San Jose Earthquakes - 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 FC Stays Hot With Win Over Earthquakes

By MATT GASCHK
Sounders FC Insider

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The Sounders FC checked several things off their to-do list at Buck Shaw Stadium Saturday night.

They got Blaise Nkufo more involved and made some fantastic runs off of him while also setting him up for a pair of goal-scoring chances.

They got their latest addition, Alvaro Fernandez into his first match with the Sounders FC.

They kept Fredy Montero on his hot streak, as his 26^th minute goal gave him a goal or an assist in eight straight MLS matches.

They held the San Jose Earthquakes to zero in the back, giving Kasey Keller his sixth clean sheet of the season.

Add all of those elements to the improved play on both sides of the ball from the entire Sounders FC roster and the result was a 1-0 win over the Earthquakes, pushing Seattle’s unbeaten string to four straight MLS matches and six straight overall.

“Today I was very pleased with how we played. I thought our soccer was very good,” Sounders FC head coach Sigi Schmid said. “I thought we moved the ball around very well. I thought the team was very good.”

Montero got things started in the 26^th minute with his seventh goal of the season, evening him with Steve Zakuani for the team lead. He laid the ball off to Sanna Nyassi going up the right side of the San Jose box and Nyassi crossed it back to Montero running down the middle of the box for a header that he knocked inside the far post for the 1-0 Seattle lead.

Montero has now had a hand in 12 of Seattle’s last 15 goals and has shown that his pairing with Nkufo could be quite fruitful for the Sounders FC. The duo put pressure on the San Jose defense throughout the contest, even stepping into the defensive realm on several occasions to preserve the clean sheet.

“I thought the goal was as good a goal as we’ve scored this year just in terms of the combination play that led to it,” Schmid said. “Besides his goal, Fredy’s given us tremendous workrate off the ball. He’s growing as a player and bringing out some different aspects of his game.”

However, Montero isn’t about to take credit for the team’s turnaround.

“It’s everybody, it’s not just me. It’s everybody working together on the field like it was tonight,” Montero said. “Everyone is stepping up their game collectively.”

Led by Montero and Nkufo, Seattle put the pressure on Busch and the Earthquakes from the second minute. Montero crossed the ball for Nkufo, but Busch knocked away Nkufo’s header for the first of his six saves. In the ninth minute, it was Montero heading a Nyassi cross that Busch parried into the crossbar for the save.

The Sounders maintained that pressure in the second half, as it was Nkufo again missing narrowly on nabbing his first goal as a Sounder. Nkufo took a pass from Steve Zakuani at the top of the box and turned it through traffic to his left foot for a shot that Busch pushed just outside the far post for the save.

The win was a big step in showing that Nkufo is fitting in with his new club.

“I still need minutes and training but tonight it was important that the team won. Personally, I am still working to get to my level,” he said.

Fernandez got into the mix in the final 21 minutes and impressed on the left side, pushing forward and tracking back throughout the waning moments of the match and even surprised the coaching staff with a strong left-footed cross early in his time on the field.

The coming together of all of those pieces has put the Sounders into fourth place in the Western Conference standings at 25 points (7-8-4), two points clear of San Jose (6-5-5).

“These points are vital - this win is vital. Especially fighting for a playoff spot,” Montero said. “As a team we are playing really well right now and we want to keep working with that.”

The Sounders have been looking all season for a run of good form. Alas, it has arrived.

“We have a good squad with good players and when we give the effort and the determination we’re going to be a tough, tough team to beat,” Keller said. “The good run is here and long may it continue for the rest of the season.”

The Sounders host the Houston Dynamo next Sunday in their next MLS match, but first head to El Salvador for the second leg of the preliminary round meeting with Metapan in the CONCACAF Champions League. Kickoff is 7 pm on Tuesday night. The Sounders lead 1-0 in the aggregate goal series. The winner advances to the group stage of Champions League.

Scoring Summary
Sounders FC - Fredy Montero (Sanna Nyassi) 26.
Earthquakes - None.
Fredy Montero (Sanna Nyassi) 26. None. Lineups
Sounders FC - Kasey Keller, James Riley, Patrick Ianni, Jeff Parke (Tyrone Marshall 46), Leo Gonzalez, Sanna Nyassi, Nathan Sturgis, Osvaldo Alonso, Steve Zakuani (Alvaro Fernandez 69), Fredy Montero, Blaise Nkufo (Nate Jaqua 86).
Earthquakes - Jon Busch, Jason Hernandez (Chris Wondolowski 74), Bobby Burling, Ike Opara, Ramiro Corrales, Joey Gjertsen, Sam Cronin, Brandon McDonald (Arturo Alvarez 46), Bobby Convey, Cornell Glen, Scott Sealy (Ryan Johnson 46).
Kasey Keller, James Riley, Patrick Ianni, Jeff Parke (Tyrone Marshall 46), Leo Gonzalez, Sanna Nyassi, Nathan Sturgis, Osvaldo Alonso, Steve Zakuani (Alvaro Fernandez 69), Fredy Montero, Blaise Nkufo (Nate Jaqua 86). Jon Busch, Jason Hernandez (Chris Wondolowski 74), Bobby Burling, Ike Opara, Ramiro Corrales, Joey Gjertsen, Sam Cronin, Brandon McDonald (Arturo Alvarez 46), Bobby Convey, Cornell Glen, Scott Sealy (Ryan Johnson 46).

