Sounders FC U-23 News Release -- www.soundersu23.com
Sunday, April 15, 2012
SUMNER, Wash. – The Sounders FC U-23 opened up their existence with an exciting 3-2 win against Gonzaga University on Sunday afternoon. Fans were treated to great weather, exciting soccer, and a stoppage-time winner for the Sounders U-23 as Facundo Dipasquale completed his hat trick. Both sides had held the lead during Sunday's contest, but it appeared to be headed for a draw tied late until Dipasquale scored in the fourth minute of stoppage time to give the Sounders U-23 their first ever victory.
“It’s good to start out like this, because we’re trying to build something special here with the Sounders U-23’s,” Dipasquale said after the match. “We want the fans to be involved and happy too, so it’s a great result.”
The match started in suprising fashion. A poor clearance between the Sounders U-23 defenders and goalkeeper gave Gonzaga a two-on-one at the edge of the penalty area. The ball was laid across to James Matern, who took a first-time shot that went low into the bottom-left corner to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead in the fifth minute.
The Sounders U-23 came back with a quick response. In the ninth minute, good pressure around the box yielded a chance from a tight angle on the right side of the end line. Disquale judged his best option to be a low hard shot and he found the left corner of the net.
After the goal, the Sounders seemed to settle down and get a rhythm on the quick turf. Possession swung toward the rave green for the rest of the first half, and that possession yielded a few long-range efforts from Darwin Jones, but none truly tested Gonzaga goalkeeper Keane Ellis. The best test for Ellis came off Jones’ head as a well worked cross from Cam Vickers from the right side found Jones’ head on the edge of the six-yard box. Ellis tipped it over the bar.
In the 34th minute, another nice cross from Vickers generated a close call for the Sounders U-23. After first winning the header, Mo Travis was quickest to respond but his shot towards goal was cleared off the line by a Gonzaga defender.
It looked like the Sounders would take a lead heading into halftime when Jamael Cox crossed a ball back from the left corner to Dipasquale. The Concordia University graduate headed towards goal but it was blocked away and eventually cleared, and the first half ended 1-1.
The first dangerous opportunity of the second half came in the 55th minute, but a good combination between Cox and Vickers couldn’t be turned into a shot. Still able to hold onto possession, Vickers crossed into the box for Esteban Reyes, whose header was well saved.
Pressure continued to build and a Sounders U-23 goal looked immanent. The Sounders worked the ball through the midfield until a one-two passing sequence found Mark Lee on the right edge of the penalty box. Lee drove a low cross into the middle that was turned toward goal by Vickers, only for Gonzaga goalkeeper Ryan Caballero to make the save comfortably.
In the 73rd minute, only a Sounder could keep the Sounders from scoring. The ball was crossed in from the right side and second-half substitute Rory Agu found himself on top of the ball with Reyes. The two tangled up before Agu tried to shoot. His effort was blocked by his teammate, Reyes, before Gonzaga cleared.
Finally the breakthrough came for the Sounders FC U-23 in the 81st minute. It took an individual effort from Dipasquale to break the deadlock. The midfielder turned his defender at the top of the box and drilled a shot into the far upper corner to give the Sounders a 2-1 lead.
“I put the bend on it I wanted and it actually came out," Dipasquale said. "I was like oh, good, and it went in.”
After the goal, Gonzaga amped up their efforts and immediately were rewarded. After a few good shots on goal, a foul was whistled in the penalty box. A penalty kick was given for a foul when two players challenged for a header, colliding near the penalty spot. Nate Pacheco stepped up for the penalty kick and finished to the goalkeeper's left.
The Sounders U-23 had a fantastic chance to grab the game-winner in the 89th minute as a floated ball into the penalty area found Reyes, who headed it back to the front of the net. Micah Wenzel ran through unmarked, and the midfielder reached out his boot to redirect the ball into the net but didn’t get a clean touch, and instead, it deflected wide of the goal.
In the end, though, it was Dipasquale’s day. The Sounders U-23 picked up the ball after a low cross was blocked in stoppage time, and Dipasquale reacted quickly and hit a firm shot through traffic. The ball found the bottom left corner and the Sounders snatched a 3-2 victory on the back of Dipasquale’s hat trick.
“Coming in and not knowing each other well, we gave up the first goal but then we started combining,” Dipasquale said. “Darren [Sawatzky] has talked a lot about rhythm and that’s how we got our goals.”
The Sounders FC U-23’s first home match in the PDL Regular Season is May 25 against the Victoria Highlanders. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. from Franklin Pierce HS Stadium. Tickets are available on SoundersU23.com.