Sounders strike twice against Union to cruise in home opener

Fredy Montero assisted on Seattle's first goal and then scored their second in Thursday's home opener at Qwest Field. (Rick Morrison)

UPDATE: See more videos and photos from the match here!

Seattle Soccer Examiner's Take: Seattle Sounders FC struck for two first-half goals and cruised to a 2:0 win over the expansion Philadelphia Union before over 36,000 fans at Qwest Field in their home opener Thursday night. Wind swirled and rain drizzled, keeping the noise level lower in the stands. We were all just trying to stay dry and warm. Meanwhile, the Sounders were trying to keep the vistors at bay and control the wet ball on the Field Turf.

My three stars of the match for Seattle are Brad Evans, Fredy Montero and Steve Zakuani (with Freddie Ljungberg a close fourth.) Evans looked great in the middle, finding the right balance between helping on the attack (scored the Sounders' first goal) and being on the first line of the defense. Fredy Montero's goal was well-taken, earning him a mention. I would still like to see more consistency and attacking drive from Montero, but he had a good season debut. Steve Zakuani was dangerous mutliple times in the first half, dancing around and speeding past Union defenders on the wing.

Overall it was a solid effort for Seattle, though they should have done more in the second half with the man advantage. The huge crowd stood and stayed for the Full 90, though the Sounders seemed to check in and out mentally during the second half.

It was nice to see Sanna Nyassi and Mike Fucito get some playing time. Fucito looked very good, and could have scored at least once, but was denied by a save. He was fast, confident, and always looking to counter. It was a solid debut for him. Nyassi came in for Freddie Ljungberg and had some good touches as well. Both players proved dangerous.

Not much to complain about here, a workman-like home win to start 2010. Goals were finished and fans were entertained. I'd only add that I think the club should have gone quickly for the 3:0 lead after the break, but they seemed to coast until Nyassi and Fucito were brought in and supplied desire, heart and energy.

It's going to be a long, long season for Philadelphia.

Check back with Seattle Soccer Examiner as we upload galleries from the match and continue our coverage of opening night!

A Sounders fan holds up a sign suggesting a 'rescue' from Philly for former Seattle player Sebastien Le Toux. (Joe Armand)

Here is the coverage provided by the Sounders FC Media Department:

SEATTLE - Brad Evans and Fredy Montero scored first-half goals as the Seattle Sounders FC opened the MLS season with a 2-0 victory over Philadelphia Union before a crowd of 36,241 on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field on Thursday night.
 
Evans struck in the 12th minute and Montero scored on a header in the 43rd minute, shortly after Philadelphia went a man down following the second yellow card issued to Toni Stahl.
 
Kasey Keller made four saves to earn the shutout for Seattle (1-0-0). It was the inaugural match for Union (0-1-0).
 
The first Sounders FC goal began with Montero passing the ball to an overlapping Steve Zakuani who crossed the ball into the crease. Evans knocked it past goalkeeper Chris Seitz from 10 yards.
 
Evans had also scored in the 12th minute of last season's opener, scoring the second of three Seattle goals in a 3-0 win over the New York Red Bulls.
 
Seattle's second goal came shortly before halftime. Freddie Ljungberg's corner kick was cleared out to Osvaldo Alonso who drove the ball through a crowd from 25 yards out. The ball was going wide but Montero dove at the right post, heading it into the net.
 
Montero scored twice and added an assist in last season's opening game.
 
Union forward Sebastien Le Toux nearly scored in the 19th minute after beating Seattle's defense. Keller jumped off the line and dove on the ball. Le Toux played the last three seasons in Seattle before being selected by Philadelphia in the expansion draft last November.

Goals are good: The Sounders celebrate at Qwest. (Rick Morrison)

 
Stahl left the game in the 40th minute after receiving his second yellow card of the match (first yellow card issued in the 23rd minute). Union played the remainder of the match shorthanded. 
 
