Kickers Drop National Title On PKs

Seattle Sounders captured the United Soccer Leagues First Division championship, defeating the Richmond Kickers 4-3 in a tense seven-round penalty-kicks tiebreaker after playing a 1-1 draw with the Richmond Kickers in the title match before 8,011 at Qwest Field tonight.

The Sounders, who rallied from a 1-0 deficit, joined the Rochester Raging Rhinos as three-time USL First Division champions. Seattle, which lost 2-0 to the Montreal impact in last year’s final, previously won crowns in 1995 and 1996. Rochester won in 1998, 2000 and 2001.

Andrew Gregor, Leighton O’Brien, Kevin Sakuda and Scott Jenkins converted penalties in the tiebreaker for the Sounders with their goalkeeper Preston Burpo making one save. Sascha Gorres, Tony Williams and Matt Pauls made PKs for Richmond while their keeper made two crucial saves after the Kickers had fallen behind 2-0.

Kevin Jeffrey had a chance to win the tiebreaker and match for Richmond in the fifth round, but shot high.

Burpo was named “Championship Most Valuable Player.”

Richmond took a 1-0 lead on a goal by Gorres in the 24th minute. The ball rebounded out of the box after a Richmond corner kick and went to Gorres, a midfielder nearly 30 yards out. He touched the ball with his right foot to his left and nailed a rocket past Burpo into the top right corner of the net for his third goal of the season and first of the playoffs.

Seattle equalized at 1-1 in the 73rd minute when forward Maykel Galindo took a pass from Ryan Edwards and slid the ball over the goal-line after a series of deflections in the box allowed Ryan Edwards to slot the ball to Galindo crashing in on goal.

Richmond midfielder Mike Burke crossed the ball to Matthew Delicate for shots in the fourth and 10th minutes. Each attempt was tipped over the crossbar by a leaping Burpo, who was named “Championship Most Valuable Player.” The Sounders retaliated in the 13th minute when Galindo, a Cuban international forward, sent a dangerous strike from the right side into the box. The ball was cleared by the Richmond defense.

Richmond midfielder Joey Worthen created several opportunities throughout the first half, including warding off two defenders in the 17th and 23rd minute minutes, only to send shots over the bar.

Seattle closed out the first half with two close calls. Defender Taylor Graham sent a 30th-minute header just wide right of the goal. Two minutes later, midfielder Kevin Sakuda had a 12-yard try glance just past the far left post.

After tying the game at 1, Seattle gained momentum as striker Roger Levesque created several opportunities, including a 75th minute shot sent just wide left and a 76th minute header over net.

Three minute later, Delicate, deep on the right side, sent a cross to midfielder Tim Brown whose header sailed just wide left.

There was an abundance of pushing and shoving in both boxes during set pieces throughout the match. After Brown’s header sailed out of play, a scuffle ensued inside the box and resulted in the red-card ejections to Worthen and Seattle’s C.J. Klaas.

During stoppage time, both teams created last minute attempts to break the tie. First, Delicate received a cross from Robert Ssejjemba, but his low, bouncing shot was cleared by the Sounders defense. Seconds later, Seattle defender Billy Sleeth, open on the right side, sent a dangerous cross to Gregor, but his effort was smothered by Pascale.

Seattle opened the first 15-minute period of overtime with a shot from the top of the box, but Pascale scooped the ball up. Graham added pressure in the 107th and 108th minutes with consecutive shots sailing wide of the target.

Ssejjemba received crosses from Delicate in the 110th and the 118th minutes, but shot high in each instance.
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Seattle Sounders 1, Richmond Kickers 1

(Seattle wins 4-3 in seven rounds of penalty kicks.

Lineups: Seattle

– Preston Burpo, Billy Sleeth (Jake Segare 119), Taylor Graham, Ryan Edwards (Scott Jenkins 91), Zach Scott (Brett Whitfield 70), Kevin Sakuda, C.J. Klaas, Leighton O’Brien, Gabe Sturm (Andrew Gregor 55), Roger Levesque, Mikael Galindo (Ben Somoza 99). Richmond – Ronnie Pascale, Chris Fox (Matt Pauls 119), Kevin Knight, Peter Luzak, Tony Williams, Tim Brown, Sascha Gorres, Joey Worthen, Chris Carrieri (Kevin Jeffrey 73), Mike Burke (Robert Ssejjemba 89), Matthew Delicate.

Scoring:

Richmond: – Gorres (unassisted) 24.
Seattle – Galindo (Edwards) 73.

Penalty kicks: Seattle

Gregor – goal, O’Brien – goal, Levesque – saved, Somoza – missed, Graham – saved, Sakuda – goal, Jenkins – goal; Richmond – Delicate – missed, SSejjemba – saved, Gorres – goal, Williams – goal, Jeffrey miss, Pauls – goal, Pascale – miss.

Attendance: 8,011 at Qwest Field in Seattle. Weather: Cool, 50 degrees. Referee: Ricardo Valenzuela.
Referee’s assistants: Yaker Reyes, Colin Arblaster.