Who 'parted the Red Sea at BMO Field?'
That would be the still-perfect Seattle Sounders FC, who sent Toronto fans to the exits early with a comprehensive 2-0 victory today in Canada and before national TV audiences in both countries.
We watched the match from a packed Doyle's Public House in Tacoma with many other green-clad Seattle supporters.
Sounders fans cheer Seattle's 2-0 win in Toronto at Doyle's Public House in Tacoma.
The Sounders gave us a textbook away win: get an early goal, capitalize on opportunities when they are presented to you, control their front line with outstanding back line play.
Seattle jumped ahead 1-0 in the 15th minute when Freddie Ljungberg scored his first goal in green. A give and go with Nate Jaqua freed Ljungberg for a strike that easily beat TFC gaolkeeper Greg Sutton right down the middle.
In the 45th minute the Sounders got a crucial second goal when Steve Zakuani followed a Jaqua rebound and kicked home a roller into the back of the net.
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At the half, a chance for fans at Doyle's to display their Sounders FC fan-made gear.
Doyle's erupted with each goal and each good defensive play by the Sounders. Fans drank, ate, chanted, hung flags and enjoyed the Sounders' third victory without a loss and without giving up a goal.
Many watching at Doyles commented on the quiet Toronto support. Was it being down 2-0 that hushed them? Is this really the stadium that rivals Seattle for noise and color? There was indeed plenty of red, but most of it was empty seats well into the second half and well before the final whistle as TFC fans abandoned their side in droves.
Fans watched Freddie Ljungberg on one of the TV's being interviewed post match.
Toronto attempted a late game rally and was almost rewarded in the 70th minute when Jim Brennan put the ball between the legs of Seattle midfielder Sebastien Le Toux and then sent a cross to Amado Guevara who headed the ball off the Seattle crossbar.
Seattle goalkeeper Kasey Keller earned his third consecutive shutout and has not allowed a goal in 270 minutes of play, the longest shutout streak by a goalkeeper to start an MLS career. He was tested on only a few occasions during the match.
Keller was called on to make a big save in the 77th minute turning a strike by Toronto's Pablo Vitti wide of goal.
Cold temperatures of 42 degrees and strong 35 mph winds greeted the teams at the opening kickoff, with the blustery conditions affecting the run of play throughout the match.
Oh, and I had the Corned Beef Sandwhich with Apple relish. Yum.
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
Comments
Before you get all TFC Fan circa 2007 on us. Remember you guys haven't even been scored on yet. So wait and see how your crowd reacts when you happen to suck... and you will at some point.
Yeah Marc, it is weird that the fact that we haven't been scored on yet is bad. What happen with all the empty seats after the half time?
TFC: undefeated going into the match and down 2-0 at home at the half. Where were their fans for the first 15 minutes and last ten of the second half? It has nothing to do with sucking. TFC are *GOOD* this year!
However, I'd like to concentrate more on how well the Sounders did in getting another result. I will credit Sigi Schmid for this nice start. He really has the boys in green fighting for each other.
Yeah, I was really surprised to see such an empty stadium, especially given it was the home opener and Toronto supposedly sold out its season tickets for the season. To leave at 2-0 is a disgrace; your team can get a goal back and all of a sudden it's game on.
Any more info on the incident that saw Freddie Ljungberg get a full beer thrown on him?
Everyone knows 2-0 is the toughest lead to hold on to.
10% of our games played, 20% of the points we need to be a mortal lock for the playoffs. And we've yet to put our best side out for a full 90 yet.
I don't think just because you get scored upon you suck! it's how you respond, both on the field and in the stands when the goal is given up that matters. You give your full 90 both on the field and in the stands, in the pubs, in the livingroom wherever it might be that you are watching the game. When you leave on your team at some point they will come up short for you.
Before you get all high and mighty about your team and your fans did any of you see the weather reports? There gale force winds driving right across the field. None of the players could control the ball including your own. You had 2 shots and scored on both which I would say was pretty lucky. Neither team was good. It was a horrible game to watch. And once the ref decided that the perfectly legit goal TFC scored wasn't good I think some people were fed up. You wait until you see your team undone game after game by the officials in this league and you will because it plagues the MLS how demoraliosing it is. Oh and did I tell you that it was really really damn cold not like that rain you had last week.
Man, 1st place - we suck!
TFC fans, seriously? Half time, where'd you go? Pretty sad. Oh well, gg re ne.
SSFC 1st place
Fredy Montero MLS plaer of the month (lol and he didn't even play against you)
That's weak sauce, nodrog. "Fair weather" ring a bell?
Seattle fans-1, TFC fans-0.
whatever. we lost and we left. it was freezing. credit to seattle.
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