Play by Play

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Time	Event	Description
Heritage Cup		It looks like Seattle wins the 2010 Heritage Cup. Not sure exactly why, but we'll take it.
93+		After three minutes of stoppage time the referee blows the final whistle. Sounders FC 1, Earthquakes 0.
91+		Chris Wondolowski balsts a free kick into the Seattle wall and the Sounders take it the other way.
91+		Osvaldo Alonso picks up a foul 27 yards out left of the circle and picks up a yellow card in the process.
89		Alvaro Fernandez leads Nate Jaqua up the left side, but puts just too much pace on it and the San Jose defender beats him to it.
86		Bobby Burling crushes a shot, but misses it just outside the right post for a goal kick. Narrow miss by San Jose.
86		Nate Jaqua subs on for Blaise Nkufo.
84		Great effort by Fredy Montero. First he tracks back to 40 yards out on teh defensive side and picks the ball off of Cornell Glen then races up the right side to take a pass. He is fouled hard from behind by a humiliated Glen, but no call is made.
81		Sanna Nyassi brings down Arturo Alvarez from behind 10 yards out on the left side of the box. Bobby Convey takes teh free kick, but Blaise Nkufo heads it away and Fredy Montero knocks it long and clear.
80		Ramiro Corrales is issued a yellow card for a hard tackle in the middle of the field 43 yards out.
Notes		Attendance is announced at 10,351.
74		Chris Wondolowski subs on for Jason Hernandez.
71		Alvaro Fernandez scoots a cross on the grass for Fredy Montero, but Jon Busch beats him to it for the stop.
69		Alvaro Fernandez subs on for Steve Zakuani, making his MLS debut.
68		Bobby Burling attempts a back-heeled shot off a throw in from the right side, but Kasey Keller is there to make the stop.
67		Joey Gjertsen takes the ball up the left side, cuts back to his right foot and shoots, but misses over the crossbar for a goal kick.
66		Steve Zakuani springs Blaise Nkufo up the left side of the box, but Nkufo's return ball for Zakuani is defended away by San Jose.
63		Blaise Nkufo nearly punches in his first goal as a Sounder, but his left-footed shot is palmed away by a diving Jon Busch.
61		Blaise Nkufo gets away on a run up the middle, but he is shielded by Bobby Burling long enough for Jon Busch to grab the ball oof the bounce.
59		A great pass finds Steve Zakuani up the left side but his cross eludes Fredy Montero and goes through for a San Jose throw.
57		Great play by Sanna Nyassi to pick off a pass intended for Bobby Convey, then he races up the right side and plays it to Blaise Nkufo, but San Jose defends the ball back to Jon Busch and turns possession the other way, where it is defended away by Seattle's left side.
51		Steve Zakuani gets the ball into the box and appears to try to pass to Blaise Nkufo, but Nkufo is knocked to the ground on the play and San Jose takes over possession.
Notes		Jeff Parke left the game at halftime with a head injury.
46		Seattle takes the second half kickoff, attacking the east goal.
Halftime		Arturo Alvarez subs on for Brandon McDonald.
Halftime		Ryan Johnson subs on for Scot Sealy.
Halftime		Tyrone Marshall subbed on for Jeff Parke.
1st Half Stats		Stats: Shots- Sounders FC 6, Earthquakes 4 Shots on Goal - Sounders FC 4, SJ 1 Saves-Sounders FC 1, Earthquakes 3 Fouls-Sounders FC 3, SJ 4 Corners-Sounders FC 3, Earthquakes 3 Offsides-Sounders FC 2, Earthquakes 5
46+		After one minute of stoppage time, the referee blows his whistle for halftime. Sounders FC 1, Earthquakes 0.
44		Bobby Convey finds Ike Opara for a header off a free kick, but it misses high for a goal kick.
43		Leo Gonzalez defends the ball off of Cornell Glen and away for a goal kick. Glen disagrees with the call and one San Jose fan throws a streamer at Kasey Keller.
40		Patrick Ianni defends Scot Sealy at midfield and muscles him to the ground as Jeff Parke runs the ball up the field and shoots from 35 yards out. With the sun at Parke's back, it would have been a tough save for Jon Busch, but it sailed over the crossbar for a goal kick.
39		Fredy Montero has a defender on his back as the ball is flipped forward to him and is somehow flagged offside.
