2011 Feb 12

Sounders shut out Chivas USA at training camp

Preseason training match:
Seattle Sounders FC  1 - 0  Chivas USA
Grande Sports World, Casa Grande, AZ

Goals:
75' SEA: David Estrada (Miguel Montaño, Jonathan Prieto)

Seattle: Kasey Keller (Terry Boss 45'); Danny Earls (Michael Tetteh 45'), Tyson Wahl (Zach Scott 45'), Jhon Kennedy Hurtado (Leone Cruz 45'), James Riley (Roger Levesque 45'); Steve Zakuani (Miguel Montaño 45'), Osvaldo Alonso (Servando Carrasco 45'), Erik Friberg (Jonathan Prieto 45'), Alvaro Fernandez (Lamar Neagle 45'); Mike Fucito (Seedy Bah 45'), Fredy Montero (David Estrada 45').

Chivas: Zach Thornton (Sergio Arias 60'); Michael Lahoud (Jorge Flores 60'), Jimmy Conrad (Trialist 60'), Michael Umaña (Andrew Boyens 60'), Zarek Valentin (Jimmy Asprilla 60'); Francisco Mendoza (Jesus Padilla 60'), Victor Estupiñan (Sal Zizzo 60'), Blair Gavin (Memo Torres 60'), Gerson Mayen (Mariano Trujillo 60'), Ante Jazic (Ben Zemanski 60'); Alan Gordon (Chukwudi Chijindu 60').

Match report from Sounders FC:

The Seattle Sounders FC concluded its two-week stay at Grande Sports World with a training game against Chivas USA on Saturday morning. David Estrada scored in the second half as Sounders FC (2-1-1) won, 1-nil, over two 45-minute halves.

After a scoreless first half, Estrada scored the game's lone goal in the 75th minute. Jonathan Prieto beat the Chivas USA defense and played a ball to Miguel Montaño at the far post. Montaño passed it back to Estrada in front of goal and he put the ball in the back of the net.

Sounders FC were goal-dangerous throughout the second half. Jonathan Prieto swung a cross into the box after a Seattle corner kick in the 67th minute and Lamar Neagle's header sailed just over the crossbar.

Neagle had another scoring opportunity in the 71st minute when he dribbled through the Chivas USA back line and shot from close-range at the near post, but goalkeeper Sergio Arias deflected the ball out for a corner kick.

A ball fell to Servando Carrasco outside of the box in the 59th minute but his hard shot was saved by Thornton.

In the first half, Fredy Montero played a ball to Mike Fucito in the 20th minute and Fucito turned quickly on the ball and struck a low shot from just outside the 18-yard box that Zach Thornton was able to save.

Erik Friberg and Alvaro Fernandez combined in the midfield and played Montero into the box in the 41st minute but his chip shot was saved by Thornton.

Seattle earned its second clean sheet in four preseason games. Sounders FC goalkeepers were tested on a pair of dangerous shots. Kasey Keller dived to his right to stop Blair Gavin's hard shot in the 26th minute and Terry Boss made a diving save on Memo Torres' hard strike in the 73rd minute.

Misconduct:
30' SEA: Wahl cautioned
56' CHV: Valentin cautioned

Running blog from Sounders FC (with minor editing):

