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Result of the Saturday April 4th, 2009 MLS game between Toronto FC and Seattle Sounders FC played at BMO Field in Toronto at 4:00pm.
Toronto FC (all red, white numbers)
................1 Greg Sutton
16 Marvell Wynne...5 Kevin Harmse...15 Adrian Serioux...11 Jim Brennan (cpt)
10 Rohan Ricketts...33 Carl Robinson...14 Dwayne DeRosario...20 Amado Guevara
.................19 Chad Barrett...8 Pablo Vitti
Subs:...18 Brian Edwards (gk)...2 Sam Cronin (mid)...4 Marco Velez (def)...7 Abdus Ibrahim (fwd)...9 Danny Dichio (fwd)...13 Johann Smith (mid)...
32 Emmanuel Gomez (def)
team officials:...head coach John Carver
Seattle Sounders FC (blue socks, olive green shorts and shirts, white names and numbers)
.......................18 Kasey Keller (cpt)
34 Jhon Kennedy Hurtado...7 James Riley...14 Tyrone Marshall...20 Zach Scott
6 Osvaldo Alonso...9 Sebastien Le Toux...3 Brad Evans...11 Steve Zakuani
................21 Nate Jaqua...10 Feddie Ljungberg
Subs:...?? Ben Dragavon (gk)...4 Patrick Ianni (def)...5 Tyson Wahl (def)...12 Nathan Sturgis (mid)...15 Stephen King (mid)...
23 Sanna Nyassi (mid)...24 Roger Levesque (fwd)
team officials:...head coach Sigi Schmid
Game officials:...referee Mark Geiger...referee's assistants Greg Barkey and Joe Fletcher...fourth official Carol-Anne Chenard...(yellow shirts, black shorts and socks)
1st Half:...game starts 4:07pm...TFC defend north end on this cold and overcast afternoon with a strong, gusty wind from the north.
1 min...SS Zakuani runs down on left sideline and crosses to SS Evans who chips backwards over his shoulder from 10 yards but bounces for a goalkick.
2 min...TFC Barrett is caught on offside run getting to through ball pass to center rush from 30 yards into the SS box.
4 min...TFC DeRosario leads a pass to TFC Vitti but it rolls over the end line for a goalkick as he can't get around SS Marshall in time.
5 min...SS Riley on right wing rolls through ball for SS Jaqua rushing into box but it's over end line wide right.
6 min...SS Alonso blasts 25 yard shot down center over net after SS Riley and SS LeToux passing plays works ball towards goal but TFC defender in box partially clears ball to SS Alonso.
8 min...SS Riley crosses 35 yard cross in from right sideline and TFC goalie leaps over SS Jaqua to punch away ball from 5 yards.
9 min...TFC Vitti long run on right has low shot deflected wide right of net by SS Alonzo at 10 yards.
9 min...TFC Guevara cornerkick from right is short for TFC Vitti who rolls ball back for charging Guevara but defender slides out to block ball and another defender clears ball after this check.
10 min...TFC Barrett flick header on high pass to edge of SS box and TFC DeRosario is whistled offside running to ball on left side.
11 min...SS Hurtado clearance attempt from 15 yards inside box has ball deflect off TFC Barrett and fly just over SS net.
13 min...SS LeToux curls in 40 yard cross from right that bounces to goalie.
14 min...Sounders Freddie Ljungberg GOAL...SS Osvaldo Alonzo at center line rolls pass forward to Ljungberg at 45 yards who rushes up middle and rolls pass to right to SS Jaqua who rolls ball forward between defenders to charging Ljungberg who gets ball back at 15 yards and shoots low shot over sliding TFC goalie at 8 yards into center of net.
15 min...TFC Serioux long throw-in from left is headed away from just inside box by SS Hurtado.
16 min...SS Riley crosses ball from right over players in TFC box.
18 min...SS Ljungberg 40 yard freekick from left has TFC Serioux head ball across box from right and another defender clears it away. Ljungberg gets ball back on left edge of box but is checked.
19 min...SS Zakuani charges up middle for high pass bouncing to 20 yards and TFC Wynne stops his progress, Zakuani tries to pass and falls over.
