Saturday, October 1, 2005

 

SEATTLE, WA – The Seattle Sounders joined the Rochester Raging Rhinos as three-time USL First Division champions with a thrilling seven-round penalty kick tiebreaker 4-3 over the Richmond Kickers. The home side rallied from 1-0 down to earn the draw and two scoreless overtimes forced the shootout to determine the winner. Goalkeeper Preston Burpo was named the Championship Most Valuable Player.

The Kickers quieted a Qwest Field crowd of 8,011 with the opening goal from Sascha Gorres in the 24th minute. The ball rebounded out of the box after an unsuccessful Richmond corner and found midfielder Gorres nearly 30 yards out.  Gorres received the ball and sent a rocket past Burpo and into the upper far right corner of the net. It was Gorres third goal of the year, first of the playoffs.

Seattle equalized in the 73rd minute when forward Maykel Galindo slid the ball past the goalline after a series of deflections in the box allowed Ryan Edwards to slot the ball to Galindo crashing in on goal. 

 

Retiring Sounders defender Scott Jenkins would notch the game-winning penalty kick in the seventh round on his final touch of the ball. See the Seattle Times story >>

The Kickers gained possession early in the match when midfielder Mike Burke crossed the ball to Matthew Delicate inside the box in the 4th and 10th minutes.  Each attempt was saved by a leaping Sounders goalkeeper Preston Burpo who was able to tip the ball over the crossbar.

The Sounders retaliated in the 13th minute when Galindo, a Cuban international forward that defected during the Gold Cup in Seattle this summer (see story >>), sent a dangerous strike from the right side into the box. The ball was cleared by the Richmond defense.

Richmond midfielder Joey Worthen created several opportunities throughout the first half, including 17th and 23rd minute chances, each time warding off two defenders but sending shots just over the crossbar.

Seattle closed out the half with two close calls when defender Taylor Graham sent a 30th minute header just wide right of the goal.  Two minutes later, midfielder Kevin Sakuda made a 12-yard attempt but the ball glanced just past the far left post.

After leveling the score, Seattle gained momentum as Roger Levesque created several opportunities, including a 75th minute shot sent just wide left and a 76th minute header over the woodwork.

Three minute later Delicate, deep on the right side, sent a cross to midfielder Tim Brown, but his header sailed just wide left.  While the ball was out of play, a scuffle inside the box resulted in red-card ejections to both Richmond’s Joey Worthen and Seattle’s CJ Klaas.

During stoppage time, both teams created last minute attempts to break the tie, first when Delicate received a cross from Robert Ssejjemba but his low, bouncing shot was cleared by the Sounders defense.  Seconds later defender Billy Sleeth, open on the right side, sent a dangerous cross to Andrew Gregor, but his effort was smothered by Ronnie Pascale.

Seattle opened the first 15-minute period of overtime with a shot from the top of the box but Pascale was able to scoop the ball for the save.  Defender Taylor Graham added pressure in the 107th and 108th minutes with two consecutive shots sailing wide of the target. Ssejjemba created opportunities in the 110th and the 118th minutes, receiving crosses from Delicate but sending shots just over the crossbar.

Unable to break the tie, the championship was decided after seven rounds of penalties with Gorres, Tony Williams and Matt Pauls converting for Richmond and Andrew Gregor, Leighton O’Brien, Kevin Sakuda and Scott Jenkins registering for the Sounders.  Pascale made two crucial saves on penalties taken by Levesque and Graham in the third and fourth rounds while trailing 2-0. Burpo stopped Ssejjemba’s attempt in the second round.

The Sounders join the Rhinos as the only the only three-time champions of the league. Seattle previously won back-to-back titles in 1995 and 1996. Rochester won three in a four-year span with titles in 1998, 2000 and 2001. The city of Seattle boasts the most league championships in USL First Division history with the Seattle Storm having won the 1988 Western Soccer League championship. 

 

Scoring Summary
Richmond: Sascha Gorres 24
Seattle: Maykel Galindo (Ryan Edwards) 73

 

Penalty Kick Summary
Round One: Seattle: Andrew Gregor - Goal
Richmond: Matthew Delicate - Miss
Round Two: Seattle: Leighton O’Brien - Goal
Richmond: Robert Ssejjemba - Save
Round Three: Seattle: Roger Levesque - Save
Richmond: Sascha Gorres - Goal
Round Four: Seattle: Ben Somoza - Miss
Richmond: Tony Williams - Goal
Round Five: Seattle: Taylor Graham - Save
Richmond: Kevin Jeffrey – Miss
Round Six: Seattle: Kevin Sakuda - Goal
Richmond: Matt Pauls – Goal
Round Seven: Seattle: Scott Jenkins - Goal
Richmond: Ronnie Pascale - Miss