Sounders
Bolanos grabs lead for Sounders

The Associated Press

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Seattle Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer got so excited, he unintentionally tested his surgically repaired left Achilles tendon.

But the goal scored by Sounders midfielder Jonathan Bolanos warranted Schmetzer's excited jump off the team bench.

Bolanos drilled a magnificent bicycle kick off a Danny Jackson feed in the 57th minute as the Sounders beat the Vancouver Whitecaps 1-0 in Game 1 of the A-League Western Conference finals before 2,496 fans at Qwest Field.

"It got me jumping up in the air, that's for sure," said Schmetzer of the score by the 25-year-old Bolanos, a native of Costa Rica who signed 12 matches into the season.

"Jonathan can be special at times. He showed tonight that he's capable of winning games."

The Sounders (18-12-4) will take a 1-0 lead in the two-match, aggregate-goals series, into Game 2 at 7 p.m. tomorrow at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby, B.C. Vancouver (16-11-4) must win by one goal to force a series overtime tiebreaker, or by two goals to advance.

"I don't think I was comfortable until the whistle blew," said Schmetzer, who had surgery on his Achilles early this season after hurting it training with a youth soccer team he coaches. "(The Whitecaps are) a dangerous team. They can score at any moment."

If the Sounders can hold their advantage, they will reach the A-League championship for the first time since winning back-to-back titles in 1995 and '96.

Bolanos put the Sounders up on a world-class goal. With his back to the goal, the midfielder hammered a shot off Vancouver goalkeeper Mike Franks and into the upper right corner of the net after receiving a send-in from the left side from defender Jackson.
 
It was Jackson's first assist as a professional. He gathered in a defensive deflection off Ben Somoza's corner kick and then found Bolanos, who split two defenders.

Bolanos' goal, his third of the season, ended the Whitecaps' streak of holding opponents scoreless at 395 minutes.

"We weren't getting those kinds of bounces earlier this season," Schmetzer said. "It's evened out through the course of the season."

Both teams nearly got on the scoreboard in the 47th minute. The Whitecaps almost scored twice in a matter of seconds when Carlo Corrazzin's header forced Seattle goalkeeper Preston Burpo to make a save at the right post. Corrazzin corralled the loose ball after his header and banged a rebound shot off the bottom side of the crossbar.

"We were extremely fortunate that he didn't bury that (last) one," Schmetzer said.

Then, just seconds later, Seattle's Jason Farrell scorched a low 30-yard rocket to the right post, forcing Franks to make a diving stop.

The scoreless first half was dominated by defense, with each team coming up with only lukewarm chances. Roger Levesque headed a long send-in from defender Zach Scott to the right post in the 14th minute for the Sounders' best opportunity, but Vancouver goalkeeper Mike Franks made an easy save.

Bolanos got his left foot on a corner kick from the left side from Somoza in the 45th minute, but Franks was at the left post for another save.

The Whitecaps' Nick Dasovic squirted a header high and wide right in the 24th minute for Vancouver's best chance.

Notes

• Seattle D Marco Velez returned after serving a one-game suspension in the final game of the Western Conference semifinal series with Portland last Sunday. Velez, who entered in the 77th minute last night, was red-carded in Game 1 of the previous series for an elbow to Timbers forward Byron Alvarez.

• The Montreal Impact defeated the host Syracuse Salty Dogs 2-0 last night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.

• The A-League championship match will be played Saturday, Sept. 18 at a site of one of the four semifinal teams.