2007 May 12

Seattle Sounders 1 - 3 Vancouver Whitecaps
Qwest Field, Seattle, WA

Seattle: Chris Eylander; Danny Jackson, Noah Merl (Jake Besagno 45'), Zach Scott, Adam West (Greg Howes 55'); Kevin Sakuda (Kenji Treschuk 86'), Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar, Josh Gardner (Santa Maria Rivera 86'), Sebastien Le Toux; Roger Levesque, Nathan Knox (Andre Schmid 45'). Substitutes not used: Ben Dragavon, Gabe Sturm.

Vancouver: Tony Caig; Adrian Cann, Steve Klein, Martin Lyle, Steve Kindel (Alfredo Valente 90'); Jeff Clarke, Jay Alberts (Tony Donatelli 61'), Martin Nash, Dave Testo (Narcisse Tchoumi 81'); Joey Gjertsen (Joel Bailey 61'), Eduardo Sebrango (Dave Morris 88'). Substitutes not used: Richard Goddard, Graham Smith.

Goals:
27' SEA: Alcaraz-Cuellar (PK)
38' VAN: Sebrango (Kindel)
78' VAN: Testo (Sebrango)
87' VAN: Donatelli (Bailey)

Additional match reports: Seattle Times, Sounders, Whitecaps.

Match report by Ron Stickney:

Playing their second match in two nights, the Seattle Sounders suffered their worst loss of the season, losing at home 3-1 to the Vancouver Whitecaps. The Sounders took the early lead with Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar's spot kick, but for the third time this season they failed to hold the lead. Eduardo Sebrango leveled the score before the break and Dave Testo and Tony Donatelli scored late to give the visitors the win. Man of the match would have to be the entire Vancouver defense.

First Half

There was plenty of defensive pressure both ways for the first quarter of the match, with no good chances either way. Vancouver's Steve Kindel took the first shot from 30 yards but was yards high.

27' SEA: Alcaraz-Cuellar (PK). The first good chance of the match came when Alcaraz-Cuellar from the 18 fed Nathan Knox on a slashing run towards the far post. Knox was close for a shot and it would have gone in if defender Steve Klein had not stopped it with his hand. Klein was shown the yellow card and the Sounders were awarded a penalty kick. Alcaraz-Cuellar put the PK low to the right while Tony Caig dove the other way. 1-0 Seattle.

Two minutes later Testo took Vancouver's first good shot from the left end of the arc towards the far post. 6 yards towards goal the ball deflected off Zach Scott's leg and then missed the near post by a yard while Eylander was taking the express to the opposite post.

Seattle had a string of chances starting at 31' when Knox was fed running up the middle for a quick try, but it didn't have much velocity and Caig had an easy first save. Roger Levesque chased down a high bounce in the box and headed it goalward, but again the shot lacked speed. Josh Gardner tried to chip a shot over Caig who had come out to play a ball, but the shot sailed over the bar. Knox blasted a shot on goal from a steep angle, but Caig was there to catch it head high.

38' VAN: Sebrando (Kindel). Against the run of play, Steve Kindel was up on the left side and beat Noah Merl at the touch line and had a clear path into the penalty area near the bye line. Kindel sent a crisp pass to Sebrango on the near post run and Sebrango finished to the far side from two yards out. 1-1, and neither side managed another scoring chance in the half.

Halftime: Seattle 1 - 1 Vancouver

Seattle started the half with Andre Schmid in for Knox and Jake Besagno in for Merl.

50' Testo (Sebrango). Seattle couldn't clear a ball from their penalty area and after knocking it around several times Jay Alberts passed to Sebrango near goal. Sebrango was denied a shot, but the loose ball was run onto by an open Testo on a square run, and from 15 yards he beat Eylander low to the far side. 2-1 Vancouver.

For Seattle, Gardner created some chances midway in the half. His long free kick went over the crowd a bit too high for a head flick, and Caig made the save on the first bounce. Gardner's corner kick was caught by Caig high in the air at the near post but he was bumped out for another Gardner corner, which Caig caught at the far post. Gardner's 25-yard free kick was a hard shot, but right into Caig's bread basket.

Meanwhile for Vancouver, Martin Nash got open for an excellent 20-yard rocket that looked destined to hit the bar, but Eylander leaped to one-hand it over the bar. Substitute Joel Bailey carried the ball nicely to 20 yards from goal and launched a shot but missed by yards.

For Seattle in the 79th, a long free kick to the right post was headed by Levesque but the shot was pressured over the bar.

87' VAN: Donatelli (Bailey). Substitute Santa Maria Rivera was beaten badly near the right touch line and Bailey was free to advance for a cross. The cross found substitute Donatelli open 15 yards from the near post and he beat Eylander low to the far side. 3-1 Vancouver.

Seattle had a late chance in added time when Scott ran through the crowd to get a shot from a ball played forward, but it just missed the near post.

Final: Seattle 1 - 3 Vancouver

Statistics:
          Seattle   Vancouver
Shots:       11        10
Saves:        1         5
Corners:      3         2
Fouls:       14        17
Offsides:     2         3

Misconduct:
26' VAN: Klein cautioned for handling the ball to prevent a goal
78' VAN: Clarke cautioned for a tactical foul on Alcaraz-Cuellar

Referees: Ramon Hernandez; Jeff Hosking, Kevin O'Daniel; Scott Lawrence

Attendance: 2,577