21 min...SS LeToux run on right sideline and gets around TFC Brennan to cross into box for SS Jaqua who makes a lunging header at 5 yards but ball rolls wide right for a goalkick.
24 min...TFC Guevaro 40 yard freekick from right is over players on edge of box and is caught by goalie although it would have flown wide left of goal anyway.
26 min...TFC DeRosario and TFC Barrett work play downfield and SS Riley blocks ball in box.
27 min...TFC Barrett shanks shot from 20 yards after TFC player knocks ball back to him from just inside box.
28 min...TFC Brennan blasts loose ball over SS net from 22 yards after TFC Ricketts knocked down in box and ball partially cleared.
28 min...SS YELLOW card...Hurtado for his part in a pushing match that breaks out after the whistle at SS 30 yard line.
30 min...SS goalie picks up loose ball in box near right end line when TFC Barrett rolls ball along line.
33 min...SS Scott long throw-in from 45 yard left sideline has SS Jaqua with back to goal head ball back over TFC Serioux on edge of box and TFC Harmse clears ball.
34 min...SS Marshall 65 yard freekick has SS Jaqua leaping flick header from 20 yards that tips to goalie.
36 min...TFC Serioux long throw-in from left. TFC Harmse saves ball on with header on left end line but TFC Barrett knocks ball from 6 yards over end line.
39 min...TFC DeRosario gets pass from right side of box from TFC Wynne after run up left but his 12 yard shot is wide left of net off sliding tackly by SS LeToux but no cornerkick given.
42 min...SS LeToux curls in cross from 35 yards from right that charging goalie catches.
42 min...TFC Wynne run down right and cross headed behind end line by SS Alonzo.
42 min...TFC Guevaro cornerkick from right has ball headed down by SS defender on left of box and TFC Barrett blast 18 yard shot down middle that SS defender blocks at 7 yards.
43 min...TFC YELLOW card...Brennan for preventing a breakout with his tackle on Ljungberg at SS 45 yards.
44 min...SS Steve Zakuani GOAL...Freddie Ljungberg on right edge of box rolls ball into box to SS LeToux who rolls ball over to SS Evans but too far for him and SS Nate Jaqua blasts 15 yard shot up middle but TFC defender makes point blank save at 13 yards but ball deflects to right and charging Zakuani kicks low 10 yard shot over sprawling goalie into center of net.
45 min...TFC Guevara weak shot from 25 yards up middle bounces to goalie.
47 min...half ends 4:54pm.
Halftime entertainment: There was no on-field entertainment at today's game.
2nd Half:...starts 5:09pm...there's still a strong, gusty wind from the north.
halftime sub:...TFC Cronin replaces Ricketts.
45 min...SS LeToux flick kicks centering cross at 25 yards over to charging SS Ljungberg who pushes ball too far forward from 22 yards and rolls for goalie to pick up.
46 min...SS goalie clears ball from just wide right of net when poor head back to goalie from SS Scott is intercepted by TFC DeRosario who limps away after play.
46 min...SS Marshall is injured just outside SS box.
47 min...SS Riley throw-in from right has SS Jaqua kick ball with back to goal over his head from 15 yards and ball is easily caught by goalie.
50 min...TFC YELLOW card...Cronin for sliding tackle on Zakuani near center line.
52 min...TFC goalie catches 55 yard freekick from right by SS Hurtado.
52 min...TFC DeRosario checked off ball on edge of box. TFC Wynne charges to quickly taken throw-in and his 20 yard cross is headed away on edge of box by defender.
54 min...SS Ljungberg pass to SS Jaqua has TFC Harmse jab foot in and has ball fly just wide of right post from 10 yards.
54...TFC sub...Dichio replaces Barrett.
55 min...SS LeToux cornerkick from right has goalie pick up on left side of box as SS Marshall couldn't fully connect on leaping header.
56 min...SS Jaqua heads 15 yarder just wide right of post on long 55 yard freekick from right.
58 min...TFC Dichio runs down left wing and flicks shot for TFC Vitti but defender gets foot in to clear ball from box.
59 min...SS Ljungberg turns and spins 22 yard shot that's low and wide left of net.
60...SS YELLOW card...Riley a sliding tackle on TFC Guevara near center line.
