Top > Sport > 2004 > September > 2004-09-20

Montreal beats Seattle for A-League championship

MONTREAL -- The offense went dry at the wrong time for the Seattle Sounders. The Sounders managed just five shots on goal -- one of which went off the crossbar, but none of which went in -- and went down against Montreal in Saturday`s A-League championship game, 2-0. Montreal, winning its first league crown since 1994, outshot Seattle by a 16-5 margin, including 10-2 during the second half in front of 13,648 fans at Claude Robillard Sports Complex. The Sounders were seeking their third league crown since going back-to-back in 1995 and `96. The Impact (18-6-5) posted its 23rd shutout in 33 games, and its fourth in five postseason contests. But they still needed some offense, and got it in the 33rd minute when Mauricio Vincello ran toward the box and took a left-footed shot from about 18 yards away that went high and out of the reach of Seattle goalkeeper Preston Burpo. Seattle (15-13-5) nearly tied it in the 74th minute. Speedy forward Craig Tomlinson, who had just entered the game, streaked down the left wing in pursuit of a ball that had floated over the top of the Impact defenders. With Montreal goalkeeper Greg Sutton coming off his line to defend, Tomlinson tried to loft a shot over him. But Sutton got his fingers on it and deflected it off the bar. The Impact put it away in the 78th minute. Nevio Pizzolitto sent the ball back toward Fred Commodore. All alone at the right post, he converted an up-close shot past Burpo. The Sounders played the match without leading scorer Welton Melo (12 goals). He was serving a one-game suspension for drawing two yellow cards in last Sunday`s 1-1 tie at Vancouver. Quick kicks -- The Sounders will return for at least one more season in the A-League. While general manager Adrian Hanauer will continue to pursue a Major League Soccer franchise for 2006, he has committed Seattle to the 2005 A-League season. ... Must be something about Canada -- this was the first time in 11 games that Seattle did not score a goal. The last time that happened was the 3-0 debacle at Calgary on Aug. 1. ... Saturday`s game likely was the final one for Sounders midfielder Jason Farrell and forward Darren Sawatzky. Both have said previously that they are retiring. ... This was the seventh time a Seattle franchise played for a league championship. The original Sounders went to the NASL Soccer Bowl in 1977 and `82 (losing both times to the New York Cosmos), the F.C. Seattle Storm won the Western Soccer League title in 1988, the current Sounders won APSL crowns in 1995 and `96, and the Seattle SeaDogs claimed the Continental Indoor Soccer League championship in 1997. In addition, the Tacoma Stars played for the 1987 MISL title, losing in seven games to the Dallas Sidekicks.