Sounders FC midfielder/forward Michael Fucito made his MLS debut, entering the match in the 76th minute. Fucito, who spent all of last season on the injured reserve list, was re-signed by the team on Wednesday.
 
Sounders FC regular starting right back James Riley sat out the match, serving a one-game suspension after being issued a red card in a second leg loss to Houston in the 2009 playoffs.
 
Thursday's crowd set a new Sounders FC match record for MLS regular season and playoffs. The previous record was 35,807, set in the Western Conference semifinal last October.
 
Seattle plays its second game at home on April 3 against the New York Red Bulls. The first road test is April 10 against defending MLS Cup champion Real Salt Lake.
 

Zach Scott heads away for the Sounders. (Joe Armand)

Philadelphia Union (0-1-0) vs. Seattle Sounders (1-0-0)
March 25, 2010 -- Qwest Field

Scoring Summary:        
SEA -- Brad Evans 1 (Steve Zakuani 1, Fredy Montero 1) 12
SEA -- Fredy Montero 1 (Osvaldo Alonso 1) 43

 
Philadelphia Union -- Chris Seitz, Jordan Harvey, Danny Califf, Toni Stahl, David Myrie (Jack McInerney 78), Andrew Jacobson, Danny Mwanga (Stefani Miglioranzi 46), Roger Torres (Amobi Okugo 71), Michael Orozco, Sebastien Le Toux, Alejandro Moreno.

Substitutes Not Used: Shavar Thomas, Nick Zimmerman, Kyle Nakazawa, Brad Knighton.

TOTAL SHOTS: 9 (Sebastien Le Toux 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Sebastien Le Toux 3); FOULS: 8 (David Myrie 2); OFFSIDES: 2 (Alejandro Moreno 1, Sebastien Le Toux 1); CORNER KICKS: 6 (Sebastien Le Toux 3, Roger Torres 3); SAVES: 1 (Chris Seitz 1)

Seattle Sounders -- Kasey Keller, Zach Scott, Tyrone Marshall, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Leo Gonzalez, Roger Levesque, Brad Evans, Osvaldo Alonso, Steve Zakuani (Michael Fucito 76), Freddie Ljungberg (Sanna Nyassi 60), Fredy Montero.

Substitutes Not Used: Patrick Ianni, Nathan Sturgis, Tyson Wahl, David Estrada, Terry Boss.

TOTAL SHOTS: 12 (Fredy Montero 7); SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (Fredy Montero 2); FOULS: 13 (5 tied with 2); OFFSIDES: 3 (Roger Levesque 2); CORNER KICKS: 9 (Brad Evans 5); SAVES: 4 (Kasey Keller 4)

Misconduct Summary:
PHI -- Danny Califf (caution; Unsporting Behavior) 1
SEA -- Osvaldo Alonso (caution; Reckless Tackle) 14
PHI -- Toni Stahl (caution; Unsporting Behavior) 23
PHI -- Toni Stahl (caution; Reckless Foul) 41
PHI -- Toni Stahl (ejection; Second Caution) 41
PHI -- David Myrie (caution; Reckless Tackle) 63
PHI -- Alejandro Moreno (caution; Reckless Tackle) 86

Referee: Ricardo Salazar
Referee's Assistants: -Corey Rockwell; Peter Manikowski
4th Official: Paul Ward
Attendance: 36,241
Time of Game: 1:52
Weather: Rain-and-52-degrees

(All Statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial.)