61 min...TFC Brennan 60 yard freekick from left has SS player head ball away from edge of box.
62 min...SS Ljungberg cocrnerkick from left has leaping TFC Robinson head ball on left edge of box. Ball is poked back to Ljungberg who recrosses and leaping TFC Harmse heads ball away from edge of box.
63 min...SS Scott long throw-in from left over leaping SS Jaqua and over end line for goalkick.
64 min...TFC Guevara cornerkick from right has TFC Harmse head ball wide left from 12 yards.
67 min...SS Zakuani on far left at 20 yards chips over TFC Wynne but goalie slides out to dive on ball.
68 min...TFC Brennan run on left and cross from 20 yards has TFC Guevara head ball just off top of crossbar from 6 yards.
70 min...TFC DeRosario 26 yard freekick from left is batted down and picked up by goalie.
71 min...TFC Guevaro 30 yard freekick from left has ball headed down by SS defender in box and SS Jaqua clear ball from 3 yards.
72 min...TFC Dichio head ball forward to TFC Vitti who rolls 15 yard shot into net but play is called back for foul.
72 min...SS Ljungberg injured on run into TFC box bumping with TFC Serioux but waves off stretcher and limps off field.
75 min...SS Ljungberg 22 yard freekick from left is caught by goalie on left post.
77 min...TFC DeRosario cross from left has TFC Vitti kick 8 yard shot that flying goalie pushes wide right of net.
77 min...SS sub...Nyassi replaces Ljungberg.
77 min...TFC Guevara cornerkick from right has SS player in box head ball out of box. TFC Harmse rolls ball forward to Guevara but over end line for goalkick.
78...SS sub...Sturgis replaces Zakuani.
82 min...TFC DeRosario cross from 18 yards along right end line is caught by goalie.
83 min...TFC DeRosario pass forward and TFC Guevaro checked off ball on edge of box.
84...TFC sub...Smith replaces Vitti.
85 min...SS Nyassi cuts to middle of field and takes low 25 yard shot up middle is wide right.
86...SS YELLOW card...Scott a tackle on Amado Guevara at SS 20 yards.
87 min...TFC Guevara 20 yard freekick is chipped over net to left side of net.
87 min...TFC Serioux blocks SS Jaqua 15 yard shot on flying tackle.
88 min...SS Nyassi 15 yard shot along left end line is caught by goalie on one bounce.
90 min...SS Nyassi cross from left across box has SS Jaqua jab at ball inside box as he's being pushed off.
94 min...game ends 5:58pm.
Final Score:.......Toronto FC.......0..........Seattle Sounders FC..........2...........
Attendance was announced as 20658 and that as a new record. I'm not sure where they put in the extra seats to increase the crowd by a few hundred over last year.
The day was very windy and cold. I was glad I had my parka and gloves on. Sounders scored their two goals against the wind and I knew it would be difficult for TFC to come back. Sounders only had one cornerkick in the second half and fans in the endzone threw streamers at Freddie Ljungberg but they looked like they blew back onto fans in the first few rows and didn't interfere with Ljungberg's kick.
TFC warmed up on the west side of the field for the first time in their three years. I don't know if that was to avoid the wind, be closer to the more expensive seats, or stay away from the corner Section 113 endzone fans. It makes taking pregame pictures for me mostly 'out of range'. I didn't like the lack of announcements today as many of the subs were missed. The scoreboard didn't list who the subs were either. There was no halftime show at today's game. Last year's pizza box pickup or kicking a ball against empty beer cartons might have been difficult today because of the strong wind. There were a few t-shirts thrown into the crowd at halftime like other years. Fans were kept waiting outside the gates well after one hour before gametime. That only happened once last year. TFC goalies were already on the field warming up before I got to my seat.
The Carlsberg Man of the Match (who is always a TFC player) was defender Marvell Wynne. He had some good runs but I suppose the brewery had to pick someone but media reports had TFC coach John Carver saying that no starter or substitute played well.
I didn't expect the Sounders would win today. The team had won their two regular season games but they were both played at home. TFC was also undefeated with a win and a tie on the road. I was excited at seeing all the TFC off-season acquisitions especially Dwayne DeRosario and Adrian Serioux who both played for the USL Toronto Lynx although not at the same time. I've been pleased that biographies of the players now mention the very existance of the Lynx in contrast to the MLS all star program which had a story about Canadian soccer written by historian Colin Jose which apparently had Canadian soccer stop in the mid 1990s with the end of the Toronto Blizzard in the old CSL .
