Defense powers Sounders over Miami FC

Everyone knows defense win championships.

But for the Seattle Sounders, defense has meant much more than just holding the opponent in check. The club's defense has been solely responsible for scoring goals and winning games recently.

Seattle got a goal from a defender for the second match in a row, with Zach Scott supplying the lone tally in a 1-0 victory over Miami FC on Thursday in a United Soccer Leagues First Division match in front of 2,078 at Qwest Field.

"We should be in a good mood, because we got three points at home in a game we should've won," Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer said. "Now we go on the road for three games, so that was vital for us to win."

Sounders goalkeeper Chris Eylander finished with nine saves and earned his fifth shutout of the season.

Seattle (6-5-4 league, 22 points) improved to 5-1-1 in its last seven matches and moved into third place in the USL First Division, jumping past Montreal. Miami, which has allowed a league-high 21 goals, dipped to 4-9-2 overall and 1-4-1 on the road in 2007.

In the 44th minute, Scott tapped in a point-blank shot at the far right post on a corner kick from Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar for a Sounders goal.

Defense had been a liability earlier in the season for the Sounders, who played again without starter Danny Jackson. Jackson was away in his native England clearing up paperwork to obtain his green card to work long-term in the U.S.

Eylander made a diving save on a Zinho header in the 57th minute, batting the ball away from the right post and out of play.

"I got just a couple of fingers on it to keep it wide," he said.

Eylander preserved the victory in the 84th minute, tipping a short rebound shot by Luchi Gonzalez over the crossbar.

"In the second half, there was a lot going on in goal," said Eylander, who made seven saves after the break. "I was in one of those spots, but you kind of live for games like this as a goalkeeper.

"You're put under pressure, making a lot of saves, having fun and there's a lot of energy out there. You want to keep that clean sheet with guys coming at you."

Schmetzer had nothing but praise for Eylander.

"He saved the match for us," he said. "He was outstanding. Chris did his job. He earned his paycheck. He probably deserves a raise."

Note

• Scott was hit with a yellow card in the 76th minute, earning him a one-match suspension at Rochester on Tuesday.