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Sounders beat Whitecaps 2-0 in Vancouver

May 23, 2008 - USL First Division (USL-1)
Seattle Sounders News Release


Josh Gardner picked up right where he left off from Sunday scoring his third goal in two games as the Seattle Sounders knocked off the Vancouver Whitecaps 2-0 at Swangard Stadium.

Gardner got the Sounders off to another quick start with a goal in just the third minute of the game. The goal started out with Sebastien Le Toux, playing an attacking midfield position for the first time since May of last year, filtered a ball to Gardner on the left who fired from just outside the 18 yard box, finding the back right corner of the net.

The Sounders got another goal in the seventh minute when Sebastien Le Toux tallied his third goal of the season. The play started with Zach Scott playing the ball up to John Fishbaugher who let it go through to Le Toux running hard down the left side. Le Toux scooped up the pass and coolly slotted it into the back of the net.

The two goals were just the second and third that Vancouver had surrendered all year to that point.

With Vancouver on their heels, Seattle scored yet again in the 17th minute, but Roger Levesque was ruled offsides. The play had Le Toux sliding the ball in to Levesque making a run through the Whitecaps backline and firing it past keeper Srdjan Djekanovic, but the play did not stand.

The Whitecaps looked to have no answer for an in form Gardner and Le Toux and Seattle enjoyed the run of play for much of the first half even though they had a two goal advantage.

At the 25th minute mark, Vancouver began to find their legs and look dangerous creating multiple corner kicks and forcing Chris Eylander into action. But the Sounders held them off and the sides went into half, the Sounders holding a 2-0 advantage.

The second half kick off found Seattle looking to kill the Whitecaps hopes. A 50th minute cross from John Fishbaugher barely missed Roger Levesque in front of an open net.

Twenty minutes into the second half, the Sounders were content to drop back and defend their lead and only a loose ball that Whitecaps scoring leader, Eduardo Sebrango, missed wide left held the only real threat to that point.

Vancouver didn't seriously bother Chris Eylander again and the Sounders got their third win of the season.

The win vaulted Seattle into a tie for first place in the Cascadia Cup standings. Seattle shares the lead with Portland at four points. Vancouver travels to Portland tomorrow night for the next Cascadia Cup game.

QUICK KICKS: The Sounders have struggled against Canadian teams of late going 1-4-1 against Vancouver and Montreal last season. Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar saw his first action in three games subbing into the game in the 55th minute.

Sounders: Eylander; Jackson, Graham, Sakuda, Scott; Treschuk, Fishbaugher (Kante 68) (Schmid 90), Gardner (Cascio 89), O'Brien (Alcaraz-Cuellar 55), Le Toux; Levesque (Merl 81).

Whitecaps: Djekanovic; Martin, Jarun (Pozniak 60), Cann, Kambere; Donatelli (Moose 55), Kindel, Nash (Leslie, Valente (Arze 55); Sebrango, Addlery (Jordan 56).

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