The Sounders showed pressure early as midfielder Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar played a long all over the top to Josh Gardner who crossed the ball to the spot but the ,Puerto Rico defender Lars Lyssand was able to clear ball out of danger.

The Islanders threatened the Sounders in the 10th minute when a sloppy clearance from Zack Scott put the ball at the foot of Willie Sims who ripped a shot just over the crossbar.

A dangerous back pass from Marco Valaz allowed Sebastien Le Toux to get an opportunity on goal, but keeper Michael Behonick was able to beat Le Toux to the ball by one step.

Sounders keeper Chris Eylander came out to cut off the angle on the right post in the 39th minute denying a blast from Islander David Johnson.

The back and forth offensive threats continued for both teams throughout the first half. Crisp passing by the Sounders paid off in the 40th minute as Roger Levesque received the ball from midfielder Greg Howes. Levesque poked the ball past the Islander defense and was able to run onto the ball and put it past the keeper into the far right corner for his sixth goal of the season.

The second half started the same as the first half ended, with Puerto Rico still unable to string passes together and much of the same back and forth offensive action.

In the 57th minute Levesque laid the ball off to Howes who drilled a shot from 35 out, the ball tipped just off the outstretched fingers of Puerto Rico keeper Behonick and out for a Sounders corner kick.

Substitute Peter Villeges led the majority of the offensive efforts as he dropped the ball to Fabrice Noal who ripped a shot, but Eylander smuggled the ball on a driving save.

Eylander made two great saves in the 80th minute when Noal struck the ball hit the far post which came down in front of an airborne Eylander who punched the ball out. The ball landed at the feet of Villegas who took the follow-up shot which Eylander was again able to recover.

Eylander was challenged a few minutes later when the Islanders broke through the Seattle defense for a scramble in the box. Eylander again cleared the ball. Puerto Rico’s last push of the match sent the Sounders scrambling on defense and threatening to tie up the match with only minutes left. The Sounders appeared chaotic in the final minute but where able to hold it together to earn the 1-0 victory.

Up next for the Seattle Sounders is the quarterfinal of the U.S. Open Cup against the Colorado Rapids on Tuesday, August 7 at 7pm, Qwest Field. The next USL First Division game is Saturday, August 11 at 7pm against the Minnesota Thunder at Qwest Field. For more information visit www.seattlesounders.net or call 206-622-3415.

Line Ups: Seattle: Eylander, Merl, Jackson, Scott, Sakuda, Treschuk, Alcaraz-Cuellar (Besagno 89), Howes (Knox 86), Gardner (Rivera 77), Levesque (West 72), Le Toux

Puerto Rico: Behonick, Needham, Valaz, Krause (Sagovia 86), Lyssand, Miranda, Herrera (Delgado 77), Johnson, Sims (Villegas 58), Atiauo (Zapata 58), Noal

Stats:
Attendance: 3.405

Goals: SEA: Levesque ‘40

Corners:
SEA 8
PR 3

Fouls:
SEA 5
PR 9

Shots:
SEA 8
PR 16

Cautions:
SEA Rivera ‘84
PR: Lyssand ‘ 43

Off sides:
SEA 1
PR 0

Saves:
SEA 8
PR 4