Sounders take division lead with victory

After a slow start to the 2007 season, the suddenly streaking Seattle Sounders are the team to beat in the United Soccer League's First Division.

At least for now.

Sebastien Le Toux scored his fifth game-winning goal of the season as the Seattle Sounders topped the Vancouver Whitecaps 1-0 Thursday night in a USL First Division match in front of 2,263 fans at Qwest Field.

With three points from the win, the Sounders (8-5-4, 28 points) leapfrogged the defending First Division champion Whitecaps (7-4-6, 27 points) into the top spot in the league standings.

"It feels good to be where we are, especially with the way we started the season, starting slow," said Sounders defender Kevin Sakuda. "Finally getting everybody healthy has helped, and the last month we've been coming together. There's a good feeling and good attitude.

"The ball starts bouncing your way and you get confident. There's a mentality throughout the team that we can win games."

Le Toux gave Seattle its lead with a breakaway goal on a counterattack, beating Vancouver goalkeeper Richard Goddard with a fake left and shot into the right corner in the 24th minute.

A freewheeling Le Toux took a long pass from Sakuda at midfield and headed the ball in front of the Whitecaps' defense, then outran Diaz Kambere to take the shot from 15 yards. It was the team-leading eighth goal of the season for the first-year Sounder.

"I'm the forward and it's my job,"said Le Toux of scoring goals. "It's enough for the victory."

A new backline of Taylor Graham, Danny Jackson, Noah Merl and Sakuda more than did its job in preserving the Sounders' 1-0 lead during the final 66 minutes. Goalkeeper Chris Eylander made six saves in his third consecutive shutout and seventh this season.

Seattle, which started the USL campaign 1-4-3, has streaked into first place with a recent 6-1-1 surge.

The Sounders avenged two losses to the Whitecaps this season, having fallen 1-0 on the road in April and 3-1 at home on May 12.

Notes

• The Sounders lead the all-time series with the Whitecaps 52-41-12 overall, and are 24-8-8 at home against Vancouver since 1994.

• Graham made his first start since rejoining the Sounders two matches ago. He last played in Seattle in 2005 on the club's championship team.

• The Sounders' Zach Scott sat out Thursday to serve a one-match suspension for an accumulation of yellow-card points. Sakuda replaced Scott on defense.