Live From My Couch: Seattle Sounders FC v. Colorado Rapids

By: Steve | June 28th, 2009

The final whistle blows. Must feel good to be a Sounder right now. Outstanding game, though shaky in the first half. 3-0 Man of the match goes to Fredy Montero with a goal and two assists, but more importantly showing the vision and awareness of an elite player. Great stuff from the boys in Rave Green.

92′- Marshall heads it out for a throw in. NEARLY gets his hat trick… Jaqua gathers the ball as Pickens makes a mistake coming out for the ball. Jaqua tripped up but no foul there.

90′- Cummings has a great chance but skies it over the bar. He had about 25 angles to choose from. Maybe harder to miss than score there.

89′- Montero knocked down but refuses to relinquish the ball. What a day he is having.

87′- Peter Vagenas replaces Ljunberg who exits to a deserved standing ovation. All smiles as he comes off… that is something new.

86′- Nearly 4-0 as Jaqua makes a great run by a heavy touch prevents him from getting a shot off for his hat trick. Le Toux collects the rebound but it denied by the defender. Hurtado made it all happen with a great tackle and then Ljunberg played a perfect ball over the top to Nate.

85′- Montero loses the ball cheaply. Seemed to lose focus there for a second.

83′- Stringing 8, 9, 10 passes together. Montero lays it off to Le Toux but the Ihemelu is there.

81′- Freddie stood up and knocked down by Ihemelu. Foul.

80′- Keller high fives Seattle fans as he goes to collect a ball for a goal kick.

79′- Sounder’s controlling possession well, trying to run down the clock. Ljunberg having his way against Colorado but gets a bit too cute and loses the ball.

78′- Poor clearance from Marshall there, had options but went straight up in the air instead. Great play there from Montero to chest it down and play Ljunberg through. Cross is not enough though and is cleared out of danger.

77′- Colorado 13 shots to Seattle’s 6… that is efficiency folks.

76′- SOUNDERS!!! SOUNDERS!!!! SOUNDERS!!!! go the fans.

75′- Nice play and ideas from Freddie and Fredy on the left sideline. Ball rolls just over the line though.

73′- Wow… Freddie makes a devastating run into the box, beats several players and is tripped up by the keeper after the ball goes by him. Somehow that is legal.

71′- Looking at that goal again, that was more of a dummy than a pass to Jaqua. Either way great play by the young lad.

70′- Good fair play from Seattle as they are attacking but a Colorado player is down.

69′- Goal saving tackle by Hurtado makes the counter happen. Soccer sucks that way sometimes as you think you’re gonna score and then end up getting scored on. Great touch by Montero on that one puts this one away.

67′- Ianni shields the ball well, gets pushed down by Belluschi, and then Ianni is whistled for a foul… ummmmmm, okay…. Well, I am trying to make sense of what just happened but somehow Colorado did not score from something reminiscent of a pinball machine. On the counter, Seattle takes it down, a beautiful ball from Le Toux and a layoff to Jaqua records him his second assists. GOALLLLLLLLLLLL, 3-0. Assist to Montero and Le Toux on his very first touch.

66′- Keller saves that one from a corner. That is what a veteran keeper can do for you.

65′- 25 minutes more for 3 points, dont blow it, dont blow it, dont blow it.

64′- Attendance: 32,526. All-time Sounder’s record by a slim 3 person margin.

63′- Goal kick for Keller. Good defensive play by Harvey who takes the ball away from Freddie to end a promising attack.

62′- James Riley slides in to break up the play, another corner for the Rapids. Nyassi comes off the line to clear the ball to midfield. Gibbs tries to turn but Hurtado says no.

61′- Marshall is there in the box to close out Cummings. Corner for Colorado. Colin Clark to take it.

60′- LaBrocca’s hair is horrible. It looks like it would bite you if you got too close. Montero tries to send a pass to Jaqua, very good idea but it is intercepted. Montero really putting his splendid vision and passing on display today.

59′- Nyassi whistled for a foul. Colorado is lucky as Nyassi had the whole field ahead of him. Riley deflects a cross and Seattle is off to the races. Great run from Ljunberg but he can’t beat the last man. Jaqua is pulled down by LaBrocca. Free kick for the shirt tug.

58′- Nice buildup fizzles out with a poor cross from Riley.

57′- Pickens punches the ball high and it rolls out for a goal kick this time.

56′- Montero wins a tough ball and then flicks it to Ljunberg. Back to Montero who wins a corner. It was NEARLY awarded as a goal kick, but Sounders fans got the ref to change his mind.

