2004 Jun 2

Goals:
57' CAL - Holdt (Mert)
74' CAL - Jesic (Holdt)
83' SEA - Levesque (Callahan)

Calgary: Lutz Pfannenstiel; Angelo Sestito, Chris Kooy (Jordan Gillespie 23'), CJ Peszneker (Nicolas Zuniga 37'); Jamie Auvigne, Geert Brusselers, Mesut Mert, Steffen Holdt; Damir Jesic (Sergei Kolomietz-Raad 88'), Nic Reyes, Conrad Smith (Zdravko Savic 62'). Substitutes not used: Jordan Robinson, John Castrillon, Conrad Chala.

Seattle: Preston Burpo; Danny Jackson, Scott Jenkins (Sean Henderson 59'), Billy Sleeth, Marco Velez; Chad Brown, Jason Farrell, Robbie Aristodemo (Welton 62'), Viet Nguyen (Sean-Michael Callahan 76'); Kyle Smith (Ryan Edwards 89'), Roger Levesque. Substitutes not used: Danny Waltman.

Additional match reports: Calgary fan Jason Kmet

Match report from the Sounders:

Steffan Holdt scored one goal and assisted on the match winner as the Calgary Mustangs earned their first win of the season with a 2-1 win over the Seattle Sounders in an A-League match at McMahon Stadium Tuesday. The loss ended Seattle's two match winning streak that included a 5-0 win over Calgary May 23rd at Seahawks Stadium.

The teams battled to a scoreless draw through the first half although Calgary rang one shot off the cross bar in the 40th minute and had another shot just slip wide at the right post in the 45th minute. The Sounders' best scoring chance in the first half was off a corner kick in the 14th minute, but Roger Levesque's header from six yards slipped over the bar.

Holdt opened the scoring in the 57th minute, heading in a corner kick from Mesut Mert by skipping it off the McMahon stadium turf past Sounders keeper Preston Burpo. Holdt set up the Mustangs' second goal in the 74th minute by slipping a pass to Damir Jesic just inside the penalty area. Jesic used his right foot to sneak it inside the left post.

The Sounders, playing desperate, closed the gap when Levesque rifled a blast from 20 yards out, curling the ball away from Calgary keeper Lutz Pfannenstiel inside the right post in the 83rd minute.

A red card to the Sounders' Billy Sleeth in the 87th minute hurt chances of a comeback in the final two minutes plus several minutes of added time. The Sounders finished the match with 10 players for the third time in six matches.

Match report from Mustangs Alley:

Goals by Damir Jesic and Steffen Holdt powered Calgary to its first victory of the 2004 campaign as they exacted a little revenge over the Seattle Sounders on Wednesday night.

In front of its largest crowd of the season, Calgary pressed Seattle throughout the match and forced the Sounder keeper, Preston Burpo, into a number of big saves.

Seattle began the action in the 5th minute as an inswinging free-kick from Viet Nguyen was met by Roger Levesque, but he headed straight down and the bounce was gathered by Lutz Pfannenstiel.

Seconds later, Calgary stole the ball, and Geert Brusselers fed Conrad Smith, but his blast was deflected for a corner.

Levesque and Nguyen combined again in the 10th minute off a corner, but Levesque’s header headed straight at Pfannenstiel.

Billy Sleeth was shown a yellow card in the 35th minute for roughing up Jamie Auvigne. That would come back to haunt him later in the match.

In the 38th minute, Calgary’s newest acquisition, Nic Reyes, made a lovely run down the left side and laid the ball to Conrad Smith, but his low shot lacked power and was gathered by Burpo.

Two minutes later, Seattle came close, by accident, as a clearing attempt by Auvigne went straight off the head of Jason Farrell, but luckily the rebound was directed straight into the arms of Pfannenstiel.

Calgary very nearly took the lead in the 40th minute as Jesic did a little juggling act with the ball before launching a looping 28-yard shot over the outstretched fingers of Burpo, but he was denied by the crossbar.

Calgary had the last chance of the half after Holdt latched onto a fine passing combination between Mesut Mert and Brusselers, but his 18 yard blast sailed just wide left.

HALFTIME SCORE: Calgary 0-0 Seattle

Calgary kept up the pressure after the restart and came close in the 56th minute. Mert fed a beautiful long ball to Reyes, who walked the ball up the right side before it found itself on the foot of Smith, whose shot was deflected wide for a corner.

A minute later, Mert lofted a perfect cross onto the head of Jesic, whose nod was just touched over the bar by Burpo.

GOAL – 57th Minute - The resulting corner saw Mert play provider again, as his beautiful corner was met by Holdt who made no mistake when he powerfully headed the ball past a sprawling Burpo.

The 65th minute saw Calgary substitute, Zdravko Savic make a long, weaving run before he got off a shot that rolled just wide of the left post.

GOAL – Calgary scored their second of the match in the 75th minute, as Jesic was finally rewarded with a goal. Holdt ran onto a fine through ball on the left touchline and curled a perfect left footer into Jesic, who took one steadying touch before slipping the ball past Burpo from around the penalty spot.

Five minutes later, Jesic would force Burpo into making an excellent save, at full stretch, as he dove to his left to parry away Jesic’s curling right-to-left shot from the top-left corner of the 18 yard box. Off of the resulting corner, Savic met the Mert cross and forced a reaction save from Burpo. The ball fell to the feet of Jesic, but his shot was blocked and resulted in another corner.

GOAL – In the 84th minute, Seattle would claw a goal back as Roger Levesque unleashed a powerful shot that found the left corner of the Calgary net, past a diving Pfannenstiel.

Shortly after, while awaiting a Seattle free-kick, the Sounder’s Sleeth decided to elbow Nick Zuniga in the nose, in the Calgary box. Sleeth was shown the red and was escorted off to a chorus of boos from the 1247 Calgary fans.

Calgary poured the pressure on and nearly regained a two-goal lead in the 90th minute as Savic missed a good shooting opportunity from in-close, after being fed by Sergei Kolomiets-Raad, following a fine run.

The fourth official signaled for 5 minutes of extra time, but Calgary hung on to post their first win of the season and draw within two points of Seattle for the fourth and final playoff spot.

Statistics:
         Calgary   Seattle
Shots:      13        6
Saves:       5       11
Corners:     4        6
Fouls:      16       20
Offsides:    1        0

Misconduct:
30' SEA - Sleeth cautioned for a foul against Auvigne.
80' CAL - Reyes cautioned for wasting time.
87' SEA - Sleeth sent off for elbowing Zuniga in the nose.
90' CAL - Kolomietz-Raad cautioned for a foul against Smith.

Referees: Mark Budda; Bruce Primeau, Kim Chalmers; D Gantay.
Attendance: 1,247