TARLEY AGAIN LEADS THUNDER TO VICTORY

Tarley Scores 4th Goal in 3 Games in 2-1 Win

St. Paul, MN (June 12, 2004) – Melvin Tarley continues to create goals for the Minnesota Thunder. Tarley scored the game-tying goal in the 77th minute and assisted on Marco Ferruzzi’s winner in the 81st to send the Thunder to a 2-1 victory over the visiting Seattle Sounders.

Tarley’s goal was his fourth in the Thunder’s last three games. Including the assist, Tarley has an astonishing nine points in the last three Thunder games.

“Melvin is just on fire. What can I say? He’s hot. He’s doing the right things, making the right moves, causing teams trouble and either finishing or assisting. Our last five goals have basically come through him; what can I say? We like it,” commented Thunder head coach Buzz Lagos after the game.

Danny Jackson’s lone goal for Seattle in the 58th minute snapped Joe Warren’s eight game shutout streak that dated back to the May 7 overtime loss (2-1) to the Vancouver Whitecaps.

The Thunder continues to play well at Griffin Stadium, as they improved their at-home record to a perfect 5-0.

“It was a great comeback by our team to pull down a goal against a really good team like Seattle. It’s nice when the team can reach down deep and sort of grab that energy to battle and get that goal back and then get the winning goal on top of that,” said Lagos.

The Thunder controlled the flow of play early in the game, stringing passes together throughput the midfield. They were unable to create any dangerous scoring opportunities until nearly the 20th minute of play when Tarley fed a square pass to Johnny Menyongar who drove a low shot towards goal only to have it deflected away by a Sounder defender.

The Sounders best chance to score in the first half came in the 37th minute when Welton Melo, who had a step on Thunder defender Dustin Branan, brought down a long defensive clear and tried to chip the ball over a charging Joe Warren. The ball lofted in the air towards the open net, but Branan ran around behind Warren and cleared the ball up the field and out of danger.

Thunder midfielder Jeff Matteo nearly put one in the back of the net for the Thunder in the 42 minute of play when he drilled a curling free kick towards goal that required a diving save from Sounder goalkeeper Preston Burpo.

Seattle held a slight shot advantage at the end of the first half, 5-4.

The second half saw fairly even play from both teams, as they each created better scoring opportunities.

In the 58th minute of play, a Seattle midfielder fed the ball into the Thunder goal box. Viet Nguyen collected the loosed ball and fired a shot on goal that Joe Warren deflected away. The rebound, however, found its way to the foot of Danny Jackson who drove the ball into the right hand corner of the goal from 14 yards for the first goal of the game and a 1-0 lead.

The Thunder answered with a goal of their own in the 77th minute when Melvin Tarley received a long pass deep in the right hand corner of Seattle territory. Tarley gathered the ball and moved towards goal, as two Seattle defenders followed. Just yards from goal, Tarley faked a shot that fooled both Seattle defenders. Tarley then struck the ball towards goal only to have it knocked down by Burpo. The bouncing rebound was headed towards goal by charging Thunder midfielder Godfrey Tenoff. His shot glanced off the post and found its way back to the foot of the waiting Tarley who drilled the ball into the back of the Seattle goal to knot the score at 1-1.

Just minutes later, Tarley found himself in the same position deep in the corner of the Seattle defense. He again moved towards goal and again found two defenders waiting for him. This time, Tarley knocked a neat pass behind his leg to a streaking Marco Ferruzzi who drilled the ball from 18 yards past Burpo for what would prove to be the game-winning goal.

With the win the Thunder improve to 6-1-3 (W-L-D). The Thunder next face Portland Timbers who currently hold a narrow lead over the Thunder for first place in the A-League’s Western Conference.

“We’re trying to stay even with Portland as much as we can. They’re having a great season. It’s nice to get a match-up where both teams are battling for first place,” said coach Lagos.

The Portland game takes place at home on June 22. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

The cost for general admission tickets is $12 for adults and $8 for youth ages 18 and under. Flex packs, VIP tickets and group discount rates are also available. Tickets for the game can be purchased online at www.mnthunder.com, or by calling the Thunder office at 651-917-8326.


GAME NOTES:

Mike Wilson made his return to the Thunder in the second half after spending the last week with the New Zealand national team.

SCORING SUMMARY:

Seattle: Jackson 58 (Unassisted)
Minnesota: Tarley 77 (Unassisted)
Minnesota: Ferruzzi 81 (Tarley)

LINEUPS:

Minnesota: Warren, Brunt, Roberts (Wilson 45), Branan, Juarez (Vorenkamp 84), Friedland, Alberts, Tenoff, Matteo (Ferruzzi 62), Menyongar (Morehead 66), Tarley (Magee 88)

Seattle: Burpo, Jenkins, Edwards (Brown 29), Jackson, Velez, Nguyen (Callahan 62), Henderson, Farrell, Sleeth, Smith, Melo (Tomlinson 74)