Welcome to Grande Sports World.
Sounders FC starters: Kasey Keller, James Riley, Tyson Wahl, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Danny Earls, Alvaro Fernandez, Osvaldo Alonso, Erik Friberg, Steve Zakuani, Mike Fucito and Fredy Montero.
Chivas USA starters: Zach Thornton, Zarek Valentin, Jimmy Conrad, Michael Umana, Ante Jazic, Michael Lahoud, Victor Estupinan, Blair Gavin, Gerson Mayen, Francisco Mendoza and Alan Gordon.
We will be playing two 45-minute halves today.
Leo Gonzalez will not play today - he flew back to Seattle this morning. His wife went into labor this morning with their second child.
Rave green top, shale shorts, and green socks today.
All red for Chivas.
Brad Evans is doing some work on a side field right now with Pat Noonan, Blaise Nkufo and Taylor Graham.
4-4-2 for Seatte, 4-5-1 for Chivas.
Keep an eye on JF Torres' brother Memo Torres, who is on trial with Chivas. He's going to play the last 30 minutes of the scrimmage.
Chivas kicks it off and we are under way.
1: Seattle knocks a ball forward into the box, but Zach Thornton kicks it clear before Mike Fucito can get to it.
Biggest crowd of the week on hand today - easily over 100.
3: Erik Friberg plays it up the right sideline for Mike Fucito. His cross is defended away though.
4: Chivas plays a ball into the box from the left side, but Tyson Wahl and Erik Friberg defend it away.
5: Great ball by James Riley up the right side for Alvaro Fernandez, but it takes an odd bounce and Chivas takes possession.
8: A high ball into the box is knocked down by Alan Gordon, but right to Kasey Keller who picked it up off a bounce.
10: Fredy Montero gets the ball in Seattle's end, but is pulled to the ground before he can cross midfield.
12: Osvaldo Alonso springs Steve Zakuani forward up the left side, but he can't find a cross and Chivas takes it back.
14: James Riley gets a ball from Alvaro Fernandez up the right side, but his ball into the box is too strong and goes away for a goal kick.
15: Danny Earls knocks his mark to the ground at midfield for a foul.
16: Danny Earls knocks a wild Alan Gordon to the ground 30 yards out for a foul.
17: Chivas goes direct off the free kick, but the shot goes high for a goal kick.
Friberg has pushed to the outside now with Fernandez in the middle.
20: Mike Fucito gets a shot away from the top of the box, but Zach Thornton makes the save.
23: Tyson Wahl sends a long ball forward and Fredy Montero plays it wide for Erik Friberg, who knocks it into the box for Montero. He runs it down, but a defender kicks it clear for a Seattle throw.
24: Victor Estupinan gets a header in the box, but misses wide for a goal kick.
26: Blair Gavin rips a shot from 20 yards out off a touch from Alan Gordon, but Kasey Keller makes the save.
27: Handball by Chivas just outside the box gives Seattle a dangerous free kick on the right side.
28: Fredy Montero sends the free kick over the 5-man Chivas wall for Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, but it goes just over his head and away for a goal kick.
30: Tyson Wahl picks up a yellow card for a tackle on Alan Gordon - "You're lucky it's not a red," the referee tells him a little melodramatically.
32: Alan Gordon is flagged offside on a ball forward.
37: Good ball into the box by Chivas, but Kasey Keller smothers it to stop the attack.
41: Fredy Montero chases down a ball, weaves around the defense, then tries to chip Zach Thornton, but he makes the high save.
43: Looong ball from Osvaldo Alonso, but Zach Thornton greets it at the top of the box.
44: Mike Fucito is crushed at midfield with no call.
There's the whistle for halftime.
Score remains 0-0.

