The Seattle Sounders claimed the 2005 United Soccer Leagues First Division Championship, 4-3 in penalties after a 1-1 match through 120 minutes, in front of a crowd of 8,011. Scott Jenkins would convert the seventh penalty kick to force a response by Richmond's Ronnie Pascale, whose shot off the crossbar would be the decider. The title is the first United Soccer Leagues title for the Sounders, to go along with their titles won in 1995 and 1996 in the American Professional Soccer League.

The match would be even in the early minutes, with an early shot by Richmond being the only early shot on goal, a 2nd minute shot that was saved pretty comfortably by Preston Burpo. In the 11th minute, a chipped shot by Richmond's Matt Delicate forced a tip save over the bar by Burpo.

In the 13th minute, the Sounders will have their first good chance when a through ball had Mikae Galindo into the box for the Sounders, but the ball was tackled away by Richmond's Kevin Knight, which drew calls for a penalty kick from the fans and the Sounders, but no call was made. Six minutes later, the Sounders had a corner kick bounce dangerously through the Richmond box, deflected off a Richmond defender, but no Sounder was in position to knock it home.

In the 23rd minute, the Kickers had a great chance to take the lead when Joey Worthen made a nice run down the middle, splitting the Sounders defense, but his shot was tipped just over the bar. But after the ensuing corner kick, the ball was cleared out to Richmond's Sasha Gorres, who hit a 35 yard blast into the upper left corner of the net, and the Kickers had taken a 1-0 lead.

In the 32nd minute, the Sounders had a good chance when an angled shot by Leighton O'Brien bounced just across the Richmond goal mouth, just beyond the far post. For the next 10 minutes or so, play was mostly in midfield, with each keeper easily controlling crosses from the outside, and at the half, the Kickers would hold a 1-0 lead.

Early in the second half, each team would have a few good chances down the wings, but the crosses were being pretty easily collected by each keeper. In the 63rd minute, the Sounders had two great chances with a corner kick through the box headed wide across the goal mouth, and a follow-up chip to the far post going just past the far post. The Kickers would respond a few minutes later with a few dangerous balls into the box, neither resulting in a shot on net.

In the 73rd minute, the Sounders would finally even the match when a cross from Ryan Edwards to the far post was knocked home by Galindo, and the match was tied at 1-1. Two minutes later, the Sounders nearly took the lead when O'Brian had a shot from only a few yards out, but slipped the quick shot wide left.

In the 80th minute the Kickers had a good chance to re-take the lead when a dangeous cross was deflected by a Sounders defender to Richmond's Tim Brown, but his shot was just wide left. But as a result of action after the play as the players were tangled up in front of goal, Seattle's C.J. Klass and Richmond's Joey Worthen were both ejected on a straight red to each player.

In the closing minutes, each time would have a deep run that resulted in no shot on goal as the match entered stoppage time. In stoppage time, some dangerous balls into the box created good chances for both teams, but the shots were easily collected by the respective keepers, and at the end of 90 minutes, the match was tied 1-1.

For much of the first overtime, the Sounders maintained control, but no serious pressure on Richmond goakeeper Ronnie Pascale. The Kickers finally gained some posession late in the first overtime, but Burpo went high to collect a deflected cross and the first overtime would end with the teams still level at 1-1.

Just into the second overtime, the Sounders had a good chance when a Taylor Graham shot from 10 yards out was a few yards wide right. Richmond's Robert Ssejjemba would have a good chance on the counterattack, but his shot from just at the edge of the box was well over a charging Burpo. In the 116th minute,the Sounders came within inches of taking the lead when after a series of nice passes near the top of the box, a shot from just outside the box by Kevin Sakuda slipped barely past the left post, missing by no more than a foot or two. A minute or so later, after receiving a nice give-and-go at the top of the box, Richmond's Ssejjemba had the ball at his feet as he charged into the box, but his shot was weak and easily collected by Burpo.

But neither team could break the deadlock so this would be decided on penalty kicks.

The Sounders took an early lead in penalties when Andrew Gregor and O'Brien both converted, but the Kickers would respond to tie it up, but the Kickers would respond on goals by Gorres and Williams to even it at 2-2 with each team having one kick to go. Seattle would miss their fifth chance as Graham's shot was saved by Pascale, leaving the Kickers with a chance to win the title on a conversion by Jeffrey. The Kickers forward was not able to convert however, as his shot was over the crossbar so extra kicks would be needed to decide the final.

After Kevin Sekuda and Matt Pauls converted, Scott Jenkins gave the Sounders the edge on their seventh kick, a shot that trickled in off the hands of the Kickers keeper. Kickers goalkeeper Ronnie Pascale would take the next shot, and would miss, putting the shot off the crossbar and over which was the decider as the Sounders would be crowned league champions, their first in the United Soccer Leagues, and their third in team history.

Penalty kicks:

Sea: Andrew Gregor
Result:  Goal, upper right

Ric: Matt Delicate
Result: Missed, high

Sea: Leighton O'Brien
Result:  Goal, left side

Ric:  Robert Ssejjemba
Result:  Saved, dive left by Burpo

Sea:  Roger Levesque
Result:  Saved, dive left by Pascale

Ric:  Sasha Gorres
Result:  Goal, lower right

Sea:  Ben Somoza
Result  Missed, off crossbar and over

Ric:  Tony Williams
Result:  Goal, lower right

Sea:  Taylor Graham
Result:  Save, slight to left by Pascale

Ric:  Kevin Jeffrey
Result:  Miss, high over crossbar

Sea:  Kevin Sekuda
Result:  Goal, down middle

Ric:  Matt Pauls
Result:  Goal, lower right

Sea:  Scott Jenkins
Result:  Goal, off Pacale's hands

Ric:  Ronnie Pascale
Result:  Missed, off crossbar