Sounders finally beat Whitecaps

Andrew Gregor nailed a penalty kick in the 43rd minute of Saturday night's Sounders game against the Vancouver Whitecaps, enough to give Seattle its first victory over Vancouver in almost two years.

But Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer was quick to point out that they haven't lost to the Whitecaps in two years, either. Before Seattle's 1-0 win at Qwest Field, the two USL First Division teams had tied in their last six meetings.

The winning penalty kick came after Sounders forward Cam Weaver was upended in the penalty box by Vancouver goalkeeper Tony Caig.

Weaver was hustling to get the ball past Caig when the keeper dived for it.

"I felt his arm on my foot," Weaver said. "His momentum carried him into me after I had poked the ball out of his reach."

Weaver was slanting away from the goal, and the Vancouver players argued strongly against the call by referee Yader Reyes. The bickering resulted in a yellow card against Vancouver defender Steve Kindel, one of five cautions given in the game that also saw 32 fouls.

The loss was the first of the season for Vancouver (3-1-3), second behind Rochester in the USL First Division.

"It was good to get four out of a possible six points this weekend against a team like Vancouver," Gregor said. The Sounders (2-2-2) played Vancouver to a draw Friday.

Schmetzer said he was "ecstatic because the continuing difficulties and the unsettled first month and a half of the season have been erased by a good performance against a team as good as Vancouver."

Schmetzer credited Weaver's hustle for getting into the penalty box where the foul occurred. Did he think it was a penalty?

"It's a penalty, and you know why it's a penalty? Because the ref called it a penalty," Schmetzer said.

Schmetzer played Roger Levesque, who usually starts at midfield, as a forward.

"I had a go at him," Schmetzer said. "I took him out early in the game Friday night, and he responded by playing a tremendous game for us on Saturday."

Levesque had two shots on goal, constantly pushed the ball up the field and spread passes around.

The Sounders' rookie goalkeeper, Chris Eylander, recorded his second win and second shutout.

The Sounders' next game is Friday against the Portland Timbers at Qwest Field.

SOUNDERS 1, WHITECAPS 0

Vancouver Whitecaps	0 0 — 0
Seattle Sounders	1 0 — 1

Goals — Sea: 1 Andrew Gregor (penalty kick) 43:00. Van: None. Shots — Van 8, Sea 17. Saves — Van (Tony Caig) 4, Sea (Chris Eylander) 3. Fouls — Van 17, Sea 15. Offsides — Van 1, Sea 2. Corner kicks — Van 10, Sea 7. Cautions — Van (Steve Kindel 41:00, Jeff Clarke 65:00) Sea (Zach Scott 29:00, Andrew Gregor 68:00, Seyi Abolaji 78:00). A — 2,928.