Levesque Gives Red Bulls The Bends

Seattle, WA – Roger Levesque is what one might call a super sub.  He’s a true team player that will fill in at any position.  Last night, versus the Red Bulls, Roger played up top and filled Mike Fucito’s shoes.  Levesque has played on defense, in the midfield, and last night Sigi’s gamble of putting him up top in the 58^th minute really paid off.  Roger scored a brace!  He was paired up top with a man wearing a brace, and Montero demanded New York’s attention all night.  In turn Roger was freed up to have his best MLS home match yet.  He’s a true fan favorite.

On Roger’s first goal he broke a two all deadlock. He flicked a Leo Gonzalez corner off his head, past Greg Sutton, and inside the far post.  This strike would prove to be the game winner, but Roger wasn’t finished yet.  Just over ten minutes later, Montero pressured a revamped backline to drop the ball to their keeper.  Levesque never stopped running.  His persistence paid off when Sutton hesitated and mishandled the ball giving the super sub a free run at his brace.  After netting his second of the match, the man of the night celebrated in front of the Brougham End with his best scuba impression.  He plugged his nose, dropped in, and disappeared behind the video wall.  The south end went completely mental!  Roger gave the Red Bulls the bends, and left them gasping for air.  Oh… wait, maybe he left himself breathless.  When asked about his celebration post game this is what he said, “That’s something Mike Fucito and I have been working on for awhile now. I didn’t really expect it to knock the wind out of me.”

Playing in front of their largest regular season home crowd ever and a national TV audience, the Sounders turned in their best offensive performance of the season.  46,065 spectators witnessed Erik Friberg’s first goal as a Sounder. The shot was a bender in the eleventh minute that opened up the scoring.  Not even one minute later, Osvaldo Alonso put in a left footed full volley that found the back of the net.  His second tally in three games.  The Sounders created a mountain for the Red Bulls to climb, and were up 2-nil.

In the 31^st minute of the match Dane Richards found an opening and sent a shot just over Kasey Keller and in at the far post.  Keller got his mitt on the ball, but he wasn’t able to push it over the bar.  New York was back in the game.  In the second half, the Red Bulls pulled even in the 58^th minute.  An own goal deflection off Zach Scott caught Keller off guard.  The game was tied up.  You’ve got to tip your cap to NYRB for not giving up and making the match very exciting and most memorable.

Even though the away team controlled the match with ball possession, and the box score was slanted towards their favor in all but the score column, the home team grabbed three points and is now sitting in second place of the Western Conference.  Hopefully a performance like this and the favorable outcome will keep fans demanding to be let in at the gate.  What a perfect night to open more seating and christen Century Link Field.

The Sounders next game is this Sunday when they meet the New England Revolution.  Game time is 1 p.m. pacific, and our boys will be looking to close out an undefeated month of June.  See you at Royal Brougham Park!

Score Sheet

SEA — Erik Friberg 1 – 11’
SEA — Osvaldo Alonso 2 – 12’
NY — Dane Richards 3 (Joel Lindpere 3) – 31’
NY — OG (Zach Scott) 58’
SEA — Roger Levesque 1 (Leo Gonzalez 1) – 67’
SEA — Roger Levesque 2 – 78’

Discipline

NY — Teemu Tainio (yellow; Reckless) 28’
NY — Austin Da Luz (yellow; Reckless) 50’
SEA — James Riley (yellow; Reckless) 52’
SEA — Osvaldo Alonso (yellow; Reckless) 60’
SEA — Leo Gonzalez (yellow; Delaying) 90’
NY — Dwayne De Rosario (yellow; Reckless) 90’+

Men on the pitch
New York Red Bulls — Greg Sutton, Jan Gunnar Solli, Carlos Mendes, Stephen Keel, Roy Miller, Mehdi Ballouchy, Teemu Tainio (Corey Hertzog 89’), Joel Lindpere, Austin Da Luz (John Rooney 79’), Dane Richards, Dwayne De Rosario. 

Seattle Sounders — Kasey Keller, James Riley, Jeff Parke, Zach Scott, Leo Gonzalez, Mauro Rosales, Osvaldo Alonso, Erik Friberg, Alvaro Fernandez (Servando Carrasco 72’), Fredy Montero (Nate Jaqua 81’), Mike Fucito (Roger Levesque 58’).

Officials

Referee: Michael Kennedy
Referee’s Assistants: Bill Dittmar; Paul Scott
4th Official: Mark Declouet

Attendance: 46,065

Image courtesy of mlssoccer.com