June 20, 1997

Seattle: Hudock; James, McNiel, Jenkins, Watson; Megson (Barton 65), Aunger, Stoddard (Crothers 85), Gelvezon; Gailey, Adair (Enneking 87).

Orlando: Machado; Freeman, Lewis, Kowalowski (Sloniewsky 46), Wurdack; Mackey,
ane (Lee 54), Riegler, Geltz; Smith, Barnes.

Cautions:  Gailey (S), Barnes (O), Wurdack (O), Gelvezon (S)

Shots: Seattle 22, Orlando 8
Saves: Hudock 3, Machado 6
Corners: Seattle 7, Orlando 5
Fouls: Seattle 14, Orlando 9
Offside: Seattle 1, Orlando 3

Attendance: 2200 (est).

The game got rough at times. The first yellow card came out at just the 8 minute mark for Seattle's Gailey after he retaliated against Dylan Lewis. Lewis had hurt Gailey with a nasty foul a bit earlier.

34' Stoddard (Gailey). Seattle opened the scoring with Stoddard's second professional goal. Gailey advanced to the goal line on the left side just outside the penalty area, then sent a low cross through the area that none in the crowd could get to. Stoddard was wide on the right side ready to collect anything that made it through. He ran onto the cross and powered a hard left-footed shot past Orlando keeper Marco Machado and inside the far post.

At the half Seattle had outshot Orlando 8-2 and Seattle keeper Dusty Hudock had not been tested.

47' Gailey. Just two minutes into the second half the referee allowed advantage as Paul Gelvezon was held but still managed to pass to Neil Megson. Megson sent a long pass forward and across the field, giving Gailey a chance to outrun his marker from the halfway line, which he did. Gailey took the ball to the left touch line about 18 yards from the
corner flag, waited for help to arrive, then juked two defenders as he dribbled along the 18 yard line to gain an opening and fire a far post shot past Machado for the insurance goal.

Five minutes later Scott Jenkins' shot or attempted cross from the left edge of the penalty area went over Machado's head, hit the far post and bounced all the way across the goal mouth to hit the near post. Megson was there to head the rebound sharply on goal from five yards, but Machado reacted to block the shot for a save.

Geoff Aunger's blast up the middle was saved at the left post by Machado, but the ball bounced off his chest giving Gelvezon a chance from point blank range. Machado's quick response blocked that shot as well, the ball rebounding to Stoddard whose shot from the 18 yard line was a yard or two wide right.

66' Smith (Barnes). Sebastian Barnes used his speed to take the ball to the goal line six yards left of the goal. He sent a low ball across the goal mouth and John Smith was just able to beat his marker to it to finish from three yards at the far post and bring the score to 2-1.

Play was even the rest of the way, with both sides earning good opportunities. At 71' Jenkins crossed for Aunger, giving him a shot from 15 yards that was sent over the bar. The other way Smith was set free from an Orlando free kick and he had an unpressured shot from 12 yards on the right, but Hudock slid down at the near post and blocked the shot out for a corner kick. A minute later Jason Riegler headed on goal from an air cross, but Hudock caught the ball at the bar.

At 78' Jenkins and Orlando's Tom Wurdack got into one of these fights for the ball when both players think their side deserves the throw-in.  After the referee awarded the throw-in to Seattle, Wurdack maliciously threw the ball into Jenkins' face from 3 feet away, giving Jenkins a bloody nose or lip. Wurdack was given the yellow card, and it could have
been red. Jenkins had to leave the game for a few minutes to get the bleeding to stop. A few minutes later Jenkins nearly got revenge with his foot as he overlapped on the left, took a pass from Chugger Adair, and penetrated into the penalty area. Jenkins was pressured by a back and the onrushing Machado, but the rookie back got off a good shot that
hit the outside of the net.

During the postgame handshake, one of the Sundogs ran up and hit one of the Sounders on the back of the head. I was unable to identify the involved players. Cool heads prevailed as several players separated the involved pair and prevented what could have become a brawl.

Seattle plays Wednesday, June 25, in Vancouver. Kickoff will be at 7:30 pm, presumably in Swangard Stadium. The Sounders' next home game will be against the California Jaguars Friday, June 27, in Memorial Stadium, at 7:30 pm.