Seattle Pitch - Minnesota

July 6, 1997

Minnesota Thunder 1 - 0 Seattle Sounders (golden goal)
Blaine Stadium, Blaine, Minnesota

Dusosky (M) 97

Minnesota: Swallen; Holmes, Abboud, Coughlin, Chato; Gramenz, Menk (Sylvester 61), Baumhoff (Wall 88), Larumbe (Dusosky 64); G. Lagos, Magee.

Seattle: Hudock; James, McNiel, Jenkins, Watson (Barton 48); Megson, Aunger, Hoggan, Hattrup (Gelvezon 61); Gailey, Adair.

Cautions: Watson (S), James (S), Chato (M), Gramenz (M)

Shots: Min 14, Sea 16
Saves: Swallen 7, Hudock 6
Corners: Min 7, Sea 7
Fouls: Min 16, Sea 20
Offside: Min 2, Sea 0

The two teams that are best in the Western Conference at keeping the ball out of their nets battled to a scoreless draw in regulation, but the Seattle Sounders' defense wore down first and the Minnesota Thunder's Todd Dusosky headed in the winner in sudden death overtime.

Chugger Adair volleyed a good shot for Seattle towards the far post in the opening minute, but John Swallen did well to dive and push the ball wide. Hoggan dropped a nice ball for Geoff Aunger to run onto, but Aunger shot well wide.

Minnesota's first shot was a 25-yard free kick, but Mark Abboud hit the wall. All-Star Don Gramenz took a free kick and sent in an air ball in front of the goal, but Hudock got up to catch it as he would on many crosses this evening.

Midway in the half Seattle's All-Star Mike Gailey got a chance when the ball dropped in the area after Adair and his marker battled for it in the air, but Gailey's shot was a yard over the bar. After a nice series of passes, Peter Hattrup's cross from the right was too close to the keeper.

Minnesota finally found some offense during the final 12 minutes of the first half. Amos Magee looked offside when he got free on the right, and had a great opportunity with an unpressured shot from just outside the right corner of the goal area, but Hudock threw his legs away and pushed wide the low near post shot. Gramenz tried a 25-yard low drive from the left, but Hudock gobbled it up. Magee's free kick from near the right corner bent towards the near post, but Hudock had it covered for another save, keeping the scoreboard at 0-0 for the half.

Seattle outshot Minnesota 10-5 in the second half, but couldn't produce the unstoppable shot that they needed, as Swallen would make 6 saves in the half. Around the middle of the half, Seattle's defense showed signs of wearing down, having played another overtime game against Milwaukee 48 hours earlier. Paul Gelvezon, on for Hattrup at right mid, gave away the ball in midfield and Dusosky, on for Larumbe, was set free on a breakaway, forcing a great save by Hudock of the 15-yard blast from the right. Bernie James also gave the ball away, forcing Hudock to save Gerard Lagos' attempt to chip to the far upper corner.

The other way, Gailey was set free on the left, but Swallen blocked both the shot and Gailey' attempted putback of the rebound. Adair's header 8 yards out from the far post looked to be perfectly placed in the lower corner, but Swallen managed to push the ball wide for a corner kick.

Late in the second half, Neil Megson, who made the All-Stars as Seattle's coach, attempted to clear the ball from his end line and hit a Minnesotan in the back, the ball dropping to another Minnesotan in the area, ultimately forcing Hudock to grab the resulting cross in traffic.

Seattle mustered one more good shot in the second half when David Hoggan sent in a high line drive that was fisted away by Swallen for a save.

Seattle found themselves in overtime for the third time in four games. The two previous times, Aunger had scored in the 92nd minute to end it. This time, the 92nd minute saw Minnesota's David Wall, on for Baumhoff, try a 25-yard worm burner that missed the far post by a yard. Seattle could not create a shot in overtime.

At 97' Seattle's Kieran Barton, on for Mark Watson, missed a tackle on Gramenz just inside the penalty area on the left, allowing Gramenz to dribble to the goal line and cross. Five yards out from the far post an unmarked Dusosky met the cross and headed it in for the match winner. Hudock, moving from the near to the far post, got a piece of the ball but couldn't get enough to prevent the goal.

Seattle will continue their 3-competition road trip with a US Open Cup match against the USISL D3 San Francisco Bay Seals two days hence on July 8. Then it is off to Guatemala for the round robin final four in the 1996 CONCACAF Champions Cup, where they will play Comunicaciones of Guatemala on July 15, Necaxa of Mexico on July 17 and Cruz Azul of Mexico on July 20. Minnesota hosts Orange County next on July 12.