2009 Sep 12 2009 Sep 12
Robert F Kennedy Memorial Stadium, Washington, DC
Goals:
5' SEA: Steve Zakuani (Peter Vagenas)
54' DC: Rodney Wallace
84' SEA: Fredy Montero (James Riley)
DC: Josh Wicks; Julius James, Avery John, Rodney Wallace, Bryan Namoff; Fred (Chris Pontius 53'), Ben Olsen (Andrew Jacobson 84'), Clyde Simms, Santino Quaranta; Jaime Moreno (Christian Gomez 83'), Luciano Emilio. Substitutes not used: Milos Kocic, David Habarugira, Devon McTavish, Andrew Jacobson, Tiyiselani Shipalane.
Seattle: Kasey Keller; Leo Gonzalez, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Patrick Ianni, James Riley; Steve Zakuani (Tyrone Marshall 86'), Osvaldo Alonso, Peter Vagenas (Brad Evans 62'), Sebastien Le Toux; Nate Jaqua (Roger Levesque 77'), Fredy Montero. Substitutes not used: Terry Boss, Zach Scott, Tyson Wahl, Nathan Sturgis.
Match report from Ron Stickney:
The Seattle Sounders FC made a strong bid for a playoff berth with a 2-1 win at DC United, the same scoreline that gave the Sounders the US Open Cup trophy on the same pitch ten days earlier. The Sounders' goals came from 21-year-old "kids", Steve Zakuani early and Fredy Montero late. In between, another 21-year-old, Rodney Wallace, scored for DC, making it a very close match.
The Sounders were without Freddie Ljungberg, serving a suspension for yellow card accumulation.
First Half
5' SEA: Zakuani (Vagenas). The first goal came quickly, on the first shot of the match. Nate Jaqua won a ball under pressure in the center circle and dropped it back for Peter Vagenas, also under pressure. Vagenas sent an amazingly perfect pass up the middle half the length of the pitch, and Zakuani ran around Bryan Namoff to claim the ball two steps ahead. Goalkeeper Josh Wicks came out and stayed up, so Zakuani rolled his shot between Wicks' legs and into the center of the goal. 1-0 Seattle.
DC had their first chance on 10 minutes when Patrick Ianni, then James Riley could not clear an air ball out of the area, giving Luciano Emilio a chance with a header from close, but he sent it two yards wide. Fred had the next chance, served in front of goal by Santino Quaranta, but Fred's first touch was too much and the ball went to goalkeeper Kasey Keller.
Near the half-hour mark Montero gave Zakuani two chances at a second goal. The first was a touch across the goal mouth, but Zakuani had stopped his far-post run. The next was a ball served to Zakuani's head near goal, but the shot went well over the bar.
The last good chance of the half came when Sebastien Le Toux got by a defender for a 15-yard shot. Wicks was out to block it, and from the rebound Montero shot just over the bar from 20 yards.
Second Half
54' DC: Wallace. The equalizer came when DC were attacking well and Seattle looked a bit out of sorts. Wallace carried the ball up the middle and dished it left for Emilio. Riley slid in to tackle the ball from just in front of Emilio, but unfortunately the ball went back to the middle in front of Wallace, who powered a shot past Keller. 1-1.
Seattle had the next several chances. After a good build-up Le Toux sent in a dangerous cross with two attackers on the door step, but Wicks got an arm out to send the ball wide. At 65' Zakuani beat Namoff again to get close on the left for a shot, Wicks made a sliding save, and Montero's shot from the rebound had a steep angle and hit the side netting. A minute later Montero held the ball in the penalty area to wait for an opportunity, then missed the top near corner.
For DC at 67' Ben Olsen drove a shot from 20 yards and missed wide by a yard.
For Seattle at 70' Osvaldo Alonso tried up the middle from 25 yards, and Wicks was at the post for a save.
A minute later Olsen drove another shot from 20, and Keller saved well, diving sideways to push it wide of the near post. Keller had to save again three minutes later when Emilio was free on goal after Ianni fell, but Emilio's shot was weak and Keller made the save. A minute later it was Emilio again, fighting off Jhon Kennedy Hurtado to get in, but Keller came out and the shot missed Keller by an inch, then missed the goal by an inch.
Roger Levesque came on for Seattle, replacing Jaqua, and soon got a shot after DC gave the ball away in their end, but Levesque missed the far post by a yard. A minute later Montero shot hard on goal from 20 yards, and Wicks saved head high.
84' SEA: Montero (Riley). On a Seattle attack, Riley sent a pass straight ahead into the penalty area past four defenders. Montero turned away from James to get a shot and powered it into the top near corner, glancing off the post on the way in. The ball appeared to have deflected slightly off James' foot at the launch. 2-1 Seattle.
Seattle sent in Tyrone Marshall for Zakuani late, allowing Marshall to be rewarded for three matches without a caution. That means Marshall is now two cautions away from a suspension rather than one.
With Seattle defending in numbers and killing the ball in the offensive corner at every chance, DC had two chances in the three minutes of added time. A poor defensive clearance by Marshall gave Wallace a half chance, but he shot well over the bar. Clyde Simms gave Emilio a header from within range, but the shot was not close. A fine defensive effort by Seattle had secured the win.
Statistics:
DC SEA
Shots: 8 11
Saves: 4 2
Corners: 1 4
Fouls: 13 13
Offsides: 0 1
Misconduct:
57' DC: Wallace cautioned for sliding under Vagenas
62' DC: Quaranta cautioned for a dive
90' DC: John cautioned for a reckless foul
Referees: Silviu Petrescu; Kermit Quisenberry, Nate Clement; Terry Vaughn
Attendance: 19,592
Other match reports:
