Sounders goalkeeper preserved series lead

A lot seemingly was going against the Seattle Sounders on Friday in Game 1 of the United Soccer Leagues First Division semifinal playoff series.

It looked bleak when Sounders veteran defender Danny Jackson was ejected in the 56th minute on a referee's red-card call with a tie at 1. A man down, Seattle was in a precarious spot. The host Puerto Rico Islanders were pelting Sounders goalkeeper Chris Eylander with dangerous chances.

But the Sounders dug in their heels and took control of the series as rookie Kenji Treschuk scored the game-winner in the 69th minute for a 2-1 win. Sure, Seattle (25-8-7) will be tired after 10 hours of airplane travel heading into today's deciding game of the two-match aggregate series at 5 p.m. at Tukwila's Starfire Sports & Entertainment Complex, but they'll have momentum and adrenaline on their side.

"It puts us way in the driver's seat," said Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer, who praised his team's resolve. "I told them afterward, 'You can't coach what happened on the field.' "

Eylander made 10 saves for the Sounders, many of which came with a 2-1 lead in a busy final 20 minutes in front of a partisan crowd of 12,098 at Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium.

"That was one of the best goalkeeper performances I've ever seen in my life, and that's in 28 years of watching soccer," Schmetzer said. "That was a performance of a lifetime. He saved us seven or eight times from sure goals."

Seattle was a man down for 13 minutes before Treschuk's score. Jackson's departure came on a call that Schmetzer thought should've only been a yellow card. Jackson, who must sit out today, fouled Noah Delgado from behind and was hit with a straight red.

"We're asking the league to review the tape," Schmetzer said. "To get a straight red for that is a farce, especially after the referee let elbow after elbow go before that."

Jackson said the chance of the USL initiating a change in the decision is "one in a trillion."

Jano Gonzalez of Puerto Rico got his second yellow card in the 77th minute gave each team 10 players.