FC Barcelona - Seattle Sounders Football Club

Winner	Score	Game Coverage
FC Dallas	W, 4-2	Game Coverage
Earthquakes	W, 4-0	Game Coverage
Sporting KC	W, 1-0	Game Coverage
Union	D, 2-2	Game Coverage
Rapids	W, 1-0	Game Coverage

Game Location

Winner

Score

Game Coverage

FC Dallas

W, 4-2

Game Coverage

Earthquakes

W, 4-0

Game Coverage

Sporting KC

W, 1-0

Game Coverage

Union

D, 2-2

Game Coverage

Rapids

W, 1-0

Game Coverage

Men of the Match

Sounders and Barcelona Put On A Show

By MATT GASCHK
Sounders FC Insider

The Sounders FC had the unique opportunity Wednesday night of measuring up against the best club in the world. And while Seattle record 66,848 fans in attendance got a great show from Lionel Messi, the Sounders didn’t back down from the challenge. In the end the UEFA Champions League winning club was on top 4-0.

“I didn’t want to develop a tactical game plan,” Sounders FC head coach Sigi Schmid said. “We wanted the fans to enjoy Barcelona as they are and enjoy our team as they are. They saw a great game and some great goals and a Sounders team that played hard.”

Messi scored two dazzling first-half goals and Jeffren Suarez and Pedro Rodriguez extended the lead with goals in the second half for the final tally. But the final score gives little indication to the quality of play, the lessons learned or the entertainment value of the friendly match.

“We’re realistic. We know where we’re at and we’re an expansion team that’s getting to know each other,” Schmid said. “There were some positive things for us to gain. It’s not punishment it’s learning and continuing to get better because someday they might want to play at that level. Tonight we played the elite of the elite.”

One thing learned was that new left back Leonardo Gonzalez is a solid player and a fine addition to the Sounders FC lineup. Playing in his first match in rave green, Gonzalez was lined up for much of the first half against Messi and fared quite well. But maybe more impressive than his defensive play was the havoc he caused pushing forward.

In just the third minute of play, Gonzalez slipped his way through the midfield and passed a ball off to the middle to Freddie Ljungberg for a runout. Ljungberg found Nate Jaqua going up the left side and Jaqua cut the ball back to the middle before taking the game’s first shot, which was saved by starting Barcelona keeper Jose Manuel Pinto.

Barcelona returned the pressure one minute later when Andreu Fontas ripped off a shot from the middle that Sounders keeper Kasey Keller knocked away. Bojan Krkic regained control and got another shot from the right side that Keller grabbed for another save.

Messi finally broke through in the 21st minute. Xavi found Messi in open space at the top of the circle and Messi took one touch before blasting it across his body into the corner of the net for a 1-0 lead.

The Argentine sensation Messi nearly scored his second goal in the 39th minute, but his chip shot over Keller was cleared away from the goal and off the goalpost for a clearance by Tyrone Marshall.

Messi did complete the brace in the 41st minute, though. Thierry Henry took the ball up the right side and passed to Xavi. He chipped the ball to Messi, who chested the ball down and poked it past Keller in stride for his second goal, putting FC Barcelona up 2-0.

“You see him on TV all the time, I see him every day,” FC Barcelona manager Josep Guardiola said. “He is the best in the world not only for his youth, but also for his ability to dominate all aspects of the game.”

At the half, both teams utilized the whole of their benches, giving everyone who dressed time in the friendly.

Suarez made the score 3-0 with a pop over the head of Terry Boss in the 75th minute. Rodriguez took a rebound a great save by Boss for the final score in the 89th minute.

But the 4-0 tally did not disappoint Schmid.

“It was great. It shows a lot for our city, the city of Seattle. I hope they don’t walk away disappointed,” Schmid said. “I hope they realize they got to watch a great team today. Tonight, some kids got to see Messi and Henry. I hope our fans are proud of the Sounders and realize what we’re doing here by bringing teams of that caliber here to play. That’s not something everybody gets to do.”

Added Guardiola of the record crowd, “It was amazing. Yesterday the owner of the Sounders explained to me the support for his team and we saw that tonight. It was a pleasure for us and for the players to play in the marvelous stadium.”

The Sounders will face Real Salt Lake on Saturday at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah.

