2006 Jun 18

Miami FC  5 - 3  Seattle Sounders
Tropical Park Stadium, Miami, FL

Miami: Hunter Gilstrap; JP Rodrigues (Allen Handy 46'), Walter Ramirez (Jamil Jean-Jacques 65'), Stephane Guillaume (Luc Harrington 72'), Michael Erush; Diego Walsh, John Pulido (Oscar Gil 57'), Mike Adeyemi, Zinho; Romario, Mario Rodriguez (Fabian Sandoval 90'). Substitutes not used: Chris Doyle, Pedro Power.

Seattle: Chris Eylander; Noah Merl, Seyi Abolaji (Jake Besagno 70'), Stephen Keel, Jason Harvey (Craig Tomlinson 54'); Kevin Sakuda, Leighton O'Brien (Nate Boyden 77'), CJ Klaas (Santa Maria Rivera 64'), Andrew Gregor; Cam Weaver, Roger Levesque. Substitutes not used: David Mahoney.

Goals:
12' MIA: Adeyemi
32' SEA: Weaver (Levesque)
45' MIA: Romario (PK)
49' SEA: Keel (Harvey)
66' MIA: Romario (Rodriguez)
68' SEA: O'Brien (PK)
88' MIA: Romario (Walsh)
90' MIA: Gil

Additional match reports: Miami FC.

Match report from the Sounders:

In a game of highs and lows, the Seattle Sounders were defeated by Miami FC 5-3 with a three goal performance by Brazilian forward Romario at Tropical Park Stadium. A red card given to Sounders midfielder Andrew Gregor forced the Sounders to play a man down nearly the entire match. The three goal output was a season high for the Sounders, all three goals were scored short-handed. Romario broke the 3-3 tie in the 88th minute with an eight-yard header, and Miami's Oscar Gil finished the scoring with a goal in stoppage time.

Sounders midfielder Andrew Gregor was ejected early in the match after tangling with another player on a challenge, knocking both players to the ground. Upon getting up Gregor appeared to trample a Miami player and was given a straight red card by the referee. With the ejection Gregor is required to serve a league-imposed one-match suspension.

Miami took a 1-0 lead early, but Seattle's Cam Weaver scored his sixth goal of the season in the 31st minute to even the score. Receiving the ball in the box, Weaver played the ball into space and delivered a shot inside the near post to tie the match at 1-1.

Romario gave Miami FC the lead three times throughout the match, netting the club's next three goals. Capturing the lead in the 42nd minute on a penalty kick, Romario gave Miami FC a 2-1 lead heading into halftime. He would score again in the 65th for a 3-2 lead and once more 86th minute allowing Miami to go head by a goal 4-3.

The Sounders kept the match close despite playing short handed. Just after the break, new Sounders gefender Stephen Keel scored his first goal of the season on a ball played into the box by Roger Levesque. On the end line outside the box, Levesque sent the ball inside. Jordan Harvey's point-blank shot deflected off goalkeeper Hunter Gilstrap to Keel, who was cutting into the six yard box. Keel's goal tied the match at 2-2 in the 49th minute.

Sounders second half substitute forward Craig Tomlinson earned the next Sounders goal as he was fouled in the box on a breakaway, setting up a penalty kick for midfielder Leighton O'Brien. With a shot just out of the reach of Miami goalkeeper Gilstrap and inside the left post, O'Brien tied the match at 3-3 in the 67th minute. The PK goal was O'Brien's first goal of the season.

Even short-handed the Sounders maintained the run of play in the second half, pressuring Miami FC with quick counterattacks and possessing the ball in the offensive half of the field. But being short-handed would ultimately help Romario find open space in the box in the 88th minute for the go-ahead header.

Miami sealed the victory in added time as Oscar Gil netted Miami FC's fifth goal of the match. The Sounders have now lost five consecutive matches, all five losses coming on the road.

The three goals scored against Miami was Seattle's highest goal output of the season, but the Sounders also allowed a season high five goals. Romario takes a commanding lead in the goal scoring standings now with eight goals; Weaver maintains his second place ranking now with six.

With another two-game road trip next week, the Sounders face the Virginia Beach Mariners on June 22nd before facing the Minnesota Thunder on June 24th. The Sounders' next home match is June 28th against the Puerto Rico Islanders at Qwest Field.

Statistics:
       Miami   Seattle
Shots:       15         9
Saves:        2         3
Corners:      5         8
Fouls:       20        21
Offsides:     1         2

Misconduct:
25' SEA: O'Brien cautioned for tripping in the circle
27' SEA: Gregor unjustly sent off for a shirt pull
34' MIA: Rodrigues cautioned for knocking Weaver down challenging for an air ball just outside the area
58' MIA: Adeyemi cautioned for kicking the ball away after a Miami foul
78' MIA: Walsh cautioned for delay
90' MIA: Adeyemi cautioned and sent off for his second caution

Referees: Michael Hill; Achilles Duenn, Kian Attoi; Pedro Villa

Attendance: 1,625