Sounders FC ends Crew's home unbeaten streak

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Losing was not an option if Sounders FC hoped to control its postseason destiny.

So Seattle donned the lucky blues, and the jerseys, in which the team has yet to lose in three games, worked like a charm.

The kits, in fact, had nothing to do with Sounders FC's gut-check 1-0 win Saturday over Columbus, which leads MLS's Eastern Conference. Roger Levesque had a lot to do with the victory, as did defender Tyrone Marshall. And so did a blown penalty kick by one of the league's best scorers, the Crew's Guillermo Barros Schelotto.

Levesque, a veteran forward making only his second start of the regular season, put in a rebound off a Fredy Montero shot on goal in the 35th minute, and Sounders FC made it stand to boost its points total to 41 with two games left. Holding on at Crew Stadium was the tough part after Seattle blew a 1-0 lead at New England last weekend and lost 2-1.

"Big three points," Sounders FC goalkeeper Kasey Keller said.

"If somehow we screw it up now, we only have ourselves to blame."

There was some luck and hustle involved. In the 24th minute and the match scoreless, Crew midfielder Eddie Gaven unloaded a long-distance shot that was headed for the corner of the net. Sounders FC defender Marshall redirected it ever so slightly, and the ball pinged off the sidepost and out of the net.

Levesque, the stringy-haired, mustache-sporting 28-year-old, was the hero. Again. He'd scored critical goals during the U.S. Open Cup tournament, including what proved to be the game winner in the final last month.

"I was just in the right place in at the right time," said Levesque, who started because Nate Jaqua was suspended because of yellow-card accumulation and Sebastien Le Toux was limited to reserve duty because of illness.

The key defensive play of the match came in the 70th minute, with Sounders FC trying to hang on to its lead and the Crew attacking. Steven Lenhart got an open look on net with Seattle goalkeeper Kasey Keller drawn out. Lenhart's ball was going in, but Marshall got back to get a foot on it before it crossed the goal line and bicycle-kicked the ball clear.

"We know it's getting down to crunch time, and this is the atmosphere it's going to be like in the playoffs," Marshall said. "This is like a rehearsal. This is what it's going to take."

In the 75th minute, midfielder Osvaldo Alonso, who seldom shoots for Sounders FC, got off a blast that hit the post and spun along the goal line and out.

Then, just when it looked as though Sounders FC would hold on, defender Jhon Kennedy shoved Gaven in the back on a run inside the box, and a penalty kick was whistled. Schelotto, with 12 goals this season, lined up for the PK in the 82nd minute

His shot went wide left. Sounders FC survived.

"This week we had good fortune on our side," Sounders FC coach Sigi Schmid said.

Seattle (10-7-11) broke the Crew's 22-match home unbeaten streak that dated to June of last season, when Schmid was head coach of the Crew.

Note

• Sounders defender Leo Gonzalez is expected to join Costa Rica's national team for World Cup qualifying matches on Saturday vs. Trinidad & Tobago and at the U.S. on Oct. 14 in Washington, D.C.

José Miguel Romero: 206-464-2409 or jromero@seattletimes.com

SOUNDERS FC 1, CREW 0

Seattle	1 0 — 1
Columbus	0 0 — 0

First half — 1, Seattle, Levesque 1, 36th minute. Second half — None. Goalies — Seattle, Kasey Keller; Columbus, William Hesmer. Total shots — Seattle 7, Columbus 17. Shots on goal — Seattle 2, Columbus 2. Total saves — Seattle 2, Columbus 1. Fouls — Seattle 10, Columbus 7. Offsides — Seattle 5, Columbus 2. Corner kicks — Seattle 3, Columbus 6. Yellow cards — Moreno, Columbus, 55th; O'Rourke, Columbus, 62nd. Referee — Ricardo Salazar. Assistant referees — C.J. Morgante. Robert Fereday. 4th official — Mikael Lundquist. A — 14,372 (22,555)

Lineups

Seattle — Kasey Keller, Roger Levesque, James Riley, Freddie Ljungberg, Steve Zakuani (Sebastien Le Toux, 64th), Leo Gonzalez, Brad Evans, Osvaldo Alonso, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Tyrone Marshall, Fredy Montero (Peter Vagenas, 89th).

Columbus — William Hesmer, Brian Carroll, Eddie Gaven, Danny O'Rourke, Kevin Burns (Emmanuel Ekpo, 71st), Robbie Rogers, Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Eric Brunner, Gino Padula, Alejandro Moreno (Emilio Renteria, 77th), Jed Zayner (Steven Lenhart, 64th).