Play by Play

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Time	Event	Description
92+		After two minutes of stoppage time, the match has gone final after a wide shot from distance by Barcelona. Final score FC Barcelona 4, Sounders FC 0.
89		Great save by Terry Boss on a left-footed shot from Jeffren Suarez, but the rebound falls to Pedro Rodriguez at the far post and he drops it home for the goal. FC Barcelona 4, Sounders FC 0.
88		Seydou Keita blasts a shot from 25 yards out but it goes wide left.
83		Mike Fucito is issued a yellow card for a tackle on Gerard Pique.
78		Mike Fucito subs on for Evan Brown.
77		Jonathan Dos Santos takes a useful shot from 20 yards out, but it goes wide right.
75		Pedro Rodriguez flips a ball to Jeffren Suarez on the right side and Suarez pops it over Terry Boss for the goal.
74		Attendance is announced as a Qwest Field record 66,848, surpassing the crowd at the DC United-Real Madrid match in 2006.
71		Good defense from Taylor Graham, holding off Eider Gudjohnsen on a header in the box, eventually knocking it clear.
68		Sanna Nyassi outruns Gerard Pique to a ball on teh right sideline, then sends a cross to Roger Levesque running up the middle of the field. Albert Jorquera came out though and got to it first.
64		Evan Brown flares a ball forward to Sanna Nyassi racing up the right side, but Albert Jorquera came out off his line to intercept the long pass.
61		Tyson Wahl subs on for James Riley.
58		Taylor Graham gets a scoring chance on a corner kick. Nathan Sturgis sends in the corner from the right side and Graham came from the far side for a header, but it went over the frame for a goal kick.
Halftime		Second half lineup for FC Barcelona is: Albert Jorquera, Maxwell, Marc Muniesa, Gerard Pique, Jeffren Suarez, Pedro Rodriguez, Seydou Keita, Yaya Toure, Jonathan Dos Santos, Henrique, Eider Gudjohnsen.
Halftime		Seattle starts the second half with a mostly new lineup. Terry Boss, Riley, Taylor Graham, Patrick Ianni, Evan Brown, Zach Scott, Lamar Neagle, Peter Vagenas, Nathan Sturgis, Roger Levesque, Sanna Nyassi.
Halftime		Lionel Messi leads all players with six shots. He's good.
Halftime Stats		Shots: FCB 16, SFC 3. Shots on Goal: FCB 7, SFC 1. Saves: FCB 1, SFC 5. Fouls: FCB 6, SFC 5. Corner kicks: FCB 4, SFC 2.
46+		After one minute of stoppage time, the ref blows the whistle for halftime. That was some good football.
45		Lionel Messi crosses from right-to-left to create space in front of Seattle's box, then he drives a ball into teh box for Bojan Krkic, but his shot goes wide.
43		Steve Zakuani picks the ball off of Lionel Messi's feet, finds his way up the left side and crosses to the other side for Fredy Montero, whose volley flies just outside teh far post for a corner kick.
41		Lionel Messi ... Wow. Xavi chips the ball over the top of the Sounders defense for Messi coming up the right side. He chests the ball down and pokes it 5-hole for a goal without even breaking stride. FC Barcelona 2, Sounders FC 0.
39		Lionel Messi nearly puts Barcelona up 2-0, getting through the Seattle defnse to take a pass and chip a shot over Kasey Keller, but Tyrone Marshall gets a foot on it before it crosses the line and knocks it off the bar and out for the clearance.
36		Bojan Krkic gets a shot from teh middle of the box, but Keller makes another save.
34		Jhon Kennedy Hurtado is called for a foul after a collision with Lionel Messi 30 yards out. He stays on the pitch for a moment, grabbing his ankle before returning to his feet. Daniel Alves takes the free kick, but Kasey Keller dives to the right to make the save.
33		James Riley gets a ball in to Fredy Montero, but Montero's header falls to the feet of Jose Manuel Pinto for the save.
32		Fredy Montero gets a shot off from teh elft side off of the free kick, but it is wide right for a goal kick.
31		Freddie Ljungberg is tackled from behind in the midfield by Sergio Busquets, who gets a yellow-card caution on the play.
28		Thierry Henry gets free for a cross from the left side of the box, but it eludes Bojan Krkic and is knocked free by Leo Gonzalez.
