Brent Whitfield almost didn't get a chance to score the first goal of his professional career.

Seattle Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer challenged the rookie forward in the locker room in front of his teammates, and he got the desired response.

With Ben Somoza set to sub in for him, Whitfield was in the right place at the right time to put away a winning rebound goal in the 67th minute as the Sounders beat the Charleston Battery 1-0 last night before 2,007 fans at Qwest Field.

Seattle (1-1-1, 4 points) collected its first United Soccer Leagues (USL) First Division win of the season. Charleston, the 2003 league champions, fell to 1-3-2 with five points.

"At first, I took what (Schmetzer) said as either I have to perform or my playing time would be limited," said the 24-year-old Whitfield, a 2003 Cal State Fullerton graduate who spent last season in the amateur Premier Developmental League of USL with the Southern California Seahorses. "I took it as motivation. I had a lot of chances, so finally it felt good to score.

"Hopefully that will open the floodgates."

Whitfield, who impressed enough in open tryouts in March to earn a spot on the team, cashed in the goal in the 67th minute, burying a rebound after his own miss from point-blank range at the right post.

"Before the game, I challenged him to figure out the reality of professional sports," Schmetzer said. "Here's what it is. Either you perform or you don't play. I was trying to jog him into realizing this is my livelihood as well as his."

Whitfield launched five shots last night after going shotless in two previous USL matches.

Sounders goalkeeper Preston Burpo posted his third shutout of the season and his second in USL First Division play. The 32-year-old Burpo had three saves.

"Preston's been great," Schmetzer said of the ninth-year Sounder. "He had a couple of good saves again tonight. He's like fine wine. He's getting better as he gets older. I don't know why he's not on an MLS [Major League Soccer] roster."

It was the second meeting all-time between the teams, with Seattle winning the first 3-1 at Charleston last season. This is the Battery's first Pacific Northwest trip since facing the Portland Timbers and Vancouver in 2001. Charleston lost 1-0 in Portland on Thursday.

The Sounders nearly cashed in on their fourth corner kick in the 30th minute when C.J. Klaas found the head of Ryan Edwards, who directed his shot off the crossbar above the left post.

Then about a minute later in the 31st, Whitfield got loose up the right side for a one-on-one, but Charleston goalkeeper Chris Doyle came out to the top of the penalty area to swat away Whitfield's shot attempt.

Doyle made six saves in the first half and finished with seven. He made three sliding tackles on Seattle shots well away from the goal. The Sounders got seven corner-kick scoring opportunities and outshot the Battery 10-4 in the first half.

Note

• Seattle's Billy Sleeth returned to the starting lineup after missing Wednesday's 1-0 exhibition win over Real Salt Lake with a bruised tailbone.

Seattle Sounders 0 1 0
Real Salt Lake 0 0 0

Goals — Sea: 1, Brent Whitfield (unassisted) 67:00. Cha: None. Shots — Cha 13, Sea 15. Saves — Cha (Chris Doyle) 7, Sea (Preston Burpo) 3. Fouls — Cha 17, Sea 11. Offsides — Cha 5, Sea 2. Corner kicks — Cha 5, Sea 10. Cautions — Cha (Greg Simmons 13:00, Jason Kutney 16:00), Sea (Kevin Sakuda 56:00). Ejections — Cha (None), Sea (None). Attendance — 2,007. Records — Cha 1-3-2, 5 points; Sea 1-1-1, 4 points.