2002 May 26

Vancouver Whitecaps  1 - 4  Seattle Sounders
Swangard Stadium, Burnaby, BC

Goals:
39' SEA - Cameron own goal
42' VAN - Heald (PK)
60' SEA - Edwards (O'Brien)
80' SEA - Sawatzky (Farrell)
82' SEA - Sawatzky (O'Brien)

Vancouver: Jim Larkin; Spencer Coppin (John Sulentic 61'), Nico Berg, Kevan Cameron; Jeff Clarke, Paul Dailly, Steve Kindel (Andrew Veer 80'), Tiarnan King, Alfredo Valente; Oliver Heald, Jason Jordan.

Seattle: Preston Burpo; Kieran Barton, Scott Jenkins, Ryan Edwards, Zach Scott; Nate Daligcon (Chad Brown 81'), Zach Kingsley, Andrew Gregor, Leighton O'Brien; Darren Sawatzky, Kyle Smith (Jason Farrell 75', David Hernandez 87').


Additional match report by Whitecaps fan Brian Goldie.

Match report by Ron Stickney:

The Seattle Sounders won 4-1 at the Vancouver Whitecaps, their third win over the Whitecaps this young season. The Sounders took the lead late in the first half on an own goal by Vancouver defender Kevan Cameron. Vancouver came right back with an Oliver Heald penalty kick after a questionable call by referee Jill Proctor. Defender Ryan Edwards, up for a corner kick, headed in the match winner in the second half. Darren Sawatazky added a pair late to ice the match, giving him 7 goals in 7 matches. The Sounders are off to an amazing 7-0-0 start.

The match was the first for Vancouver under interim management by the United Soccer Leagues.

First Half

The first half hour saw just three chances, all by Vancouver. Tiarnan King fought through a pair of defenders on the right and found Jordan open 15 yards from the near post, and his low shot was saved by Preston Burpo. Alfredo Valente ran free on the left to receive the ball for a 15-yarder that forced Burpo to collapse for the save. Jordan's short cross went midway between Jeff Clarke and Burpo, and Clarke got his head on the ball just before Burpo's fist deflected it wide of the top far corner. Clarke stayed down on the play after it appeared that Burpo got Clarke on the follow-through.

39' Cameron own goal. Seattle's first shot came when Sawatzky in the arc headed the ball to the side for an open Zach Kingsley, whose shot was parried wide by goalkeeper Jim Larkin, giving the Sounders their first corner kick. Andrew Gregor took the corner kick from the right and it grazed Kyle Smith's head at the 6-yard line and continued on to Cameron, who headed the ball down and saw it bounce into the ceiling of the net just behind the crossbar. The own goal put Seattle up 1-0.

42' Heald (PK). Burpo caught the ball cleanly above Cameron's head and came down on Cameron, and the ball popped out of Burpo's grasp. Burpo dove on the loose ball, then in an unbelievable call referee Proctor called a foul on Burpo and awarded a penalty kick to the Whitecaps. It was the second time in a few minutes that Burpo had been hit while grabbing a ball out of the air. Heald sent the shot left with Burpo diving the other way. 1-1.

The last chance of the half was an 18-yarder by Cameron, saved by Burpo at the near post.

Halftime: Vancouver 1 - 1 Seattle

60' Edwards (O'Brien). After no good chances by either side for the opening 15 minutes of the second half, Seattle scored on another corner kick play. Leighton O'Brien's corner kick from the left side dropped into the goal area and bounced towards the top far corner. Edwards used his head to help the ball into the net. 2-1 Seattle.

A minute later Clarke nearly tied it for Vancouver when a cross to the 6-yard line gave him a shot, but a defender just barely deflected the ball wide for a corner kick.

For Seattle, Sawatzky with the ball fought through three defenders on a diagonal run to the left side of the penalty area and had only Larkin to beat, but Larkin did well to come out and block Sawatzky's shot.

The 68th minute produced a red card when Vancouver substitute John Sulentic came in with a late, cleats first slide into the supine Kingsley's ribs.

Six minutes later Sawatzky was sprung on the left on a Seattle attack and sent a nice low cross into the path of Smith, who was alone on a far-post run, and with only Larkin to beat Smith shot wide of the near post by a yard when he could have done better. O'Brien passed square for a 25-yarder by Gregor that just missed the bottom far corner.

From Heald's cross in the 79th, Vancouver defender Nico Berg bounced an 8-yard header just wide of the far post with square yardage exposed.

80' Sawatzky (Farrell). Jason Farrell, on as a substitute, sprung Sawatzky from near the halfway line and the defenders stood there praying for an offside flag. Sawatzky had all the time he wanted and slotted a 15-yard shot between the advancing Larkin and the near post. 3-1 Seattle.

82' Sawatzky (O'Brien). 35 yards from goal, the last defender tried for a ball at O'Brien's foot. O'Brien dished it to an unmarked Sawatzky, who found himself alone again with the ball. Sawatzky carried it into the penalty area and beat Larkin with a low shot. 4-1 Seattle.

Final: Vancouver 1 - 4 Seattle

Statistics:
        Vancouver  Seattle
Shots:      14       10
Saves:       4        7
Corners:    11        4
Fouls:      14       14
Offsides:    4        1

Misconduct:
15' SEA - Gregor cautioned for sliding under an opponent from behind.
24' VAN - Clarke cautioned for a late foul on Edwards.
67' VAN - Kindel cautioned for holding Kingsley near the corner.
68' VAN - Sulentic sent off for a late, cleats first slide into Kingsley's ribs.
85' VAN - King cautioned.

Referee: Jill Proctor; Martin Reid, Romy Kozak; Joe Branco.
Attendance: 3,872