2009 May 10 2009 May 10
Qwest Field, Seattle, WA
Goals:
22' SEA: Sebastien Le Toux (Nate Jaqua, Steve Zakuani)
36' LA: Alan Gordon (Mike Magee)
Seattle: Kasey Keller; Nathan Sturgis (Zach Scott 72'), Tyrone Marshall, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, James Riley (sent off 58'); Steve Zakuani (Sanna Nyassi 73'), Osvaldo Alonso, Freddie Ljungberg, Brad Evans; Sebastien Le Toux (Stephen King 87'), Nate Jaqua. Substitutes not used: Chris Eylander, Patrick Ianni, Tyson Wahl, Taylor Graham.
Los Angeles: Donovan Ricketts; Todd Dunivant, Gregg Berhalter, Omar Gonzalez, Tony Sanneh; Mike Magee, Stefani Miglioranzi, Dema Kovalenko (Edson Buddle 84'), Jovan Kirovski (Chris Klein 63'); Alan Gordon (Eddie Lewis 76'), Landon Donovan. Substitutes not used: Josh Saunders, AJ DeLaGarza, Bryan Jordan, Josh Tudela.
Match report by Ron Stickney
Referee Tim Weyland's poor game management turned this match into an ugly Mothers Day event. After a 1-1 first half, Seattle defender James Riley was red-carded from an altercation after a Los Angeles foul, hurting Seattle's chances to get a match winner.
Sebastien Le Toux scored first, then Alan Gordon brought Los Angeles back before intermission.
Le Toux got the start in place of Fredy Montero, who sat out the match due to a red card in the previous match. It was Le Toux's first goal in the regular season, and his third of the year if you count his brace from the US Open Cup qualifier a few weeks ago.
After LA's Mike Magee sent the first shot high from a cleared corner kick, the Sounders put good pressure on the LA goal for a few minutes around 10'. They could get the ball into the penalty area, but couldn't find an open man for a shot.
Landon Donovan led the Galaxy attack for a few minutes around 20'. First, he got the ball on a diagonal run to the arc and missed by a yard from the arc. Then on two consecutive attacks he got free for a cross from the right and both times goalkeeper Kasey Keller took the cross on his front porch.
22' SEA: Le Toux (Jaqua, Zakuani). Seattle's goal came suddenly. Steve Zakuani intercepted a Los Angeles pass near the circle and put a quick ball over the defense right up the middle. Even though Nate Jaqua was not offside, the entire Los Angeles back line let Jaqua run in from the right and beat goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts to the ball at the arc. Le Toux was also allowed to advance unmarked from the left and Jaqua served him. Le Toux's mother could have finished this one -- Le Toux needed only to roll the ball into the center of the empty net. 1-0 Seattle.
Three minutes later Seattle came close to a second goal. From the right Brad Evans curved an aerial pass towards the far post. Jaqua beat his marker to it and dive for a headed shot, but it hit the wrong side of the near post. Another three minutes later Zakuani tried a rocket from 20 yards on the left. It hit Ricketts hard in the chest, but the rebound stayed close enough for Ricketts.
36' Gordon (Magee). Los Angeles intercepted a pass out of Seattle's back and found Magee open wide left. Magee sent an air cross near the spot and Gordon rose to head it inside the far post. 1-1.
In the 44th minute it appeared that a penalty was deserved when Jaqua was pulled down by Dema Kovalenko just when it appeared that Jaqua was in on goal from 15 yards away. The fans couldn't believe that the foul wasn't called, and captain Freddie Ljungberg voiced his displeasure to Weyland after the whistle was blown for halftime. Evans earned a yellow card for his complaining about the lack of a call on the play.
Halftime: Seattle 1 - 1 Los Angeles
The match went sour in the 57th minute. LA's Gregg Berhalter was called for a foul on Le Toux, and when Riley tried to retrieve the ball for a free kick Berhalter picked up the ball. Riley pulled Berhalter to the ground and took the ball away. Todd Dunivant and Mike Magee then made contact with Riley, with Magee grabbing Riley by the neck. Riley put his hand on Magee's neck, and Magee went down like he had been struck. After an initial yellow card to Riley, referee Weyland consulted with the assistant referee and Riley was shown the red. Ljungberg got a yellow for dissent, and Magee got a yellow. For the second consecutive match, the Sounders were left to play most of the second half short-handed.
On the restart, a broken play led to a 30-yard shot by Osvaldo Alonso, sent two yards wide.
Los Angeles had one good shot left in this match, taken at 65'. Shortly after entering the match, Chris Klein got the ball at the arc from a diagonal drop pass and shot hard at the lower far corner, and Keller made a fine save to keep the score level.
Seattle kept attacking the rest of the match and had some promising moments, but couldn't earn a good shot.
Final: Seattle 1 - 1 Los Angeles
Statistics:
SEA LA
Shots: 7 8
Saves: 1 1
Corners: 5 8
Fouls: 10 16
Offsides: 5 0
Misconduct:
32' LA: Gordon cautioned for chopping down Ljungberg
45' SEA: Evans cautioned for dissent
57' SEA: Riley first cautioned for an altercation after a Los Angeles foul
57' SEA: Riley sent off after the referee talked to the assistant referee
58' SEA: Ljungberg cautioned for dissent after the red card
58' LA: Magee cautioned for his part in the same incident
61' LA: Kirovski cautioned for a tactical foul
62' LA: Sanneh cautioned
80' SEA: Jaqua cautioned
83' LA: Miglioranzi cautioned
Referees: Tim Weyland; Darren Clark, Emiliano Monje; Yader Reyes
Attendance: 29,025
Additional match reports:
