MLS Seattle Sounders FC

Seattle Sounders FC Top LA Galaxy 2-0

Published on May 3, 2012 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Seattle Sounders FC News Release


SEATTLE - Eddie Johnson scored a goal in his second straight game and Fredy Montero scored his first of the season as Sounders FC (5-1-1, 16 points) defeated the LA Galaxy (3-4-1, 10 points), 2-0, Wednesday night on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field. Mauro Rosales and Osvaldo Alonso each picked up their first assist of the season as Seattle won their third straight in front of a sellout crowd of 39,002.

Johnson put Seattle on the board in the 40th minute after an accurate Rosales cross from 25-yards out. Johnson rose up in traffic and headed the ball into the left side of the net, just out of the reach of LA keeper Bill Gaudette. Johnson is now tied-second in MLS with two game-winning goals.

The 28-year-old striker has now scored goals in consecutive games for the first time since 2007, when he scored in three straight from August 29-September 15.

It was the first assist of the season for Rosales, who missed four games with a right knee sprain. The 2011 MLS Newcomer of the Year had a Sounders-record 13 assists last season.

Minutes into the second half, Monteroadded to the lead when he rocketed a shot from 35 yards out that steadily rose and finished into the top left corner of the net. His first goal of the season comes in his seventh game, just as it did in 2011.

The 24-year-old Colombian is the club's all-timeleader with 35 goals, and leads the team this year with 35 shots and 11 shots on goal.

Sounders FC improved 2-3-2 all-time against the Galaxy in MLS play. Tonight's win was the first MLS win against Los Angeles since August 15, 2009.

Sounders goalkeeper Bryan Meredith made his MLS debut when he came on at half for Michael Gspurning after suffering a right hip injury. Meredith played in one CONCACAF Champions League game last year, a 2-1 loss at home to Monterrey on October 18.

Meredith made his lone save on a Landon Donovan strike from the top of the box in the 61st minute. He becomes the second Seattle keeper to be credited with a shutout in his first appearance (Kasey Keller).

Rosales was dangerous throughout the match. In the sixth minute, Hurtado got his head on one of his free kicks, but the attempt went wide. On another free kick in the 35th, he found Montero for a point-blank header, but Gaudette punched it away for a corner kick. In the 54th, he sent a cross to Montero in the box, but the attempt sailed high.

Both Montero and Johnson pressed hard all night and came close to scoring on many other occasions. In the 10th minute, Montero received the ball deep in the box with his back to the goal. He wheeled around and fired off a shot, but Gaudette made the save.

In the 23rd, Johnson shook a defender with a step-over and let loose a shot from 15 yards. After Gaudette made a diving save, Montero drilled the put-back but Gaudette punched away the attempt from the ground.

In the 79th, a Leo Gonzalez free kick led Johnson as he got behind the defense for a one-on-one with Gaudette, but the keeper made a diving foot-save.

Sounders FC has a quick turnaround as they host the Philadelphia Union this Saturday at 1:30 p.m. PT on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field.

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Major League Soccer Stories from May 3, 2012


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