US Open Cup 2nd round match:
Seattle Sounders 3 - 1 Spokane Shadow
Interbay Stadium, Seattle

28' SEA: Storkson (Barton)
56' SEA: Storkson (Robertson)
74' SEA: Hattrup (Robertson)
79' SPO: Rose (Sleeth)
 
Seattle: Preston Burpo; Bernie James, Craig Waibel, Jason Annicchero; Kieran Barton, Ralph Robertson, Randy Mann (Shan Gaw 79), Oliver Heald (Viet Nguyen 79); Erik Storkson, Ian Russell, Mark Baena (Peter Hattrup 41).

Spokane: Brian Mullen; Stuart Saunders, Brett Houck (Kris Hollingshead 72), Craig Hampton, Joe Marks; Billy Sleeth, Tim Seely, Mark Hogenhout (Zane Higgins 62), Jeff McAllister (Jeff Rose 54); Chad Brown, Dave Berto.
 

Striker Erik Storkson used his chrome dome to finish the first two goals for the Sounders. He has now scored 5 Open Cup goals for the Sounders, more than anyone else. Storkson had three for the Sounders in 1995 when they reached the semifinals in their first ever Open Cup entry, and ex-Sounder Shawn Medved had scored four Open Cup goals that year. Peter Hattrup, who came on for the ill Mark Baena in the first half, used his fancy footwork to add a late insurance goal. That third goal was very much appreciated 11 minutes from time when Jeff Rose headed one in for Spokane.

New midfielder Ralph Robertson, making his first appearance in front of the Sounders fans, impressed by setting up two of Seattle's goals as well as earning several shots.

First Half

Referee Mohammed Zarrabi-Kashani made it clear early on that he wanted all players to stay healthy for their weekend league matches. The first foul of the match earned Spokane's Craig Hampton a yellow card for being too rough, and Seattle's Kieran Barton saw yellow for the same reason after committing the match's third foul. The players got the message and in the end each side committed less than 10 fouls.

Seattle's Ian Russell had the first good chance when he was put through on the right. His looping shot over goalkeeper Brian Mullen came close but landed harmlessly on top of the net.

Spokane midfielder Tim Seely looked dangerous all evening. He took his team's first shot, a 25-yarder up the middle that forced a diving save by Preston Burpo.

Russell's cross to Mark Baena at the 18 gave Seattle's leading scorer a chance, but the shot was two yards over the exposed top right corner.

28' Storkson (Barton). A pass from Russell on the left to Randy Mann in the arc was continued to an open Barton near the right touch line. Barton's aerial cross was right where Storkson wanted it and his flashing header redirected the ball inside the far post to put the Sounders on the scoreboard. Seattle 1 - 0 Spokane.

Seattle continued the momentum, with Robertson curling a 30-yarder the wrong way just a minute after Storkson's goal, and Baena sending one just over the bar another two minutes later after getting free on the right. Baena beat his marker for a volley from the 18 but sent it over, and Baena was done for. He left soon thereafter, feeling ill, and Hattrup took his place up front.

Spokane's second shot came only near the end of the half when, from a busted corner kick play, Seely's low, 15-yard shot through the crowd was right at Burpo.

Halftime: Seattle 1 - 0 Spokane
 
Seattle kept rolling early in the second half. Hattrup worked the ball in close on the left side, then his short cross was off Mullen's outstretched hands and nearly finished by Russell, but a defender got just enough of the ball to clear it. Standing on the halfway line like a sprinter in the blocks, Russell broke to a through ball first and had only Mullen to beat, but Mullen made a sliding block at the 18-yard line.

56' Storkson (Robertson). Seattle's continued pressure paid off with the match winner early in the second half. Storkson's headed cross from the right was just over Hattrup's head out from the left post. Robertson collected the garbage near the bye line and curled an aerial cross back Storkson's way, and Storkson headed it inside the far post. Seattle 2 - 0 Spokane.

Robertson again had a shot just a minute after the goal when Hattrup's short cross in close was dropped to Robertson by Storkson, but the shot was blasted over the bar.

For Spokane, Billy Sleeth beat his marker with a feint and advanced for a smoking 30-yard shot from the left that was just wide of the near post.

Seattle continued to press forward. Robertson got another chance from a drop, again sent over the bar. Russell's speed again put him through 1-on-1 with Mullen, and this time the sliding Mullen got only part of the ball as the rebound popped up and floated towards the goal. Stuart Saunders, who was beat by Russell at the start of the play, ran in towards goal and got there before Russell, clearing the floater with a bicycle kick over the head about a yard before it dropped into the goal.

74' Hattrup (Robertson). On a counterattack, Robertson got the ball near the left touch line and rolled a nice pass between the two wide defenders and into the penalty area for Hattrup to run onto. Hattrup used one feint to get around a defender's attempted slide tackle, then used another feint to get around the sliding Mullen, earning the easy 15-yard shot into the now-open net. Seattle 3 - 0 Spokane.

79' Rose (Sleeth). Spokane suddenly scored on a play much like Seattle's first scoring play. Sleeth was alone near the left touch line for a pass. His driven cross in the air to the far post was headed in nicely by Rose, who had come on early in the second half. Seattle 3 - 1 Spokane.

Sparked by the goal, Spokane threatened to pull within one. From substitute Zane Higgins' feed forward, Dave Berto's 15-yard shot was at the bottom right corner, but Burpo dove left to make the save. Chad Brown's late blast from near the right touch line looked dangerous, but the tall Burpo leaped up and caught the ball above his head for another save.

Robertson had another couple of shots in him for the Sounders, a 25-yarder that was just wide of the top left corner, and just before the final whistle a 30-yarder, saved by Mullen at the bottom far corner.

Final: Seattle 3 - 1 Spokane

Statistics:
Shots: SEA 22, SPO 9
Saves: Burpo 5; Mullen 4
Corners: SEA 2, SPO 4
Fouls: SEA 8, SPO 9
Offside: SEA 2, SPO 2
 
Misconduct:
4' Hampton (SPO) cautioned on first foul of the match
18' Barton (SEA) cautioned on third foul of the match
36' Seely (SPO) cautioned
76' Heald (SEA) cautioned for a foul in retaliation

Referee: Mohammed Zarrabi-Kashani

Sounders US Open Cup History:
Seattle Pitch President Mark Coker dug through our electronic archives and put together this summary of the Seattle Sounders' Cup history. To the best of our knowledge, the NASL Sounders never entered the US Open Cup.

1995
June 14, 1/8 finals: Seattle Sounders 9 - 2 Everett BigFoot (Farell, Medved 3, Jason Dunn, James Dunn, Hattrup, Storkson, Fry; Machado 2).

July 21, 1/4 finals: Seattle Sounders 5 - 0 Chico Rooks (Fry, Webber, Storkson 2, Medved).

July 30, semifinals: El Paso Patriots 1 - 0 Seattle Sounders (Amparan).

1996
July 30, 1/8 finals: San Jose Oaks 0 - 1 Seattle Sounders (Thompson).

September 16, 1/4 finals: Dallas Burn 3 - 2 Seattle Sounders (Lozzano, Elliott, Eck; Leonetti, Hoggan).

1997
July 8, 1/8 finals: San Francisco Bay Seals 1 - 0 Seattle Sounders (White).

1998
Did not qualify.

1999
June 23, 2nd round: Seattle Sounders 3 - 1 Spokane Shadow (Storkson 2, Hattrup; Rose).