Strong second half boosts Sounders

TUKWILA — Seattle Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer got what he wanted — more scoring — without even having to ask.

Josh Gardner's two goals and a strong second half powered the Sounders to a 4-2 victory over the Atlanta Silverbacks in Sunday's rematch of the 2007 United Soccer Leagues First Division championship at Starfire Sports & Entertainment Complex in front of 1,927 fans.

"We've been practicing so much on attacking in training, moreso than any of my seven years here," Schmetzer said. "It's been nothing but offense for two weeks. I asked [assistant] Jimmy Gabriel about what to talk about it, and he said, 'Don't talk about scoring goals.' I just talked about tactics, and nothing about scoring goals."

What Schmetzer didn't count on was a letdown on defense. That defensive lapse put a Sounders victory in jeopardy for at least a half.

The two teams ended a wild first half tied 2-2 with Seattle outshooting the Silverbacks 10-8.

In the second half, Silverbacks substitute Zach Kirby fouled Sebastien Le Toux hard in the penalty area in the 48th minute and received a red-card ejection to set up Leighton O'Brien's boot to the lower left corner of the net, putting Seattle ahead 3-2.

Then Gardner hammered in a 8-yard shot after a loose-ball scramble in front of the goal, knocking in his second goal after a shot by teammate Roger Levesque was blocked in the 70th minute.

The Sounders (2-1-3, 9 points) moved into a fifth-place tie in the USL First Division after equaling their season goal output on Sunday night. They entered the match with just four goals in their first five matches.

The win pushed Seattle's record to 5-0-1 in the last six meetings against the Silverbacks (2-2-2, 8 points), dating to the 2006 season.

On Sunday, Gardner gave the Sounders a short-lived 2-1 lead in the 35th minute when he blasted a shot into goalkeeper Felipe Quintero that bounced back to hit Gardner, then went into an open net. It was Gardner's first goal of the season.

Le Toux put the Sounders ahead in the second minute, rifling a 10-yard shot into the left corner from a tough angle on the right side. Midfielder Youssouf Kante, a first-year USL player making his first start in America for the Sounders, made the pass to Le Toux from the right wing.

"Our boys came out sharp," Gardner said. "It's always good to score four goals."

Note

• Seattle midfielder Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar missed his second match in a row with an injured right ankle. Forward Andre Schmid also missed his second match with a broken nose.

SOUNDERS 4, SILVERBACKS 2

Atlanta Silverbacks	2 0 -- 2
Seattle Sounders	2 2 -- 4

Goals -- SEA: 1, Sebastien Le Toux (Youssouf Kante') 2:00; 2, Josh Gardner (un) 35:00; 3, Leighton O'Brien (pk) 50:00; 4, Gardner (un) 70:00. ATL: 1, Jason McLaughlin (Justin Moore) 25:00; 2, Ansu Toure (Macoumba Kandji) 36:00. Shots -- Atl 15, Sea 15. Fouls -- Atl 7, Sea 10. Offsides -- Atl 1, Sea 5. Corner kicks -- Atl 6, Sea 6. Cautions -- Atl (Quintero), Sea (None). Ejections -- Atl (Zach Kirby), Sea (None). A -- 1,927.