2009 Apr 25 2009 Apr 25
Qwest Field, Seattle, WA
Goals:
42' SEA: Steve Zakuani (Tyrone Marshall)
49' SEA: Brad Evans (Nate Jaqua, Zakuani)
Seattle: Kasey Keller; Nathan Sturgis, Tyrone Marshall, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, James Riley; Steve Zakuani (Sebastien Le Toux 67'), Osvaldo Alonso, Freddie Ljungberg (Roger Levesque 87'), Brad Evans; Fredy Montero (Sanna Nyassi 79'), Nate Jaqua. Substitutes not used: Chris Eylander, Patrick Ianni, Zach Scott, Tyson Wahl.
San Jose: Joe Cannon; Eric Denton, Nick Garcia, Kelly Gray, Chris Leitch; Bobby Convey, Ramiro Corrales (Simon Elliott 46'), Shea Salinas (Quincy Amarikwa 65'), Arturo Alvarez; Pablo Campos (Cam Weaver 77'), Ryan Johnson. Substitutes not used: Andrew Weber, Brandon McDonald, Jamil Roberts, Davide Somma.
Match report by Ron Stickney
The Seattle Sounders FC returned to winning ways with a comfortable 2-0 win over the visiting San Jose Earthquakes. Seattle's goals came from their outside midfielders, Steve Zakuani in the first half and Brad Evans in the second.
Seattle's lineup changes were Kasey Keller back in goal, Nathan Sturgis at left back rather than Zach Scott, and Zakuani with the start to be replaced later by Sebastien Le Toux rather than vice versa as in the previous match. Keller extended his MLS campaign to 389 consecutive scoreless minutes, setting an MLS record for scoreless minutes to start a season.
San Jose were without the injured Darren Huckerby, who might have made a difference.
Seattle had the chances in the first dozen minutes. After an early yellow card to Bobby Convey, a Seattle free kick was served over the crowd but easily taken by goalkeeper Joe Cannon. A cross by Nate Jaqua was dangerous, but the San Jose managed to clear it wide. A cross from the left by Freddie Ljungberg found Jaqua, who dropped to Fredy Montero for the first shot of the match, but it was a yard too high.
San Jose took their first shot at 14' when Ramiro Corrales headed a throw-in well over the bar.
From a broken Seattle corner kick play midway in the half, Osvaldo Alonso found a chance and powered a shot just over the bar.
A minute later at the other end a San Jose build-up resulted in a Ryan Johnson shot that forced an easy save by Keller at the near post.
At 29' a quick shot by Ljungberg hit Jaqua near goal, and the follow-up shot went wide. At 35' Montero got to the end line on the right, but his shot/cross hit the near side netting.
42' SEA: Zakuani (Marshall). A Ljungberg free kick play was broken up, but Montero kept the play alive by heading the ball to Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, who fed fellow center back Tyrone Marshall wide left. Marshall crossed past goal, and Zakuani was there to head it home for his second goal of the season. 1-0 Seattle.
One more chance remained for Seattle in the half. In the final minute a Ljungberg cross from near the goal line on the right gave Jaqua a flying header at the near post that went wide to the near side.
Halftime: Seattle 1 - 0 San Jose
San Jose came out firing to start the second half. Simon Elliott replaced Ramiro Corrales for the 'Quakes. Two minutes into the half Johnson shot from wide left and Keller saved. A minute later from a corner kick play Johnson powered a header downward towards the lower far corner and Keller made the save of the match, palming it sideways for another corner that was defended.
49' SEA: Evans (Jaqua, Zakuani). On a Seattle counterattack, Zakuani passed ahead to spring Jaqua up the middle. Jaqua had a marker, but Evans was completely alone on the right on a far-post run. Jaqua's decision was the square pass to the open Evans, and Evans made it good with a shot between the chraging Cannon's legs. 2-0 Seattle.
The insurance goal seemed to stifle the San Jose attach for about 20 minutes. During that period, the only good chance was Seattle's, with Zakuani from the left feeding Jaqua for a 16-yard shot that went a couple of yards over the bar.
After several minutes of momentum by San Jose around the 70' minute mark, Keller was called into action, first coming out of goal to intercept a dangerous cross at 73', then two minutes later making a routine save on a 15-yard shot. Another two minutes later Johnson headed a shot that went well over the bar.
Seattle's defense only allowed one more chance at 84' when Johnson shot from the left and Keller saved overhead.
Final: Seattle 2 - 0 San Jose
Statistics:
SEA SJ
Shots: 11 12
Saves: 6 1
Corners: 5 6
Fouls: 8 13
Offsides: 2 2
Misconduct:
4' SJ: Convey cautioned
30' SEA: Alonso cautioned
41' SJ: Garcia cautioned
Referees: Kevin Stott; Rob Fereday, Hector Vergara; Yader Reyes
Attendance: 28,838
Other match reports:
