2009 Aug 29 2009 Aug 29
Qwest Field, Seattle, WA
Goals:
none
Seattle: Kasey Keller; Leo Gonzalez, Tyrone Marshall (Patrick Ianni 19'), Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, James Riley; Steve Zakuani (Sebastien Le Toux 67'), Osvaldo Alonso, Brad Evans, Freddie Ljungberg; Nate Jaqua, Fredy Montero (Peter Vagenas 67'). Substitutes not used: Terry Boss, Tyson Wahl, Sanna Nyassi, Roger Levesque.
Toronto: Stefan Frei; Emmanuel Gomez, Nick Garcia, Nana Attakora, Marvell Wynne; Amadou Sanyang, Sam Cronin, Amado Guevara, Jim Brennan; Chad Barrett (Ali Gerba 68'), Dwayne De Rosario. Substitutes not used: Brian Edwards, Lesly Fellinga, Gabe Gala, Pablo Vitti, O'Brian White, Danny Dichio.
Match report from Ron Stickney
Neither the Seattle Sounders FC nor the visiting Toronto FC could manage a goal in this Saturday afternoon match. Toronto had their best chances early and Seattle had their best late, but Toronto's young goalkeeper Stefan Frei and Seattle's veteran Kasey Keller did enough to earn shutouts.
Toronto should have been up a goal in the third minute when Chad Barrett's pass found Dwayne De Rosario on a slashing run into the penalty area, but with plenty of open goal to shoot at De Rosario wasted the opportunity wide of the near post. Toronto looked better all of the first half, with another shot by De Rosario and one from Amado Guevara testing Keller before the Sounders managed a chance.
Seattle's first opportunity came at 13' on nice passing from Tyront Marshall to Nate Jaqua to Fredy Montero near goal, but a defender got a touch on the ball causing Montero to knock it out.
Marshall had to leave in the 19th minute after injuring himself in a collision with De Rosario.
Toronto came close twice midway in the half. De Rosario's cross from the touch line gave Barrett a diving header that just missed the far post. Then Guevara's shot from 18 yards on the left hit the bar at the far corner and rebounded back into play.
Seattle's first shot finally came at 26' when Freddie Ljungberg tried from the top of the arc, but it was an easy first save for Frei.
Toronto wasted another good chance at 38' when Barrett served Sam Cronin running in from the left while Keller was out from his line, but Cronin missed by yards.
Seattle's only good shot of the half came from a Ljungberg free kick that Jhon Kennedy Hurtado sent just wide of the near post on a diving header.
Seattle's offense continued to suffer at the start of the second half. Jaqua tried a turn at right mid, but was ineffective there. Montero finally got a 16-yard shot but missed 2 yards too high.
Seattle's attack started looking promising on the hour mark. The ball was passed from Montero to Steve Zakuani to Osvaldo Alonso for a 15-yard shot that forced a good save by Frei at the post. Ljungberg split two defenders for a shot from 15 yards and Frei pushed it over the bar. A 25-yard try by Ljungberg just missed the far post.
At 67' Seattle coach Sigi Schmid tried to inject some vitality into the Sounders side, sending in Peter Vagenas for Montero and Sebastien le Toux for Zakuani. But the offense went stale until added time after the clock hit 90.
An altercation between Seattle defender Hurtado and Toronto attacker De Rosario resulted in yellow cards for De Rosario and Ljungberg, who had stepped in to support Hurtado. It was Seattle's only card of the match, but it will sit Ljungberg for a match due to accumulation.
Toronto's only good shot of the second half came at 77' when substitute Ali Gerba powered a shot from the left aimed at the lower near corner, forcing Keller's only save as he deflected the shot wide for a corner.
Seattle had two chances to steal a win in added time. Brad Evans fed Le Toux who had the ball a step in front of his marker for a shot from 15 yards, but he rolled it softly and straight to Frei. From a throw-in play, Alonso was in close for a shot but Frei was there for a block save to preserve his shutout.
Statistics:
SEA TOR
Shots: 10 11
Saves: 1 5
Corners: 5 4
Fouls: 9 14
Offsides: 1 7
Misconduct:
41' TOR: Attakora cautioned for a tactical foul on Ljungberg
67' TOR: Gomez cautioned for dissent
73' TOR: De Rosario cautioned after a minor altercation with Hurtado after the ball went into touch
73' SEA: Ljungberg cautioned after getting involved after the Dr-Rosario-Hurtado altercation
Referees: Jorge Gonzalez; Paul Scott, Eric Boria; Ramon Hernandez
Attendance: 32,679
Additional match reports:
