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MLS Seattle Sounders FC

Sounders Capture 1-0 Victory In Portland

August 8, 2008 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Seattle Sounders FC News Release


(Portland, OR) - The Seattle Sounders collected a 1-0 win in the final regular season matchup with the rival Portland Timbers, Thursday night at PGE Park. The game, played in front of 12,332 people was the largest attendance at PGE Park this year.

Sebastien Le Toux scored his tenth goal of the year in the 20th minute which proved to be the difference as the Sounders jump into sole possession of fourth place in the USL-1 standings.

Next up, the Sounders travel to Minnesota to take on the Minnesota Thunder, Sunday, 3:05 pm (PT) before traveling to Charleston to play the Battery in the U.S. Open Cup semifinal on Tuesday August 12, 4:30 pm (PT). It was announced today that the Sounders would host the U.S. Open Cup final at Qwest Field should the Sounders get past the Battery.

The Sounders got off to a quick start early controlling the run of play and attacking the Timbers defense. Ciaran O'Brien took the first effort of the game in the seventh minute, but the ball was saved well by keeper Brad Knighton.

The clearest chance of the early going came from Timbers midfielder Lawrence Olum on a cross from Takayuki Suzuki. Olum's header went just wide for the Timbers first shot.

Seattle got on the board in the 20st minute when Sebastien Le Toux scored his tenth goal of the season. The play started with Ciaran O'Brien, making his second start on the season, with the ball in the box and taking a shot which hit the post, Sebastien Le Toux scooped up the rebound and put it away.

The goal was Le Toux's tenth of the season putting him in a tie with Alex Alfonso (Miami FC) and Macoumba Kandji (Atlanta Silverbacks) for the league lead. It also ties the goal output Le Toux had last year when he was named USL-1 MVP.

Down a goal, the Timbers began to string some passes together but were dealt a serious blow in the 34th minute when Scott Thompson was shown red for a foul on Josh Gardner. Thompson came sliding in from behind on Gardner but the decision was controversial to the PGE crowd.

Reduced to ten men, Seattle dominated possession and created multiple scoring chances but were unable to put one away.

The sides went into the half the Sounders up 1-0 and with a one man advantage.

The second half was mostly closed. Neither side was able to create a serious threat on goal and the only highlight for the Sounders was the return of forward Roger Levesque. Levesque was subbed on in the 58th minute seeing his first action in nearly two months.

As the game began to wind down, Lawrence Olum scored for the Timbers in the 78th minute but the goal was waved off for offsides.

The final five minutes of regulation was full of fireworks. The game was up and down, the Timbers searching desperately for the equalizer, the Sounders trying to kill off the game.

The Timbers had a great chance in the 88th minute when Jamil Walker had a close range effort saved spectacularly by Chris Eylander.

The shot proved to be the last, best chance for the Timbers as the Sounders survived five minutes of stoppage time to earn the 1-0 victory.

Sounders 1, Timbers 0

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