ball just outside the penalty area. Salazar put the resulting 18-yard free kick past May and off the crossbar.

The Sounders found some offense at beginning 16 minutes in when Scott Jenkins volleyed Shan Gaw's corner kick just wide of goal. The Sounders peppered goalkeeper Greg Connell beginning in the 23rd minute when Gaw's 20-yarder forced a tough save and Ian Russell's put-back shot from the rebound was saved and held. At 30' Mark Baena fed Russell for an excellent opportunity, but Connell saved the hard shot on the line. Ralph Robertson forced another save a minute later, then soon earned another chance, sent just wide.

38' SF Bay own goal. Oliver Heald's cross was played by Todd Duncan's thigh over his keeper and into the net for an own goal to give Seattle the lead.
 
Promptly after the kickoff, Henderson earned a good chance but Robert Gallo blocked the shot.

In the last few minutes of the half, SF Bay regained the momentum as Salazar's half-volley was on goal but easily saved by May, then Stale Sobye fed Shani Simpson for a good shot, also saved by May.

Halftime:  San Francisco Bay 0 - 1 Seattle

Coach Neil Megson's halftime talk must have been on the money, as Seattle pulled well clear of SF Bay early in the second half. Jason Annicchero got an early chance with a header when Connell came out after the ball, but the shot was sent wide of the open net.

51' Henderson (PK). Russell beat a man to penetrate into the penalty area, then he was taken down to earn the penalty kick. Henderson put the spot kick into the lower left corner for the 2-0 Sounders lead.

58' Henderson (Jenkins). Baena carried the ball into the danger zone and when he couldn't earn a shot, he dropped to Jenkins, who passed to Henderson, who put away his second goal in 7 minutes. 0-3 Seattle.

59' Baena (Heald). After the kickoff, Oliver Heald stole the ball 25 yards from SF Bay's goal. Heald passed left to an open Baena, who rifled a shot into the top far corner. 0-4 Seattle.

Henderson had a chance at a hat trick when he took a drop pass and shot far post, but Connell made the diving save.

Baena was robbed when he netted the ball at 67' but was flagged offside. Baena made a nicely timed run onto Henderson's cross and headed past Connell from 10 yards, but an apparently erroneous offside call negated the fine effort, which would have given Baena the league lead for goals. Instead, Baena is now tied with Staten Island's Ernest Inneh with 18 goals for the season.

69' Utush (Simpson). Just after coming on as a substitute, Ali John Utush scored on his first touch of the match after being set up by Shani Simpson. SF Bay 1 - 4 Seattle.

Seattle had a few more chances to put on the rout. At 75' Jenkins' cross wandered on goal and had to be pushed over the bar by Connell. Henderson had a last chance at a hat trick at 81' when he tried for a diving header but couldn't quite reach the ball. Substitute Randy Mann's shot from Viet Nguyen's drop was deflected just wide. And Heald was just wide with a shot.

84' Sobye (Gore). Gore's serve was flicked by Stale Sobye over May and in for the final score of SF Bay 2-4 Seattle.

Final:  San Francisco Bay 2 - 4 Seattle

The Sounders now have a 4-match home stand before travelling up I-5 to Vancouver for the last match of the A-League regular season. The Sounders' last two matches are both against Vancouver and will be interesting since Vancouver is currently three points ahead of Seattle in the race for 2nd place in the Pacific Division.

Statistics:
Shots:  SFB 10, SEA 18
Saves:  Connell 8, May 5
Corners:  SFB 5, SEA 8
Fouls:  SFB 11, SEA 12
Offsides:  SFB 0, SEA 3
 
Misconduct:
10' May (SEA) cautioned for handling the ball outside the penalty area.
60' Robertson (SEA) cautioned for taking down Simpson.
 
Referee: Alex Del Angel; Asst. Refs: Joe Pimentel, Yader Reyes; 4th Official: Craig Smith
Attendance: radio announcer estimated 300