Sunday September 30, 2007
          The Atlanta Silverbacks fell to the Seattle Sounders 4-0 tonight in the 2007 USL First Division Championship match at Starfire Sports Entertainment Complex in Seattle, WA. With tonight’s win, the Sounders earned their fourth USL First Division title, surpassing the Rochester Rhinos for most league championships.
          The first half of the 2007 USL First Division Championship began under cold, wet conditions as the Silverbacks fought for their first league title. Both teams used the first fifteen minutes to get settled in and fight for possession. With the home crowd behind them, Seattle settled in first and maintained the majority of possession for the remainder of the half. The Sounders lost starting midfielder Leighton O’Brien in the 18th minute to a pulled groin; he was replaced by Greg Howes. Seattle did not miss a beat and continued to create opportunities throughout the half. The Sounders’ first threat came when a header from Kevin Sakuda went just wide of the Silverbacks’ goal. Then just minutes later, Atlanta’s goalkeeper Ryan McIntosh made a great save off a point blank shot from the USL’s MVP Sebastien Le Toux. The save sparked the Atlanta side and the Silverbacks countered with a dangerous combination up front. The Silverbacks had their best chance in the 35th minute when Warren Ukah ripped a bicycle kick, forcing Seattle’s goalkeeper Chris Eylander to fully extend and punch the ball over the crossbar. With less than a minute left to play in the first half, Seattle was able to finish the first goal of the night. Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar lobbed a high cross into the box to an oncoming Howes, O’Brien’s replacement, who finished it one-time past McIntosh. The half ended just a few seconds later with the one goal lead in favor of the Sounders.  
           The Silverbacks came out with a renewed spirit in the second half and put the pressure on Seattle in the early minutes of the half with a shot from Ukah being saved off the line. Despite numerous close calls, Eylander’s six second half saves kept a clean scoresheet for the Sounders.  On the other end of the field, Seattle opened scoring in the 61st minute when Alcaraz-Cuellar scored a goal of his own. Defender Graham Taylor brought the ball forward, drew Atlanta defenders, and played the ball inside to a wide-open Alcaraz-Cuellar who ripped the shot from 25 yards out. The crowd rallied behind the Sounders as they continued to push after securing the two-goal lead. Atlanta did not stop attempting to close the gap, sending shots ricocheting off the goal frame and testing Eylander, but to no avail. The Sounders finished two more opportunities in the final eight minutes of play. In the 82nd minute, Howes finished his second goal of the night, giving the Sounders a comfortable three goal lead. The final goal came in the 90th minute from substitute Craig Tomlinson who finished a rebound off a corner kick. The match ended with both sides nearly even in shots - 15 for Atlanta and 16 for Seattle. Despite a valiant effort in their first playoff run in five years, the Silverbacks will have to look to next year to bring home their first title.

Atlanta’s starters: Ryan McIntosh, Matt Bobo, David Hayes, Martyn Lancaster (Tweety Walters – 89), Omar Jarun, Rodrigo Rios (Anthony Wolfe – 77), Scott Buete, Luis Liendo (Angel Rivillo – 66), Macoumba Kandji, Machel Millwood, Warren Ukah (Daniel Antoniuk – 63).
Goals:
Cautions: Liendo - 63

Seattle’s starters: Chris Eylander, Taylor Graham, Zach Scott, Danny Jackson, Kevin Sakuda, Kenji Treshuk, Leighton O’Brien (Greg Howes – 18), Josh Gardner (Noah Merl - 75), Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar, Roger Levesque, Sebastien Le Toux (Craig Tomlinson – 88)
Goals: Howes – 45 (Alcaraz-Cuellar); Alcaraz-Cuellar – 61 (Graham); Howes – 82; Tomlinson – 90
Cautions: Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar – 69; Le Toux – 87; Tomlinson - 90

(c) Atlanta Silverbacks 2007 – All Rights Reserved.