2008 May 2

Atlanta Silverbacks  0 - 2  Seattle Sounders
Blackbaud Stadium, Charleston, SC

Atlanta: Ryan McIntosh; Justin Moore (Scott Buete 72'), David Hayes, Matt Bobo, Zach Kirby (Martyn Lancaster 73'); Mac Kandji, Tony McManus, Rodrigo Rios, Ansu Toure (Nathan Knox 80'); Jason McLaughlin (Chris Mahaffey 88'), Warren Ukah (Jerson Monteiro 77'). Substitutes not used: Felipe Quintero, Josh Bolton.

Seattle: Chris Eylander; Danny Jackson, Taylor Graham, Zach Scott, Kevin Sakuda; Kenji Treschuk, Leighton O'Brien (Jason Cascio 77'), Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar, Josh Gardner (Noah Merl 80'); Andre Schmid (John Fishbaugher 73'), Sebastien Le Toux (Adam West 90'). Substitutes not used: Ben Dragavon.

Goals:
8' SEA: O'Brien
66' SEA: Le Toux (Jackson)

Additional match reports: Silverbacks.

Match report from the Sounders:

The Seattle Sounders ended their three game road trip to start the season with a 2 - 0 victory in Atlanta to give them their fourth point of the season.

Goals from Leighton O'Brien and Sebastien Le Toux gave Seattle the three points in a hotly contested rematch of last year's championship game.

Seattle beat Atlanta 4 - 0 at Starfire in the 2007 USL title game and the Silverbacks came out of the gates with ideas of revenge, creating early opportunities in the 4th and 5th minutes. A cross from Ansu Toure in the fourth minute was headed just wide and a few moments later, Chris Eylander mishandled a ball that was nearly picked up by Rodrigo Rios.

But it was Seattle who would grab the early advantage when the work of Josh Gardner created a corner kick for Leighton O'Brien. O'Brien stepped up to the left corner and scored directly, unassisted, bending the ball into the far post above the head of Toure.

The goal threw Atlanta forward but, yet again, the great goalkeeping of Chris Eylander kept the Sounders ahead. In the 15th minute Mac Kandji got on the end of a cross and sent in a low shot that Eylander did very well to block with his leg.

Holding the advantage, Seattle was content to drop back and make Atlanta press the action.

Toure, the Silverbacks quick midfielder, ran well off the ball and caused problems down the Sounders right side, but Atlanta struggled to get on the end of combinations and the confident defending of Seattle's backline handled any trouble caused by the home team.

The Sounders weren't without opportunities for a second goal. In the 35th Atlanta keeper Ryan McIntosh stepped out of the box with the ball and received a handball penalty, but Seattle couldn't capitalize as Josh Gardner's free kick went just over the crossbar.

The Silverbacks last chance of the half came from David Hayes in the 45th, whose shot went high and left, and the sides went into the half with the Sounders holding a 1 - 0 advantage having taken only one shot on goal.

At the restart, Seattle looked to kill off the game. Sebastien Le Toux had close range efforts in the 48th and 49th go just wide.

The Silverbacks had no answer for the Sounders backline but when they did, Eylander cleaned up the mess. Atlanta looked sure to score in the 56th minute with a close range open header from Mac Kandji, but Eylander made a spectacular save diving to his left and rescued Seattle once again.

Seattle found their second goal in the 65th minute with Sebastien Le Toux scoring his first goal of the season off a long ball from Danny Jackson. LeToux's run was perfectly timed and keeper Ryan McIntosh failed to close in on the ball quickly enough; LeToux got a small touch on the pass and the ball found the back of the net.

With only ten minutes remaining, Seattle's defense held firm and Atlanta wasn't able to get a clear opportunity. Coach Schmetzer brought in defensive substitutes John Fishbaugher, Jason Cascio and Noah Merl to reinforce the midfield and Seattle preserved the 2 – 0 scoreline.

Statistics:
          Atlanta   Seattle
Shots:        3         4
Saves:        0         3
Corners:      6         3
Fouls:        8        13
Offsides:     1         1

Misconduct:
33' SEA: Schmid cautioned
55' SEA: Treschuk cautioned
74' SEA: O'Brien cautioned
90' ATL: Hayes cautioned

Referees: Fernando Ituriaga; William Cleland, Tony Russo; JJ Blodgett

Attendance: 1,928