Sounders take fourth league title

TUKWILA — When field-general midfielder Leighton O'Brien collapsed in agony with a pulled right groin early in the United Soccer Leagues First Division final, the Seattle Sounders' championship hopes could have gone down with him.

But Greg Howes replaced him in the 18th minute and came to the rescue.

Howes supplied a late first-half goal and scored another in the second half of the Sounders' 4-0 victory over the Atlanta Silverbacks on Saturday night. With the victory, before a standing-room-only crowd of 4,893 at Starfire Sports & Entertainment Complex, the Sounders became the first club in league history to win four titles.

The Sounders (27-9-7) added to league crowns in 1995, 1996 and 2005, eclipsing the Rochester Raging Rhinos' three titles. Atlanta, the No. 4 seed into the playoffs, finished 16-11-11.

"It was pretty early and just kind of getting the feeling of the game, knowing I'm probably going to get in in the second half," said Howes, a Tacoma native who returned to the Sounders after earning rookie of the year in Seattle in 2000. "He went down and I didn't realize it. I wasn't even warmed up yet."

Howes, named championship MVP, warmed soon after he entered, scoring in the 45th minute. It was his first outdoor soccer title as a professional.

"Going into halftime 1-0 is a huge momentum boost," Howes said. "In 2005, I was going to come to Seattle, but I went to Rochester instead. To come home and share this with my family and friends is just awesome. It's no joke that we were on a big winning streak and that we're holding the trophy now."

Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar provided a goal and an assist for Seattle, which improved to 7-1-1 at Starfire. Sounders goalkeeper Chris Eylander made several key saves throughout the match and seven overall as he registered his 17th shutout of the season.

The Sounders were attempting to become the first No. 1 seed or regular-season champion to win the title since Rochester did it in 1998. Seattle also bounced back from a 1-4-3 start to the season.

Howes' eighth goal of the season put the Sounders in front 1-0 less than a minute before halftime on a shot from 10 yards away after a pass from Alcaraz-Cuellar.

"The result was a little nicer and kinder to me, because I didn't have to sweat as much," said Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer, comparing this title to the 2-1 penalty-kick win over Richmond in 2005. "I stewed a little bit, of course, when Leighton went out. To lose a guy who runs the team, certainly it was a blow.

"But I had good guys who could come off the bench."

Alcaraz-Cuellar blasted a 25-yard shot into the left corner of the net in the 61st minute for his first playoff goal of 2007. His seventh goal of the year came off an assist from Taylor Graham.

Howes made it 3-0 on a 22-yard blast that ricocheted off an Atlanta defender in the 82nd minute. Eighth-year Sounder Craig Tomlinson, an 88th minute substitute, scored in added time of the 90th minute for the final margin.

Eylander tipped the ball over the crossbar when Atlanta's 6-foot-5 defender, Omar Jarun, headed the ball off the turf in front the goal off a corner kick in the 58th minute. Eylander tipped another shot over the bar in the 67th minute on a blast by Angel Rivillo.

"I have never had a victory like this in my life," said Eylander.

Notes

• Sounders MF Kevin Sakuda made his 126th consecutive start overall.

• Silverbacks forward Daniel Antoniuk, a player-of-the-year finalist, was not in the starting lineup but he entered in the 63rd minute.

SOUNDERS 4, SILVERBACKS 0

At Tukwila

Atlanta Silverbacks	0 0 — 0
Seattle Sounders	1 3 — 4

Goals — Seattle: 1, Greg Howes (Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar assist), 45:00; 2, Alcaraz-Cuellar (Taylor Graham), 61:00; 3, Howes (unassisted), 82:00; 4, Craig Tomlinson (unassisted), 90:00. Shots — Atlanta 15, Seattle 16. Saves — Atlanta (Ryan McIntosh) 8, Seattle (Chris Eylander) 7. Fouls — Atlanta 12, Seattle 9. Offsides — Atlanta 0, Seattle 2. Corner kicks — Atlanta 8, Seattle 5. Cautions — Atlanta (Luis Liendo 62:00), Seattle (Alcaraz-Cuellar 69:00, Sebastien Le Toux 87:00, Craig Tomlinson 90:00). Ejections — None. A — 4,893. Records — Atlanta 16-11-11, Seattle 27-9-7.

USL First Division champions

2007 — Seattle Sounders; 2006 — Vancouver Whitecaps; 2005 — Seattle Sounders; 2004 — Montreal Impact; 2003 — Charleston Battery; 2002 — Mlwaukee Rampage; 2001 — Rochester Raging Rhinos; 2000 — Rochester Raging Rhinos; 1999 — Minnesota Thunder; 1998 — Rochester Raging Rhinos; 1997 — Milwaukee Rampage; 1996 — Seattle Sounders; 1995 — Seattle Sounders; 1994 — Montreal Impact; 1993 — Colorado Foxes; 1992 — Colorado Foxes; 1991 — San Francisco Bay Blackhawks; 1990 — Maryland Bays; 1989 — Ft. Lauderdale Strikers; 1988 — Washington Diplomats and Seattle Storm; 1987 — San Diego Nomads; 1986 — Hollywood Kickers; 1985 — San Jose Earthquakes.

Note: Western Soccer Alliance 1985-1987; American Soccer League and Western Soccer League 1988-89; American Professional Soccer League 1990-94; A-League 1995-2004.