Kasey Keller earned the shutout for the Sounders with only one difficult save at 77 minutes when Pablo Vitti received a pass from Dwayne DeRosario from the left and his 8 yard shot caused Keller to fly over to the right post to push the ball wide for a cornerkick. A called back offside goal, an off target 20 yard freekick by Amado Guevaro and a few lobbed balls were the extent of his workout.
Sounders hardly played like an expansion team. They have six players that played for them in the 2008 season when they were still part of the USL-1 Division. Today's back up goalie Chris Eylander, defenders Zach Scott (starter) and Taylor Graham, midfielder Sanna Nyassi, and forwards Sebastien LeToux (starter) and Roger Levesque. Starting midfielder Osvaldo Alonso played for the USL-1 Charleston Battery in 2008.
Sounders Fredy Montero who was a scoring star in their first two games did not make the trip to Toronto. Either it was because of the flu or so he could defend himself against charges of sexual assault.
The first 10000 fans received a fridge magnet 2009 calendar/schedule of the TFC season on their way out. Probably smart so none would be thrown onto the field.
Next game for TFC is a home game against FC Dallas who after this weekend sport a no win, three loss record scoring only two goals so far. The week after that the two teams meet for a rematch in Dallas. Better beat them while they're struggling!
Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca
Seattle Sounders FC (3-0-0) vs. Toronto FC (1-1-1) April 04, 2009 -- BMO Field Scoring Summary: SEA -- Freddie Ljungberg 1 (Nate Jaqua 1) 15 SEA -- Steve Zakuani 1 (unassisted) 45 Seattle Sounders FC -- Kasey Keller, James Riley, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Tyrone Marshall, Zach Scott, Sebastien Le Toux, Osvaldo Alonso, Brad Evans, Steve Zakuani (Nathan Sturgis 79), Nate Jaqua, Freddie Ljungberg (Sanna Nyassi 78), Substitutes Not Used: Ben Dragavon, Patrick Ianni, Stephen King, Roger Levesque, Tyson Wahl Toronto FC -- Greg Sutton, Marvell Wynne, Kevin Harmse, Adrian Serioux, Jim Brennan, Dwayne De Rosario, Amado Guevara, Carl Robinson, Rohan Ricketts (Sam Cronin 46), Chad Barrett (Danny Dichio 55), Pablo Vitti (Johann Smith 85), Substitutes Not Used: Brian Edwards, Emmanuel Gomez, Fuad Ibrahim, Marco Velez Toronto FC Seattle Sounders FC total shots: 9 (Amado Guevara 3) 8 (Freddie Ljungberg 3) shots on goal: 3 (3 tied with 1) 3 (Freddie Ljungberg 2) fouls: 10 (Adrian Serioux 2) 6 (Nate Jaqua 3) offsides: 3 (3 tied with 1) 2 (Sebastien Le Toux 1, Sanna Nyassi 1) corner kicks: 4 (Amado Guevara 4) 1 (Sebastien Le Toux 1) saves: 1 (Greg Sutton 1) 3 (Kasey Keller 3) Misconduct Summary: SEA -- Jhon Kennedy Hurtado (caution; Unsporting Behavior) 29 TOR -- Jim Brennan (caution; Reckless Foul) 44 TOR -- Sam Cronin (caution; Reckless Tackle) 51 SEA -- James Riley (caution; Reckless Tackle) 61 SEA -- Zach Scott (caution; Tactical Foul) 86 referee: Mark Geiger Referee's Assistants: Greg Barkey; Joe Fletcher 4th official: Carol-Anne Chenard time of game: 1:51 attendance: 20,658 weather: Cloudy -and- 39 degrees All statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial
TFC starters
Sounders starters
Third home opener is the third scarf day.
Midfield action in the first half.
Amado Guevaro signals before a throw-in.
Amado Guevaro in mid-field action.
Nate Jaqua #21 and Freddie Ljungberg get ready for second half kickoff.
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