1999 May 21
 
Seattle Sounders Selects 2 – 0 Spokane Shadow
Renton Memorial Stadium, Renton, WA 
 
8' SEA: Partridge (Gradilla)
82' SEA: Bloomstine (Oyetuga)
 


Based on the match report from the Selects:
 
The Seattle Sounders Selects started out their official 1999 league campaign with an impressive win over a short-handed, but always dangerous, Spokane Shadow.

Possibly stung from an earlier 5 – 0 loss to the Shadow in a US Open Cup preseason match, the Selects were pressuring the ball and forcing confusion in the Spokane ranks early.

In just the 8th minute, after a couple of early near misses, new signing Chris Gradilla slotted a perfectly weighted pass through to Joe Partridge, who cracked in home from 15 yards. Score, 1 – 0 Selects.

The match was testy and scrappy for much of the remainder. Sounders players Nick Downing, Joe Vega, and Mike Casale all received yellow cards for over exuberant tackling. In the 70th minute, Shadow forward Dave Berto was given a red card for a vicious tackle on Seattle’s Nick Downing. Though Berto and the Spokane bench complained bitterly about the card, most observers thought the punishment fair.

In the 82nd minute, the ever-present Jamie Bloomstine headed in a looping cross from Everett High School’s Dayo Oyetuga for the final score of 2 – 0. Other near misses came from Seattle’s Chris Farnsworth, who almost chipped Spokane goalie Yost from 35 yards, as well as Ben Somoza. Skyler Nelson cleared a Spokane shot off the line for the Selects.

Stats:
         Shots  Saves  Corners  Fouls  Offside
Seattle    14     4       0      10       1
Spokane     7     4       7      15       2

Referee:  Kevin O'Brien
Attendance:  236