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Cards Dominate Draw Between Seattle And LA
Two goals canceled themselves out as the Los Angeles Galaxy visited Seattle Sounders FC, but they were even further overshadowed by eight cards, including one red, handed out during the testy match.
May 10, 2009 7:50:08 PM
SEATTLE, Wash.-- Seattle Sounders FC played the Los Angeles Galaxy to a 1-1 tie that was anything but sedate on Mother’s Day. In a match that featured few goals, but a total of eight cards, (including one red and four yellows to the Sounders) another sellout Seattle crowd of 29,025 showed up.
All of the scoring took place in the first half. Seattle forward Sebastien Le Toux tallied the first goal in the 22nd second minute and Alan Gordon responded for the Galaxy with a headed goal in the 35th minute. Gordon’s tally was the first home goal given up by Sounders ‘keeper Kasey Keller this season.
The Sounders played a man down from the the 57th minute on when midfielder James Riley was issued a red card and ejected. He was the third Sounders player ejected this year.
The Galaxy failed to capitalize on the advantage, though. However, the club is unbeaten in their last six games. Its record stands at 1-1-6.
Seattle is riding its own streak of four games without a loss. Seattle sits second in the Western Conference with 14 points and a 4-2-2 record.
The focus of the game was on referee Tim Weyland and the flurry of cautions he handed out. The Seattle crowd showed its displeasure to him and his assistants at the end of the first half and even more so at the end of the game.
First Half
Seattle Sounders FC head coach Sigi Schmid started Sebastien Le Toux at forward for the first time this year. He replaced Fredy Montero, who received a red card and automatic one game suspension after striking Fire defender Gonzalo Segares with an elbow in Seattle’s last game against Chicago.
The opening 20 minutes of the match saw the teams move the ball up and down the field with no real scoring threats.
LA Galaxy forward Landon Donovan made several runs on the left side as the match approached the 20 minute mark. Two of his shots went wide and another landed into the hands of Seattle ‘keeper Kasey Keller.
Le Toux's positional change netted results in the 21st minute. A pass from midfielder Steve Zakuani to forward Nate Jaqua left Galaxy goalie Donovan Ricketts out of position. Jaqua passed to his left, and Le Toux promptly slotted the ball into an empty goal for his first MLS goal of the season. .
Sounders midfielder Brad Evans nearly scored in the 25th minute when his header brushed the right post.
LA goalie Ricketts appeared shaky at times with kicks that either landed out of bounds or failed to pass midfield. In the 28th minute, Seattle midfielder Steve Zakuani shot directly at Ricketts, who bobbled the ball for a second before picking it up.
Los Angeles equalized in the 36th minute on a header from Gordon. LA midfielder Mike Magee lofted a ball to Gordon on the right side of the goal. He made no mistake in scoring his second goal of the season by heading the ball to the right post past Keller.
The first half ended controversially. A Seattle forward Nate Jaqua bearing down on the right side of goal, he appeared to be fouled in the box by Galaxy midfielder Dema Kovalenko. Referee Tim Weyland thought otherwise. Seattle midfielder Brad Evans received a caution for his protests. As the half ended in a 1-1 tie, the sellout crowd of 29,025 booed the referee and his assistants as they headed off the field..
Second Half
The testiness at the end of the first half continued into the second 45 minutes of the match.
Referee Weyland was once again in the spotlight in the 57th minute. A skirmish ensued on the right side of the Galaxy box area, and Seattle defender James Riley appeared to take a swing at a Galaxy player. Weyland initially gave Riley a yellow card, but changed it to a red after conferring with his assistant, who appeared to have a better view.
With fans once again in an uproar, Sounders midfielder Freddie Ljungberg joined the protest. He and Magee were both issued yellow cards by Weyland.
The tone of the game didn’t improve, when once again he issued another yellow card to Galaxy defender Tony Sanneh. Weyland felt that the veteran’s tackle was too harsh, and out came the sixth card of the day.