55′- Alonso has a left groin injury apparently. Jaqua is offside. Riley intercepts the free kick and plays it to Jaqua who tries to flick on Montero. Almost. First offensive play from Riley in a while.

54′- Is it me or is someone down and hurt every 20 seconds this game?? Are these guys all too old or is the MLS just too dirty?

53′- Noonan jumped too early on a Cummings cross or he would have been in perfect position for a goal. Clark is down on the field… FIFA fair play…

51′- Throw in for the Sounders in the attacking 3rd. Jaqua with a heavy touch and Colorado is able to move out to midfield. Noonan plays in a low ball that is cleared. I can’t believe these refs just missed that offsides, hahahahah. Nyassi is hustling hard, making the most of his chance to be on the field.

50′- Nyassi gets after the ball but it goes out over the line…

49′- Up 2-0 now, good thing Bob Bradley is not our coach.

48′- GOALLLLL Montero slips in Nate perfectly from the 18 who hesitates just long enough for Pickens to commit and then slots it in to the side of the net. Beautiful. Nate’s 5th

46′- The announcers just said that Ianni was doing an excellent job filling in for Xavi Alonso… Wishiful thinking.

Halftime

45+’- Monetero taking down. Evans has the ball stolen by Noonan, but Ianni reacts well before the Colorado attack can start. Ball is pin balling around the Seattle box but Colorado cannot get a shot off. Deflected by Marshall for a corner. Jaqua heads it out. Handball on the Rapids. Half-time whistle blows.

45′- Ilamalu’s cross is played out. Ljunberg finds Jaqua on the right flank who goes back to Freddie. Great play but an even better sliding tackle from the Colorado defender to break up the pass. Montero on the left flank and the cross is deflected by Pickens.

44′- Colorado corner caught by Keller who tries to play it up to a deep Montero. No dice.

43′- Mastroeni plays a great ball to Cummings who takes it into the corner of the box and then loses the rock to the wall that is Hurtado, who shields the ball until he draws a foul.

42′- Ianni came on for Alonso.

41′- MLS play is so dirty its sad. Great defensive play from Nyassi…. Evans to Nyassi finds its way out for a corner.

39′- Alonso walks off the field under his own power, but it does not look good for the young man from Cuba. Announcers talking about Seattle’s midfield depth and Le Toux’s ankle problem. For those of you who don’t know Le Toux suffers from an ankle condition called “I played against Kevin Goldwaite last week.”

38′- Goal kick to Keller. Alonso is down looks like a groin or hamstring issue.

34′- Karma works its magic as the ball comes flying back off the post. Corner for Colorado.

33′- Four-man wall as the ball is within shooting range. Headed down by Alonso. Call for a handball comes about 150 minutes too late. Absolutely horrendous and unprofessional officiating to take that long to make a call. Hard to argue the call itself although it looked like Alonso was simply protecting his face he moved his hands into the path of the ball.. the ball didnt play him

32′- Ball into the area is deflected high and falls to Keller. Where was the foul there?? Clark draws a foul on Marshall, but I am not really sure for what.

31′- Alonso comes in a bit late and a free kick is awarded to the Rapids.

30′- LaRocca dribbles out of bounds while Montero pesters him.

29′- Jaqua turns Mastroeni who hauls down Nate. Good foul, but an unnecessary card for Mastroeni.

28′- Pass from Riley intercepted by Colin Clark who dribbles really fast down field and then… blows it.

27′- Montero feeds it to Freddie, who trips on some confetti. Foul on LaBrocca. Ljunberg is caught in the confetti again… watch out dude. Nearly scores on the free kick, but Pickens is there to deflect it.

25′- Noonan plays LaBrocca in who hits it straight at Keller. Keller’s kick goes to no one.

23′- Nyassi wins it from Noonan on the right side, but the balls goes out for the corner. GOALLLLLL JAQUA… nope Montero!!!! FINALLY GETS ONE WITH HIS HEAD!!!! WOOO, 1-0 Seattle. Jaqua runs some weird play where he gets a self-screen from his own player then heads it far post where Montero is waiting to redirect it. His 8th.

21′- Were back and with the restart ball nearly finds its way from Nyassi to Freddie. Corner. Swallowed up by the keeper.

19′- Long ball to Jaqua who is taken down hard. Jaqua shielded the ball well and now it looks like Gibbs is the one that is hurt after trying to knock around Nate.

17′- Tuning in after the USA game here and the first image is Freddie holding his knee on the ground… I already miss watching international play.

USA USA USA USA USA!!!!!