26		Freddie Ljungberg slices in a free kick from 27 yards out on the left side that finds its way into the front of the goal, but is knocked clear for a Seattle throw.
25		Lionel Messi gets around Leo Gonzalez on the right side, but his shot goes wide right for a goal kick.
24		Thierry Henry takes a shot from the right side, but Kasey Keller makes the save just outside the goal against the endline ... it is ruled over the line for a corner kick, and Seattle clears away the corner.
22		Nate Jaqua gets his head on a free kick at the left post, but it goes high for a goal kick.
21		Lionel Messi takes a ball from Xavi at the top of the circle, takes one touch and blasts it into the corner of the net for a goal. FC Barcelona 1, Sounders FC 0.
20		Thierry Henry shoots through three defenders on the left side, but Kasey Keller makes the save.
19		Freddie Ljungberg intercepts an errant pass up the middle by goalkeeper Jose Manuel Pinto, but his shot misses just outside the left post.
18		Daniel Alves gets a runout up the right side, but is whistled offside.
16		Lionel Messi gets a shot off from 15 yards out on the right side and Kasey Keller makes the save diving to his right.
15		Leo Gonzalez feeds Steve Zakuani up the left side and he gets into the box, jukes Carles Puyol and sends a cross into the middle, where it is deflected over for a corner kick. Jose Manuel Pinto made the grab on the corner to prevent another Seattle opportunity.
12		Thierry Henry, Lionel Messi and Bojan Krkic work the ball into the box against the Sounders defense. Krkic pops the ball across to Henry on the right side for a volley that falls wide for a goal kick.
11		Thierry Henry collects the ball 15 yards out, pops the ball into the air and flips a bicycle kick, but it goes well over the ball for a goal kick.
06		Lionel Messi draws a foul from Osvaldo Alonso just outside the box. On the free kick, the shot goes high for a goal kick.
04		Barcelona rips off two shots in succession, first getting Andreu Fontas a shot that Kasey Keller knocked away, but the ball went back to FCB. Bojan Krkic took up the right side for a shot that Keller grabbed for another save.
03		Great runout by the Sounders up the left side with Leo Gonzalez working through the midfield and sliding a pass to Freddie Ljungberg in the middle. Ljungberg found Nate Jaqua back to the left side. Jaqua cut back to the middle and bounced a shot into the chest of keeper Jose Manuel Pinto.
01		Leo Gonzalez gets his first test as a Sounder, going up against Lionel Messi against the right sideline.
Kickoff		FC Barcelona took the opening kickoff, attacking the south goal, at 7:41.
Emerald Spire		Dale Chihuly presented FC Barcelona President Joan Laporta and Sounders FC Owner Joe Roth each with a commemorative Emerald Spire. Former Wales national team player, Mike England, served as an honorary captain during the ceremony.
Uniforms		Sounders FC in all Rave Green. FC Barcelona in Neon Salmon tops and socks with black shorts.
Golden Scarf		Owner and General Manager Adrian Hanauer presented NBA Hall of Famer Bill Russell with the Golden Scarf before today's match.
Weather		Sunny and 69 degrees with calm winds.
Referees		Referee: Mark Geiger Referee's ASsistant: George Gansner Referee's Assistant: Paul Scott 4th Official: Alejandro Mariscal
FC Barcelona		Starters: GK Jose Manuel Pinto, D Victor Sanchez, D Carles Puyol (Captain), D Eric Abidal, D Daniel Alves, M Sergio Busquets, M Andreu Fontas, M Xavi Hernandez, F Thierry Henry, F Bojan Krkic, F Lionel Messi. Reserves: Albert Jorquera, Gerard Pique, Eider Gudjohnsen, Seydou Keita, Jeffren Suarez, Maxwell Andrade, Jonathan Dos Santos, Marc Muniesa, Adriano Henrique, Yaya Toure, Pedro Rodriguez.
Sounders FC		Starters: GK Kasey Keller (Captain), D James Riley, D Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, D Tyrone Marshall, D Leo Gonzalez, M Brad Evans, M Osvaldo Alonso, M Freddie Ljungberg, M Steve Zakuani, F Fredy Montero, F Nate Jaqua. Reserves: Terry Boss, Evan Brown, Patrick Ianni, Stephen King, Sebastien Le Toux, Roger Levesque, Sanna Nyassi, Nathan Sturgis, Peter Vagenas, Tyson Wahl, Zach Scott, Lamar Neagle.

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