No forward momentum for Sounders

Le Toux, the Rhinos, Starfire, and around 900 fans.

GOALSeattle match photo gallery now online here.

The Seattle Sounders moved to their permanent home at Starfire on Wednesday night. They didn't discover their missing offense and only a scattering of fans followed them to Tukwila as they drew 1-1 with the Rochester Rhinos.

It's just not clicking up front for the Sounders. Roger Levesque returned from an injury and still the forward attack remains mute.

Sebastien Le Toux was terrible on the ball last night, muffing 3 or 4 clear scoring chances with poorly kicked shots.

It was left to a defender to put the Sounders ahead and Zach Scott obliged with a nice header in the 75th minute. Alas, the feeble Rhinos attack, which had not tallied a goal in almost 5 matches, managed to get one past the Sounders in stoppage time.

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"It's like getting poked in the eye with a sharp stick," Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer said. "What was disappointing was that we created so many chances and could only get one. That game could have been over and done with before that guy scored."
---Seattle P-I

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Thus ended another frustrating night for the Sounders and their fans.

Is Le Toux trying too hard? Is he just not as skilled as you'd want a forward of MLS quality to be? Is he all about the breakaway goal and not the finishing on shorter chances?

The Sounders have now scored 4 goals in 5 matches: Treschuk, O'Brien, Le Toux (should have been credited to Danny Jackson) and Scott.

1/6th of the way through the USL-1 season the Sounders have no forwards who can finish, and no forward momentum.

Seattle hosts Atlanta on Sunday night at Starfire. The Sounders have outscored the Silverbacks 9-0 in their last three meetings. Here's hoping.



* The new set-up at Starfire is pretty nice. A solid set of portable bleachers is now in place opposite the main stand. Porta-potties have been brought in, too. Fans are literally right on top of the player benches on that side.

* The Sounders announced the crowd at 1,800, but actual in-house was closer to 800-900.

* The Sounders are now 7-2-1 (W-D-L) in league and playoff matches at Starfire.

* The Rhinos started their season with 5 straight road matches, and hadn't scored a goal until stoppage time last night.

* The match reminded some fans of the Seattle-Rochester battle of 2006 at Qwest Field. That night Greg Howes scored in stoppage time to beat the Sounders 2-1.

Match Reports:
SeattleSounders.net
Seattle P-I
Seattle Times

Video and photos coming soon.