SeaWolves Even Record With Goal in Second Minute by Abdul Aman

Abdul Aman scored in the second minute and the North Sound SeaWolves made it stand up, defeating the Fraser Valley Mariners 1-0 in a Premier Development League match Friday at Edmonds Stadium.

It was the second win in a row for the Edmonds-based soccer team, which evened its record at 3-3 and moved into a tie for fifth place in the Northwest Division with Victoria, which has played two more games than North Sound.

Fraser Valley fell to 0-8-1.

“It’s coming along slowly but it’s good to get the three points,” SeaWolves coach Alex Silva said. “When you’re playing a team at the bottom of the table, it’s a challenge because you have to respect them and avoid thinking it’s going to be too easy. We got a little comfortable at times today.”

Indeed, the Mariners mounted a challenge in the last 15 minutes, continually attacking the North Sound defense. But a few lucky breaks and a phenomenal point-blank save by SeaWolves keeper Claudio Lazar off a shot by Adrian Kekec in the 76th minute allowed North Sound to escape with the win.

Kekec ended up with the ball just a few feet from Lazar in the goal box and fired a shot that Lazar drove left for to knock away. “I just reacted,” Lazar said. “I guessed right and got it.”

Aman, a University of Washington player who was drafted by the Seattle Sounders in the 2011 Major League Soccer supplemental draft, scored his fourth goal of the season before some in the crowd even realized what was happening.

He took an outlet pass on the left side and raced toward the goal, beating Fraser Valley keeper Mark Village to the near side. Aman nearly scored five other times only to have Village make a save.

“I think we’re waiting a little too long to make a decision whether to shoot or pass,” Silva said. “By the time we decide, the keeper has closed the gap and cut off angles. We could have had a few more goals.”

The SeaWolves will try to make it three wins in a row when they play the Seattle Sounders U-23 team at 2 p.m. Sunday at Franklin Pierce Stadium in Tacoma. The Sounders are in a three-way tie for first in the division with Kitsap and Portland.

“It’s going to be a great challenge,” Silva said. “That’s a good team that plays the game right. It’s a great chance for us to end this week with another three points and really put ourselves in good position.”