2002 Jun 30

Cincinnati Riverhawks  0 - 1  Seattle Sounders
Hamilton County Fairgrounds, Carthage, OH

Goals:
25' SEA - O'Brien

Cincinnati: Michael Ueltschey; Robert Meyer (Benjamin Fisher 58'), Fred DeGand (Jonathan Tetirick 65'), Jon Pickup, Joe Mercik; Daniel Alvarez, Shawn Rockey, Richard Roettker (Conally Edozien 59'), Marcel Matis; Peter Byaruhanga, Ryan Lucas (Emmanuel Ayim 75').

Seattle: Preston Burpo; Zach Scott, Ryan Edwards, Scott Jenkins, Craig Waibel; Chad Brown, Leighton O'Brien, Andrew Gregor (Kyle Smith 81'), Jason Boyce (Greg Foisie 56'); Darren Sawatzky, Brian Ching.

Match report from the Sounders:

The Seattle Sounders Professional Soccer Club, handed their first loss of the season by the Cincinnati Riverhawks on June 14th, got revenge with a 1-0 victory Sunday night in Cincinnati. With the win the Sounders improved to 12-2-0.

Sounder captain Leighton O'Brien scored the lone goal of the game in the first half. He took a corner kick that bent perfectly over the head of Riverhawks (4-7-0) keeper Michael Ueltschey.

O'Brien, the Sounders 2001 Most Valuable Player, now has a goal and an assist in the last two games. The 26-year-old midfielder is second on the team in scoring. He has five goals and nine assists, good for 19 points.

A stingy Sounder defense kept the Riverhawks off the board and keeper Preston Burpo picked up his second shutout of the season.

"It's great to get another win, especially since these guys beat us a few weeks ago," said Burpo.

Head coach Brian Schmetzer commented, "Our defense won this game." He continued, "Preston and his defensive mates really stepped it up tonight. They defended like mad and it got us another win."

The Sounders now have 56 points and continue to lead the Western Conference's Pacific Division. They have scored 38 goals thus far this season. They only scored 40 goals last season.

Statistics:
       Cincinnati  Seattle
Shots:     10         8
Saves:      6         4
Corners:   13         4
Fouls:     19        11
Offsides:   5         3

Misconduct:
Cincinatti cautions: Mercik
Seattle cautions: Brown, O'Brien

Referee:
Attendance: 619