2002 May 18

Seattle Sounders 1 - 0 Vancouver Whitecaps (AET)
Memorial Stadium, Seattle, WA

Goals:
92' SEA - Kingsley (Nguyen)

Seattle: Rich Cullen; Kieran Barton, Scott Jenkins, Ryan Edwards; Nate Daligcon (Zach Kingsley 69'), Jason Farrell, Andrew Gregor, Viet Nguyen, Leighton O'Brien; Darren Sawatzky, Brian Ching.

Vancouver: Jim Larkin; Jeff Clarke, Nico Berg, Kevan Cameron; Tiarnan King (Nico Craveiro 57'), Oliver Heald (Andrew Veer 46'), Steve Kindel, Robbie Hall, Alfredo Valente; Jason Jordan, Dave Morris.

Match report by Ron Stickney:

Rookie Zach Kingsley headed in a golden goal in the second minute of extra time to keep the Seattle Sounders' perfect record intact at 4-0-0. The chance was set up by a perfect long cross from the left touch line by Viet Nguyen. Rich Cullen earned the shutout, getting the start after #1 'keeper Preston Burpo received a red card in the final minute a week earlier.

The match was remarkable in that only 15 fouls were whistled, split almost equally between Seattle and Vancouver, and no cards were seen or needed from referee Jair Marrufo. This reporter remarked to neighboring fans late in the match that we must have been watching a U-12 or O-50 match. Was the testosterone left in the locker rooms? Or was Marrufo masterful at match control?

The same two sides meet 24 hours later in Vancouver's Swangard Stadium.

First Half

This match was slow to start. The first 7 minutes saw no chances except for a Seattle throw-in headed in front of goal by Brian Ching, but goalkeeper Jim Larkin got to it just before Nguyen did.

Vancouver's first chance came in the 8th minute when Jason Jordan was left unmarked in the right side of the penalty area for a 12-yard shot with only goalkeeper Cullen to beat, but Cullen did well to push the low far-poster wide and it was cleared.

The first foul didn't happen until the 12th minute, and Vancouver were the guilty party.

This kind of match is sometimes settled by a goal from a defender. In the 15th minute Seattle's Scott Jenkins threw the ball in from the right to Ching, who headed to the center for defender Ryan Edwards, who was closely marked, and his falling volley from 6 yards was just wide. Ching's gold necklace was broken on the play, and he threw the remains to his bench. The 21st saw Jason Farrell head another Jenkins throw-in on goal to force Larkin's first save. The 28th minute saw the ball rattle around in the Vancouver penalty area awhile, but the defense were just good enough to prevent any good chances at goal.

A minute later a ball cleared from Seattle's penalty area was fired in from the arc by Steve Kindel, who has often been trouble for the Sounders, but Cullen was well positioned for the save. Then Tiarnan King's centered ball was touched on goal by Dave Morris (there's only one Davy Morris) from the near corner of the goal area, and Cullen collapsed for another save.

The next minute saw a good chance for Seattle when Nguyen crossed from the right in front of the defense to Farrell at the far post, but he volleyed it over the bar when there was low space between the keeper and the post. The 38th minute saw Farrell use strength to win a ball in the Vancouver penalty area and send a cross through the goal area, but nobody was on a far post run when it seemed there was enough time for a run by someone.

At the 40th minute, it was just 3 fouls a side!

The 41st saw Nate Daligcon earn a good chance from 22 yards, but Larkin had it covered. The final minute of the half saw Andrew Gregor fire a powerful shot up the middle from 25, and Larkin pushed it wide. The ball stayed in danger with two crosses through the goal area followed by a Vancouver foul 20 yards from goal. Leighton O'Brien's free kick was comfortably saved at the lower far corner by Larkin.

Halftime: Seattle 0 - 0 Vancouver

Seattle had the chances early in the second half. O'Brien got open for a pass inside the right edge of the penalty area and sent a low cross near post for Darren Sawatzky, whose shot just missed the near post. O'Brien dummied a through ball for Farrell on the left, whose 12-yard shot was on goal but parried wide by Larkin. Soon thereafter a Seattle cross from the right was flicked on for Ching, who headed just over the bar.

Vancouver should have scored in the 74th minute when a square cross 10 yards from the line went past the near post attacker to Jordan out from the far post, with plenty of square yardage exposed. Cullen was on a post to post route and wouldn't have been there in time. Jordan, with time, hit Jenkins in the back halfway to goal and the ball trickled out for a corner kick that was fruitless.

The final 10 minutes of regulation time saw good chances for the home side. Nguyen got free for a 20-yarder, curled just over the top near corner. From a 30-yard free kick Gregor was a yard wide of the bottom near corner. Ching touched square for O'Brien from the top of the arc, and Larkin dove to his right for a nice save, pushing it wide. In added time, from a throw-in play, the ball was headed in front of goal for Ching, who headed just wide of the far post.

Regulation: Seattle 0 - 0 Vancouver

92' Kingsley (Nguyen). First chance in extra time, and the rookie Kingsley finished it. Nguyen curled a perfect cross from the left touch line to the far post, where Kingsley headed it just under the bar for the golden goal. A few inches higher and Kingsley couldn't have reached enough of the ball to put it on goal. A few inches lower and the defense might have reached it first. It is sweet when a match winner like this is scored by a rookie!

Final: Seattle 1 - 0 Vancouver

Statistics:
        Seattle  Vancouver
Shots:      21       8
Saves:       3       8
Corners:     7       4
Fouls:       7       8
Offsides:    3       1

Misconduct:
None!

Referee: Jair Marrufo; Mohammed Zarrabi-Kashani, Kevin Boisen; Fred Mabbott
Attendance: 2,274