Fredy Montero blasts a first-half free kick. (Joe Armand)

Postgame Quotes
Seattle Sounders vs. Philadelphia Union
March 25, 2010
 
Seattle Sounders FC Quotes
 
Head Coach Sigi Schmid
 
(Opening statement...) "Happy with the three points. The first goal was excellent. We played good. With the second goal, we were fortunate. Montero did well. He played good for the first 60 to 65 minutes to stay high and occupy two central defenders. They took a physical tact early in the game, which is to be expected. Overall, the good news for us is we can play much better soccer than we did tonight. That wasn't our best soccer for sure, but sometimes you need to win when you're not playing your best soccer. Good to get our nerves as well as their nerves out. In the first game, you come out with nothing to lose. Next time we play them it will be easier to understand what they're doing. I thought Jhon Kennedy Hurtado played well in the back and Fredy Montero was good and active for us. I know we can play better."
 
(On Philadelphia...) "They utilized short passing and things like that. I didn't expect them to come out in 4-4-2. Roger Torres did well coming off the line and finding the ball at midfield. Their short combos were good, but at the end of the day, nothing got behind us or penetrated us. They did a good job trying to hold onto ball and kept it close."
 
(On Freddie Ljungberg injury...) "He took a knee in the back from Toni Stahl. He's pretty sore back there. He wanted to try to see if he could go in second half, but after a few minutes, he let me know he needed to come out... It was a difficult game for him. It happened twenty minutes in, he took a shot in the back. I can't talk too much about Freddie's game. He tried to tough it out and work through it. I know his game. It'll be there."
 
(On Steve Zakuani...) "He got into end line and found a person in that cross. Last year he got into the end line and didn't find anybody. This is something that will improve as the game slows down for him. Pleased with the first goal. Montero did a good job of holding the ball, and a good job of getting the ball on his left foot, then Evans from midfield. That was one like you draw it up at practice. Zakuani is getting better and working on parts of his game. Good to take a tackle and realize that his arm and shoulder are still working."
 
(On goals...) "Our scoring drought is over. It's always good to score goals. The stadium erupted when we scored. It was tremendous. I was the last one to celebrate on the second goal because I was waiting for the offsides flag. I didn't see the far defender."
 
(On physical play...) "We know teams play us physically. The card on Danny Califf was an off the ball challenge. It's not what you expect at times, but it didn't take us off guard. The pressure on us too. People are asking what's Seattle going to be like? Can they replicate what they did last year? Maybe that was in our minds as we went out there. Overall, I'm pleased we can get three points and I'm pleased to get the season off and rolling."
 
(On game atmosphere...) "It was emotional. I was pumped up before the game and I think the guys were pumped up going out there. It hasn't lost its luster. The rain didn't dampen anything, it just made us a little wet. It's almost a dream every time we step on the field."
 
(On overall impressions of team...) "We were able to deal with the physical nature of game and still get a couple goals and not give anything away at the back. With a team that plays high line, we should attack a little quicker. Guys like James Riley helps get the ball out of the back. Overall, we're going to be okay."
 
(On Steve Zakuani's offensive improvement...) "He is a player with tremendous potential. Now he's taking guys inside and outside. Coming inside is something he tried too much last year. He had a lot of work to do last year as an outside midfielder to be connected defensively. He understands that better and now his focus is on other side of it."
 
(On Fredy Montero's goal...) "It was absolutely brilliant. We talked about him moving his game up the field, being closer. Good header he scored on. He had other good looks where he could have pulled the trigger quicker, but he did everything I asked of him tonight. To see him sacrifice himself was tremendous."
 
(On Zach Scott...) "With Zach, what you see Is what you get. He gives you an honest effort and the best that he has. He has gotten a lot more confident with the ball. Nobody is going to burn us on our end of the field. He got forward and hit a couple good crosses for us."
 
Forward Fredy Montero
 
(Opening statement...) "We knew they were going to pressure. We had a lot of responsibility. Luckily we scored two goals and got off on the right foot this season."
 
(On goal...) "One of the toughest goals to score in my professional career. I had only opportunity to stick it in that small space. Luckily it went in."
 
(On new season...) "Certainly it was a great moment to be back here one year later. The crowd expected a winning team last year and now the expectations are even higher. Luckily, we started well. There's always room to improve, but a good start."
 
