The combination of midfielder Leighton O’Brien and forwards Roger Levesque and Sebastien Le Toux connected for two fantastic goals as the Sounders became the fifth USL team to upset an MLS team in a topsy-turvy 2007 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The Sounders move on to face the Colorado Rapids at Qwest Field on August 7th with a spot in the semifinals on the line.

Chivas USA and forward Laruent Merlin struck first off a series of Sounders defensive miscues to grab the lead in the 16th minute. Merlin got a behind Taylor Graham, who had slipped on the wet pitch, and then ricocheted a shot off the foot of defender Danny Jackson and past a wrong-footed Chris Eylander for a 1-0 advantage. To make matters worse, Jackson suffered a bruised heel on the play and left the match in the 22nd minute in favor of Zach Scott.

Chivas continued pressing the Sounders defense and Eylander was forced to rescue the Sounders twice in the span of a minute to prevent Seattle from falling into a bigger hole.

First, in the 33rd minute, Eylander came off his line and caused Merlin to shoot weakly wide in a one-on-one with the Chivas forward. A minute later, Eylander made a diving save off glancing header to the far post from ex-Sounder Maykel Galindo.

The Sounders seized momentum just before halftime when forward Sebastien Le Toux finished a superb team goal in the 44th minute to even the match at 1-1. Leighton O’Brien ignited the sequence with a strong ball-winning tackle and pass to Roger Levesque, who unselfishly laid the ball off to the trailing Le Toux. The French international then smashed the ball into the back of the net for his second goal against Chivas this year.

Seattle carried over the momentum from the goal and came out firing in the second half.

In the 49th minute, O’Brien grabbed a loose ball at the top of the box and fired a shot just wide of the post.

The O’Brien, Levesque and Le Toux combination came through with another brilliant goal in the 51st minute to give the Sounders a 2-1 lead. O’Brien released Levesque with a long ball over the top of the Chivas defense and Levesque played a one-touch ball across to Le Toux. The Sounders leading-scorer once again thundered the ball into the back of the net as the Seattle crowd roared in approval.

The Sounders kept pouring on the pressure.

Midfielder Josh Gardner stole the ball from a Chivas defender in the 63rd minute and fired a low shot across the face of goal.

The offensive barrage continued two minutes later when Levesque blasted a volley off a Gardner cross that a Chivas defender blocked at the last minute.

As the second half wore on, Chivas moved players forward and pushed for the equalizer. Seattle manager Brian Schmetzer responded with a defensive substitution, replacing O’Brien with defender Jake Besagno.

Levesque put the game on ice for the Sounders with a goal of his own in the 82nd minute. Gardner broke free down the left side and hit a low cross that Le Toux dummied through his legs and Levesque slotted the ball past a diving Burpo.

The Colorado Rapids of MLS come to Qwest Field August 7th for the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal match. Tickets will go on sale for season ticket holders starting tomorrow (Thursday, July 19) through the Seattle Sounders office at 206-622-3415. Tickets for the general public will go on sale Monday, July 23rd at 10 AM through Ticketmaster and the Seattle Sounders. Tickets will be $15 for general admission and $20 for reserved seats. Visit www.seattlesounders.net for more information.

The next regular season game for the Seattle Sounders is Saturday, July 21st at Rochester followed by an exhibition match against Preston North End of England’s First Division on Monday, July 23rd at 7pm, Qwest Field.

Scoring Summary

Merlin (Hernandez) 16, Le Toux (Levesque) 44, Le Toux (Levesque) 51, Levesque (Gardner) 82

Lineups

SEA: Chris Eylander, Danny Jackson (Zach Scott 26), Noah Merl, Taylor Graham, Kevin Sakuda, Kenji Treschuk, Josh Gardner, Leighton O’Brien (Jake Besagno 72), Hugo Alcaraz-Cueller (Greg Howes 64), Sebastien Le Toux (Santa Maria Rivera 84), Roger Levesque

CHV: Preston Burpo, Lawson Vaughn, Claudio Suarez, Jason Hernandez, Orlando Perez (John Cunliffe 59), Jesse Marsch, Sacha Kljestan, Alex Zotinca (Rodrigo Lopez 68), Francisco Mendoza, Laurent Merlin, Maykel Galindo (Anthony Hamilton 83)

Shots – SEA:8 CHV:14

Saves – SEA:4 CHV:4

Fouls – SEA:10 CHV:12

Offsides – SEA:4 CHV:1

Corners – SEA:4 CHV:7

Cautions – Scott 55

Ejections –

Attendance – 3,589