38		Jeff Parke returns to the pitch and James Riley whips the ball into the box on the free kick from midfield, but Jon Busch gets to it before Blaise Nkufo can.
37		A late whistle as James Riley is knocked to the ground after crossing the ball in to Steve Zakuani from midfield.
34		Bobby Convey sends a free kick into the box and Kasey Keller and Cornell Glen collide in the air, but it is Jeff Parke who is left on the grass just outside the 6-yard box. ... More on that in a moment.
32		Scot Sealy pounds a shot off the post from close range and Seattle defends the rebound away for a corner kick.
31		Ike Opara nearly knocks in an own goal, but Jon Busch makes a diving stop on the play.
Notes		Sounders FC owner Drew Carey is on hand snapping photos from the sideline.
Notes		That is eight straight league matches with a goal or an assist.
26		Sounders FC goal!!! Sanna Nyassi takes the ball up the right side of the box and crosses to Fredy Montero for a header into the far side of the net for his seventh goal of the season. Sounders FC 1, Earthquakes 0.
20		Natahn Sturgis flares a ball to Blaise Nkufo running into the box and Nkufo plays it into the middle, but Jon Busch is there to grab it and stop the attack.
19		Bobby Convey crosses a ball from the right side, but sends it wide of the net for a goal kick.
16		Fredy Montero shoots on the 30-yard free kick, but misses over the cross bar for a goal kick.
15		Sam Cronin goes into a hard tackle on Osvaldo Alonso as Alonso goes for a shot from 30 yards out. Cronin is issued a yellow card and Alonso is hobbling away.
14		Cornell Glen gets to a ball on the left side and forces Kasey Keller into a scramble for the ball to make the save.
13		Jason Hernandez looks to play the ball back to Jon Busch, but puts too much on it and knocks it wide for a corner kick.
11		Consecutive offside calls - one on San Jose and one on Seattle - give San Jose a free kick that Jon Busch powers into Seattle's box, where Kasey Keller makes an uncontested grab on the left side.
10		Another shot for Fredy Montero. He carries the ball to the left side of the box and shoots a left-footer to the near post, but Jon Busch reads it well and makes the save.
09		Great save by Jon Busch. Sanna Nyassi slings a ball in for Fredy Montero and Montero cracks a header to the near corner, but Busch pushes it into the crossbar for the save.
07		Cornell Glen goes down in a collision with Leo Gonzalez with no call on the play, then Patrick Ianni goes in hard on a tackle in the midfield, again with no call. Edvin Jurisevic appears to be letting them play.
05		Seattle threatens again and San Jose is left just to play it away for a Seattle corner kick from the right side.
03		Sanna Nyassi gets into the box and flips the ball into the air to himself. It looks like Bobby Burling tries to knock it down with his hand, but he misses the ball and Nyassi cuts it in front of the goal where he is tackled to the ground - no foul is called though and San Jose clears it.
02		Fredy Montero crosses to Blaise Nkufo from the right side, but Nkufo's header to the far post is knocked away by Jon Busch for a corner kick.
Kickoff		The Earthquakes take the opening kick.
Pregame		Always enjoy hearing the Sounders FC Supporters before the match.
Notes		The Sounders FC are wearing green shirts and shorts and blue socks. The Earthquakes are wearing black shirts, shorts and socks.
Weather		Sunny and 72.
Officials		Referee: Edvin Jurisevic. Referee's Assistants: Eric Boria and Ian Anderson. 4th Official: Ricardo Salazar.
Earthquakes		Starters: Jon Busch, Jason Hernandez, Bobby Burling, Ike Opara, Ramiro Corrales, Joey Gjertsen, Sam Cronin, Brandon McDonald, Bobbby Convey, Scott Sealy, Cornell Glenn. Subs: Joe Cannon, Justin Morrow, Steven Beitashour, Brad Ring, Arturo Alvarez, Chris Wondolowski, Ryan Johnson.
Sounders FC		Starters: Kasey Keller, James Riley, Patrick Ianni, Jeff Parke, Leo Gonzalez, Sanna Nyassi, Osvaldo Alonso, Nathan Sturgis, Steve Zakuani, Blaise Nkufo, Steve Zakuani. Subs: Terry Boss, Tyrone Marshall, Zach Scott, Michael Seamon, Alvaro Fernandez, Nate Jaqua, Roger Levesque.

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