Sounders advance to semifinals

TUKWILA — The Seattle Sounders took the Portland Timbers' best shot.

The Timbers came out aggressive and physical, trying to get under the Sounders' skin with rough play.

Seattle stayed cool despite Portland's foul-play antics as forward Roger Levesque scored both goals in a 2-0 victory in the United Soccer Leagues First Division first-round aggregate playoff series before 2,543 last night at Starfire Sports Complex.

Seattle won both matches and the aggregate goals count 3-0, advancing to the semifinals against the Montreal Impact.

"We knew that Portland would come out fired up and that [Timbers coach] Bobby Howe does a great job of getting his team ready," Levesque said. "We knew if we got one [goal] early that it would really put them in a hole."

That's exactly what Levesque did in the fifth minute, making the Timbers desperate.

"I think they were out to upset our rhythm," Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer said. "We do the same thing on the road. They were going to try to get everything they had tactically, physically, emotionally and sneakily. Getting that early goal was such a good thing.

"That affected their tactics of playing overly-aggressive. This was a very professional, workmanlike series for us."

The win pushed Seattle (17-8-11 overall) into the league semifinals for the third consecutive season under fourth-year coach Schmetzer, who has guided his club to the postseason every year.

The Timbers, the No. 5 seed of six that qualified for the playoffs, finished 10-12-10 after playing a man down for the final 63 minutes and added time. It was the second consecutive season Seattle eliminated Portland in the playoffs.

"They were trying to get us wound up," Schmetzer said. "But that's a together bunch of guys right now."

The Sounders host top playoff seed and defending champion Montreal in the two-match aggregate semifinal series, which begins Friday at 7 p.m. at Starfire. Game 2 will be in Montreal on Sunday at 5 p.m.

"It seems like we play our best soccer in the playoffs," said Levesque, who was part of the 2004 squad that lost 2-0 to the Impact in the title match. "Last season, we were a .500 team until the playoffs. Hopefully, we can continue to do that same thing with this team."

For the second straight match, the Sounders scored first. This time, Levesque converted a diving header into the right corner of the net in the fifth minute off a bending 25-yard free-kick cross from Leighton O'Brien on the left side.

The first goal was set up when the Timbers' Garrett Marcum fouled Maykel Galindo from behind on a breakaway.

Levesque made it 2-0 by connecting for a goal on a precision three-man play in the 54th minute.

Sounders goalkeeper Preston Burpo registered his 16th shutout of the season.

Sounders summary

SEATTLE 2, PORTLAND 0

(Andrew Gregor) 54:00. Por: None. Shots — Por 8, Sea 15. Saves — Por (Josh Saunders) 3, Sea (Preston Burpo) 1. Fouls — Por 20, Sea 17. Offsides — Por 5, Sea 2. Corner kicks — Por 4, Sea 2. Cautions — Por (Garrett Marcum 17:00, Byron Alvarez 22:00, Aaran Lines 25:00, Lines 27:00), Sea (O'Brien 29:00). Ejections — Por (Lines 27:00), Sea (None). A — 2,543.