Scoring became secondary as the game progressed in the last thirty minutes. The cautions, however, continued. In the 80th minute, Jaqua got a yellow for a hard tackle on Galaxy midfielder Stefani Miglioranzi. Not to be outdone, Miglioranzi joined the party and received the final caution in the 83rd minute for a reckless tackle.
John Zielonka is the Goal.com correspondent in Seattle.
For more on Major League Soccer visit Goal.com’s MLS page!
All of the scoring took place in the first half. Seattle forward Sebastien Le Toux tallied the first goal in the 22nd second minute and Alan Gordon responded for the Galaxy with a headed goal in the 35th minute. Gordon’s tally was the first home goal given up by Sounders ‘keeper Kasey Keller this season.
The Sounders played a man down from the the 57th minute on when midfielder James Riley was issued a red card and ejected. He was the third Sounders player ejected this year.
The Galaxy failed to capitalize on the advantage, though. However, the club is unbeaten in their last six games. Its record stands at 1-1-6.
Seattle is riding its own streak of four games without a loss. Seattle sits second in the Western Conference with 14 points and a 4-2-2 record.
The focus of the game was on referee Tim Weyland and the flurry of cautions he handed out. The Seattle crowd showed its displeasure to him and his assistants at the end of the first half and even more so at the end of the game.
First Half
Seattle Sounders FC head coach Sigi Schmid started Sebastien Le Toux at forward for the first time this year. He replaced Fredy Montero, who received a red card and automatic one game suspension after striking Fire defender Gonzalo Segares with an elbow in Seattle’s last game against Chicago.
The opening 20 minutes of the match saw the teams move the ball up and down the field with no real scoring threats.
LA Galaxy forward Landon Donovan made several runs on the left side as the match approached the 20 minute mark. Two of his shots went wide and another landed into the hands of Seattle ‘keeper Kasey Keller.
Le Toux's positional change netted results in the 21st minute. A pass from midfielder Steve Zakuani to forward Nate Jaqua left Galaxy goalie Donovan Ricketts out of position. Jaqua passed to his left, and Le Toux promptly slotted the ball into an empty goal for his first MLS goal of the season. .
Sounders midfielder Brad Evans nearly scored in the 25th minute when his header brushed the right post.
LA goalie Ricketts appeared shaky at times with kicks that either landed out of bounds or failed to pass midfield. In the 28th minute, Seattle midfielder Steve Zakuani shot directly at Ricketts, who bobbled the ball for a second before picking it up.
Los Angeles equalized in the 36th minute on a header from Gordon. LA midfielder Mike Magee lofted a ball to Gordon on the right side of the goal. He made no mistake in scoring his second goal of the season by heading the ball to the right post past Keller.
The first half ended controversially. A Seattle forward Nate Jaqua bearing down on the right side of goal, he appeared to be fouled in the box by Galaxy midfielder Dema Kovalenko. Referee Tim Weyland thought otherwise. Seattle midfielder Brad Evans received a caution for his protests. As the half ended in a 1-1 tie, the sellout crowd of 29,025 booed the referee and his assistants as they headed off the field..
Second Half
The testiness at the end of the first half continued into the second 45 minutes of the match.
Referee Weyland was once again in the spotlight in the 57th minute. A skirmish ensued on the right side of the Galaxy box area, and Seattle defender James Riley appeared to take a swing at a Galaxy player. Weyland initially gave Riley a yellow card, but changed it to a red after conferring with his assistant, who appeared to have a better view.
With fans once again in an uproar, Sounders midfielder Freddie Ljungberg joined the protest. He and Magee were both issued yellow cards by Weyland.
The tone of the game didn’t improve, when once again he issued another yellow card to Galaxy defender Tony Sanneh. Weyland felt that the veteran’s tackle was too harsh, and out came the sixth card of the day.
Scoring became secondary as the game progressed in the last thirty minutes. The cautions, however, continued. In the 80th minute, Jaqua got a yellow for a hard tackle on Galaxy midfielder Stefani Miglioranzi. Not to be outdone, Miglioranzi joined the party and received the final caution in the 83rd minute for a reckless tackle.
John Zielonka is the Goal.com correspondent in Seattle.
For more on Major League Soccer visit Goal.com’s MLS page!
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