New group for the Sounders to start the second half: Terry Boss, Roger Levesque, Zach Scott, Leone Cruz, Michael Tetteh, Lamar Neagle, Jonathan Prieto, Servando Carrasco, Miguel Montaño, Seedy Bah, David Estrada.
Second half is under way.
Good pressure by Montaño and Estrada up the left side puts Chivas with a throw deep in their own end.
2: Seedy Bah gets a shot away from 19 yards out, but misses high for a goal kick.
6: Chivas plays a ball into the box from the right side, but it's easily defended away.
7: Miguel Montaño gets up the left side, but plays to Seedy Bah in an offside position and Chivas takes possession.
8: Gerson Mayen shoots from the top of the box, but misses over the crossbar for a goal kick.
9: Good ball for David Estrada, but Zach Thornton gets to it first and makes the grab off the bounce.
11: Michael Tetteh picks the ball clean off his man's feet on the sideline then has his shirt grabbed as he reaches midfield. Zarek Valentin gets a yellow card for the foul.
12: Leone Cruz springs Lamar Neagle forward, but he is flagged offside.
14: Servando Carrasco sends Michael Tetteh up the line. His cross is headed away, but Carrasco recovers it and shoots from 28 yards out, but Zach Thornton makes the save.
15: Miguel Montaño eludes his defender and shoots from 24 yards out on the left side. Zach Thornton dives to his right and touches it away for a corner kick.
Full new lineup comes on for Chivas on the corner kick.
16: Jonathan Prieto takes the corner kick and the low bouncer is knocked away for another corner. The second bounces into the front of the net, where the new keeper makes the grab.
Chivas new lineup: Sergio Arias, Jimmy Asprilla, Trialist, Andrew Boyens, Jorge Flores, Ben Zemanski, Sal Zizzo, Memo Torres, Mariano Trujillo, Jesus Padilla, Chukwudi Chijindu.
18: Michael Tetteh plays it into the box and it's knocked away for a corner.
Still no score - about 25 minutes left to play here.
Good, aggressive play by the young guys here in the second half.
22: Jonathan Prieto finsds Lamar Neagle on a corner kick, but his header goes just over the bar for a goal kick.
24: Chukwudi Chijundi shoots from 24 yards out on the left side, but misses wide for a goal kick.
25: A tough series of no-calls as Lamar Neagle is wrestled to the ground, then hip-checked.
26: Lamar Neagle works himself into some space on the right side and fires a rocket that is touched away for a corner kick.
28: Great diving stop by Terry Boss on a strong shot by Memo Torres.
30: Sounders FC goal!!! Jonathan Prieto gets away up the right side and passes into the box for Miguel Montaño, who touches it off to David Estrada for a one-touch goal at the far post. Sounders FC 1, Chivas USA 0.
And the goal is greeted with a Seattle! Sounders! chant. Love our fans.
34: Lamar Neagle and David Estrada combine well on the right side and Chivas knocks it out for a throw.
36: Servando Carrasco blasts a free kick from 35 yards out that forces the keeper into a diving stop at the post.
39: Roger Levesque sends a high ball into the box from the right side. Miguel Montaño fields it off the bounce, but his cross attempt to the far post goes high and hard for a goal kick.
44: Long ball by Miguel Montaño is just too far in front for Lamar Neagle to head it in and it goes away for a goal kick.
There's the final whistle.
Sounders FC win 1-0.

Postmatch Quotes

Seattle Sounders FC

Sigi Schmid - Head Coach

On the training game: "Obviously I thought the first 45 minutes Chivas had more of the game. I thought we were not very cohesive in our play and I know our guys are good pros and I know when they look at the mirror today they are not going to be happy with it. But the second half I thought we came in and played with a lot of energy. The guys knew that they were battling for spots to get on the plane to Florida and a lot of guys stepped up their game and it was very good."

On defensive effort: "The defending was good. Keller had to handle the ball I thought a little too much in the first half. People came back and covered and were strong on tackles, especially that second group. I thought Michael Tetteh played well and was strong on tackles. Cruz played much better today. Roger Levesque at right back continues to do alright back there. Servando Carrasco played well in defensive midfield. I think defensively for the first group I thought Tyson Wahl played well as a center back. I thought Jhon Kennedy was good again and obviously Alonso always gives you defensive effort."

On David Estrada's goal: "It was a play that was created off of energy. The guys worked hard. Jonathan Prieto makes a good late run into the box and gets on the end. The other people are getting into the box so they can get on the end of the cross and the ball comes free to David Estrada who continued to follow the play and he bangs it in, which is the key thing. Sometimes we give up on plays and we don't want to give up on plays. We want to make sure we stay in place and continue it because you never know what's going to happen at the end."

On the two weeks at Grande Sports World: "Halftime wasn't very positive for me but it ended on a positive note. It's been good. It's been a long two weeks. I think the guys are ready to get back to Seattle and to get on the plane today and it'll be good for them to get back to Seattle. It'll be good to get back to their families and probably to get away from each other for a few days is also good. But our work is not completed in preseason and we will continue to work hard."