2007 Aug 4

Seattle Sounders  1 - 0  Puerto Rico Islanders
Qwest Field, Seattle, WA

Seattle: Chris Eylander; Danny Jackson, Zach Scott, Noah Merl, Kevin Sakuda; Kenji Treschuk, Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar (Jake Besagno 89'), Greg Howes (Nathan Knox 86'), Josh Gardner (Santa Maria Rivera 77'); Roger Levesque (Adam West 72'), Sebastien Le Toux. Substitutes not used: Ben Dragavon, Taylor Graham, Andre Schmid.

Puerto Rico: Michael Behonick; Jay Needham, Marco Velez, John Krause (Mauricio Segovia 86'), Lars Lyssand; Edwin Miranda, Victor Herrera (Alberto Delgado 77'), David Johnson, Willie Sims (Petter Villegas 58'); Tai Atieno (Alberto Zapata 58'), Fabrice Noel. Substitutes not used: Jeremy Piette, Noah Delgado, Jared Montz.

Goals:
40' SEA: Levesque (Howes)

Additional match reports: GOALSeattle.com, Seattle Times.
Photos: GOALSeattle.com.

Match report from the Seattle Sounders

The Sounders advanced to the top of the USL First Division table with a 1-0 victory over visiting Puerto Rico on Saturday. One goal by Roger Levesque is all it took for the Sounders to continue their unbeaten streak to ten games.

The Sounders showed pressure early as midfielder Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar played a long all over the top to Josh Gardner, who crossed the ball to the spot, but Puerto Rico defender Lars Lyssand was able to clear the ball out of danger.

The Islanders threatened the Sounders in the 10th minute when a sloppy clearance from Zach Scott put the ball at the foot of Willie Sims, who ripped a shot just over the crossbar.

A dangerous back pass from Marco Velez allowed Sebastien Le Toux to get an opportunity on goal, but keeper Michael Behonick was able to beat Le Toux to the ball by one step.

Sounders keeper Chris Eylander came out to cut off the angle on the right post in the 39th minute, denying a blast from Islander David Johnson.

The back and forth offensive threats continued for both teams throughout the first half. Crisp passing by the Sounders paid off in the 40th minute as Roger Levesque received the ball from midfielder Greg Howes. Levesque poked the ball past the Islander defense and was able to run onto the ball and put it past the keeper into the far right corner for his sixth goal of the season.

The second half started the same as the first half ended, with Puerto Rico still unable to string passes together and much of the same back and forth offensive action.

In the 57th minute Levesque laid the ball off to Howes who drilled a shot from 35 yards out, and the ball tipped just off the outstretched fingers of Puerto Rico keeper Behonick and out for a Sounders corner kick.

Substitute Peter Villegas led the majority of the Puerto Rico offensive efforts as he dropped the ball to Fabrice Noel who ripped a shot, but Eylander smuggled the ball on a diving save.

Eylander made two great saves in the 80th minute when Noel struck the ball, and it hit the far post and came down in front of an airborn Eylander, who punched the ball out. The ball landed at the feet of Villegas, who took the follow-up shot which Eylander was again able to stop.

Eylander was challenged a few minutes later when the Islanders broke through the Seattle defense for a scramble in the box. Eylander again cleared the ball. Puerto Rico's last push of the match sent the Sounders scrambling on defense with only minutes left. The Sounders appeared chaotic in the final minute but where able to hold it together to earn the 1-0 victory.

Statistics:
          Seattle   Puerto Rico
Shots:       8         16
Saves:       8          4
Corners:     8          3
Fouls:       5          9
Offsides:    1          0

Misconduct:
43' PR: Lyssand cautioned
84' SEA: Rivera cautioned

Referees: Will Niccolls; Jeff Hosking, Garth Trimble; Josh Wilkins

Attendance: 3,405