2003 Jun 13

El Paso Patriots  0 - 0  Seattle Sounders (AET)
Sun Bowl, El Paso, TX

Goals:
none

El Paso: Scott Alexander; Hamlet Diaz, Carlos Martinez, Joel Rios (Victor Arreola 86'); Laurenco Andrade, Pablo Cabrera, Enrique Cervantes (Javier Carrasco 91'), David de la Torre, Ahmed Figueroa (Jose Abarca 30', Omar Mora 70'); Sidnei Dos Santos, Mike Griego (Tim Pierce 76').

Seattle: Rich Cullen; Danny Jackson, Ryan Edwards, Zach Scott, Scott Jenkins; Jason Farrell, Andrew Gregor, Alex Bengard, Viet Nguyen (Craig Tomlinson 80'); Sean-Michael Callahan (Darren Sawatzky 62'), Kyle Smith.

Match report from the Sounders:

The Seattle Sounders started their longest road trip of the season by drawing to a 0-0 tie with the El Paso Patriots at the Sun Bowl in El Paso. It was the second time this season the Sounders failed to score while keeping the opposition off the scoreboard.

With temperatures in the 90s at game time, the two teams played to an uneventful and scoreless draw in the first half. The energy level picked up in the second half as the temperature began to drop.

Early in the second half Seattle goalkeeper Rich Cullen made a diving save on a shot off the foot of El Paso's Laurenco Andrade. In the 50th minute an El Paso defender stopped Seattle midfielder Viet Nguyen's shot from two yards. In the 55th minute El Paso goalkeeper Scott Alexander made the initial save on a Scott Jenkins blast from 18 yards out. With Alexander out of position the ball caromed directly to Darren Sawatzky but once again Seattle was denied when El Paso defender Carlos Martinez jumped in front of Sawatzky's shot from ten yards.

The Patriot's Tim Pierce had the best scoring opportunity in overtime, sneaking past the Seattle defense but missing wide on a shot from 12 yards in the final minute.

Seattle (5-3-1) have played into overtime in four straight matches, winning twice. Seattle are also unbeaten on the road at 2-2-0. With the tie El Paso's record is now 5-2-5.

The match in El Paso marked the beginning of a seven-match road stretch for the Sounders, who next travel to Indianapolis for a match Sunday against the Indiana Blast.

And from the Patriots:

The El Paso Patriots and the Seattle Sounders played to a 0-0 tie Friday night, each earning a point to keep pace in their respective divisions.

The Patriots get their 17th point and remain in second place in the A-League's Central Division, while the Sounders can do no worse than remain tied for first in the Pacific Division at 5-1-3 and with 18 points.

Both teams showcased their tough defenses and solid goalkeeping. El Paso's Scott Alexander faced seven shots from a Sounders team strong on the counterattack while Seattle's Rich Cullen faced 13 shots from a Patriots' attack that was increasingly opportunistic as the match progressed.

El Paso had a number of quality chances, with perhaps the biggest coming in the 110th minute. Second-half substitute Tim Pierce found himself the recipient of a great through ball along the left wing, coming in all alone against Cullen with room to shoot. Pierce missed the goal wide left.

It was indicative of how the match went for both teams.

Patriots' assistant coach Jesus "Chuy" Enriquez stated before the match that El Paso needed to keep at least a man advantage in the back to negate the Sounders' speed and ability on the counter. Even missing team captain and defensive midfielder Federico Juárez, out with a slight concussion, the Patriots' defense did a fine job of clogging Seattle passing lanes and slowing the counterattack.

For their part, the Sounders also shut down the Patriots when it counted most, even though El Paso's technical ability got them in close to Cullen.

Statistics:
         El Paso   Seattle
Shots:      13         7
Saves:       4         6
Corners:     4         8
Fouls:      15        19
Offsides:    8         5

Misconduct:
10' SEA - Edwards cautioned
25' SEA - Jackson cautioned
32' EP - Cabrera cautioned
88' SEA - Gregor cautioned

Referees: Jair Marrufo; Troy Travis, Ibrahim Nagim; Andrew Gage.
Attendance: 722