(On Philadelphia defense...) "The most difficult was to find spaces. Spaces were reduced because the other team was pressuring. Luckily we found some spaces and made it a good game."
 
(On goal celebration...) "All goals scored are to be celebrated. Hopefully I will score with my head or my left leg or whatever it is."
 
Midfielder Brad Evans
 
(Opening statement...) "Hopefully starting something this year like we did last year. Important to start with three points and put the pressure on early. Not as smooth or connected as last year, but almost harder to play teams with a man down. We can play better, but it's good to have three points."
 
(On goal...) "Zak had the ball and when he has it, there's always a chance to have a cross. It got by two defenders and I caught it well with my foot and put it to the far post."
 
(On physical play...) "We saw it last year. Everybody tried to hack Freddie, that was the name of the game and it resulted in a lot of wear and tear. It's not indicative of how every team is going to play us. If they play physical, we use to our advantage and use set pieces. We expect it. Any time you play against skilled forwards, the only option is to foul. Otherwise you give them space and it is very difficult to defend."
 
(On different mentality from last year...) "Last year, if we're home and win 2-0, not much talk about let's play better. We were happy with three points, but now we're focused on playing better soccer. It's not just about three points anymore. We need three points, but we need to play better to play with the best teams. We want to play better soccer and get better."
 
(On places to improve...) "We held them to zero, so credit goes to the defense. We need to be more connection and find Freddie's feet more. Fine tuning is going to make us better. From last year's game, we used more up and back and through to Zak, so little things I remember last year we can do more of. We will look at the tape. They made it difficult with bringing Torres in with his left foot made it a little tricky for us. Figure it out and get better this week.
 
(On playing against former teammates...) "No dialogue. Focus on the three points. For me, that was it."
 
Midfielder Steve Zakuani
 
(Opening statement...) "Good win. Great way to start a season. First fifteen or twenty minutes we kept the ball really well and weren't chasing. We did defend well. They were n't really penetrating us, so we felt comfortable. Then we score and they get the red card and that adds pressure and from there we did a good job controlling the game."
 
(On shoulder...) "I did wear a brace for a long time in Spain, but since I've gotten back we've played two physical teams and felt okay."
 
(On team chemistry...) "We know each other now. We're friends and not strangers. Now we've played over 30 games together, so it's a natural progression. We knew where each other would be. We made runs and knew where each other was going to be. It'll only get better."
 
Midfielder Roger Levesque
 
(Opening statement...) "Not our best performance that we're going to have this year. It was pretty nasty conditions, but it's about winning. We came and did our job and scored two and won a game. I thought they had a lot of the ball without putting on a lot of pressure, which was fine with me. It would have been nice to get that third goal and get everybody a free haircut, but oh well."
 
(On Philadelphia...) "Really thought they were going to play a different way. We worked all week on them playing a 4-5-1 and they ended up playing a 4-4-2 and even a 4-3-3, so it took us a while to figure that out, but we scored early. The sending off was a shame. I know they were excited and wanted to have a good showing, but it's a shame when guys get sent off."
 
 
Philadelphia Quotes
 
Head Coach Peter Nowak
(On his thoughts on the game tonight...) "I think the goals we needed to do better, specifically on the first one. We have to cover much better the runs coming from the second lines. We had a good ten minutes and the goal comes unexpected from someone we didn't cover. The second goal was a by-print of the red card. Toni Stahl was supposed to cover [Fredy] Montero; we knew he was going to be on the back post. Even with a man down, the stadium with 40,000 people was pretty quiet in the second half. I believe even with ten men we gave good effort and substituted guys in to score a goal. We didn't sit back, we pushed forward. This is the first game and the first step. From the other standpoint we got to see all this flopping and diving and when you see the stats we have eight fouls and six cards that is too much. There is guys rolling around on the pitch like they got shot. I think we need to recognize there are guys doing this stuff and trying to take advantage of the referee decisions. I expect someone like Freddie Ljungberg who has scored so many goals and played hundreds of games with the national team and won so many trophies would be more honest than he is. He is complaining and whining about missing a goal and trying to push the referee for a yellow card is not up to his standards. I believe and we both played the game and I believe when you play the game you not only try to win but try to be honest with your effort. I think it is below his standards. That is just my opinion. I'm just looking forward to my team and the youngsters we played tonight there was a lot of good effort. Overall, you can't take away anything from these guys. If you look around we have to take everything into account, with the red card and still able to play our game in the second half."
 
Jack McInerney-Midfielder
(On getting out on the field and playing in the first game...) "It was good, it was a great atmosphere, and unfortunately we couldn't a result we wanted. It was a good start."

(On being certain of seeing playing time tonight...) "I wasn't sure but I prepared if I was going to go in and I just got the call. I tried to make the most of my opportunity."

(On coming up short in the team's first game...) "It is not tough, we came out here and played our hardest in probably the toughest environment in the league. It wasn't a good result for us but we will learn from it."
 
Danny Mwanga- Midfielder
(On being pleased with his play for the game...) "Yeah, at first I was expecting to be a little nervous, but I was trying to limit my mistakes. I think I did ok, not the greatest but good."

(On the post game speech by Head Coach Peter Nowak to the team...) "It was a tough loss, we got a red card in the first half. We have a lot of work to do in front of us, this was the first game. We need to keep focusing and working hard and come together as a team."

(On the team dealing with being a man down...) "It was hard and we had to stay together and focus. It was hard being away from home, so we tried to stick together and battle hard. I'm really proud of my team."

(On the starting lineup being a secret leading up to the game...) "I'm a defensive player and where ever the coach needs me is where I'm going to play. I found out today during lunch is where I found out I was starting."
 
Chris Seitz- Goalkeeper
(On the physical nature of the match tonight...) "I think we came out and told ourselves we are going to be hard to beat. The first fifteen, twenty minutes we controlled the game just like we wanted. We came into halftime a man down and we went back on out there and played hard and didn't give up a goal. We did as well as we could with a man down."

(On areas the team needs to improve for the next game...) "We are one game in and are not going to panic. We have been working hard all preseason and will continue to work hard and get better in all aspects."

(On dealing with environment at Qwest Field...) "Yeah, once we went a man down we were not going to attack as much. To our credit we held them to only a few chances with a man down. We had a chance or two we could have taken and possibly won the game."

(On playing against Kasey Keller...) "He is a great player and has had a great career with the national team and now with the club level. He helps out their team and he had a great year last year."

(On coming into the game wanting to set a physical presence...) "No, I don't think you ever want to go into a game, wanting to give up a free kick 18 yards out in the first minute. I think we came into the game with a mindset of we're going to be tough and give everything we have. I think we did well and the ref's blew his whistle pretty quickly."
 
Danny Califf- Defender
(On the lessons his team can take away from this game...) "I think in the first half we were to light and weren't getting stuck into tackles and getting back quick enough. It tightened up after the first twenty minutes, but after you get a guy kicked off the field then all bets are off."

(On the team being physical throughout the game...) "No, in the first half there was three yellows and a red. I'm just shocked. We have guys getting mauled from behind and not getting a card, it's frustrating. It is something we have to learn from and take with us into the next game. We have a couple of weeks to get better before our home game."

Sebastien Le Toux- Forward
(On coming back to Seattle and playing against his former teammates...) "I'm disappointed to come back and lose. It was a nice stadium and to play the first game of the season. I hope to be better on out."

(On playing as a striker this season...) "Yes of course, it is the right position, because of tonight I had to play back because we were a man down."

(On the younger players being nervous before the game...) "No not really. It is a big stadium with a full crowd and we are new expansion team, so it was a learning experience. It was something new and everyone learned a lot tonight and it will help us as we move forward this season."