2009 in Review: Seattle Sounders FC

I've reviewed the seasons of local sides Tacoma Tide FC, Seattle Wolves FC and Kitsap Pumas SC over recent weeks. Now I turn my attention to the debut year of Major League Soccer's Seattle Sounders FC.

Photos by Jenni Conner, GOALSeattle.com.

Visit the GOALSeattle.com 2009 Sounders FC Museum Page.

The Rave Green of Seattle Sounders FC took over Seattle in 2009 and also dominated the news coming out of Major League Soccer, too. The Seattle franchise set attendance records, hosted world powers Chelsea and Barcelona, won the United States Open Cup, made the MLS playoffs and hosted MLS Cup 2009 at Qwest Field.

Sounders FC made an electrifying debut on March 19, 2009 when they spanked the New York Red Bulls 3:0 before over 32,000 screaming fans at Qwest Field. The performance set the tone for the early weeks of the season. The Sounders went on to beat eventual league champions Real Salt Lake 2:0 and then flew home from Toronto FC with a 2:0 away result. It could not have been a better start for the club. Colombian newcomer Fredy Montero was sparkling on the attack and, recovering from offseason surgery, Freddie Ljungberg scored his first Seattle goal in his first start in Toronto. The streak came to a crashing halt on April 11th when the Kansas City Wizards gave Seattle a 1:0 setback at Qwest Field. The match was also notable for the sending off of Kasey Keller for handling the ball outside the penalty area. Further, the defensive tactics employed by the Wizards, a rough, bump them off the ball style, would become the standard operating proceedure for other MLS clubs visiting Qwest Field the rest of the year.

The Sounders celebrate a April 25th goal against San Jose. (Jenni Conner)

The Sounders' fourth victory came on April 25th when they bested San Jose 2:0 at Qwest Field. Their fifth win wouldn't come until seven weeks later when the Earthquakes again were the opponent in a 2:1 Seattle win June 13th at Qwest. That win was followed by a heartbreaking 3:3 draw with DC United at Qwest that saw Seattle blow a 3:1 second half lead and surrender the draw on a late own goal from centerback Tyrone Marshall. The momentum of the hot early start had all but faded.

The Sounders were treading water in league play, but began an US Open Cup run with qualifying wins over Real Salt Lake (April) and Colorado Rapids (May).  In late June the club broke through at home with a 3:0 win over the Colorado Rapids and then followed up on July 1st with a 2:1 away win over Portland Timbers in the US Open Cup. July was a strange and interesting month for the Sounders and their fans. Only two league matches resulted in a home win and draw. Meanwhile, the club hosted Chelsea FC before 65,000 fans on July 18th and beat the Houston Dynamo 2:1 after extra time at Starfire Stadium in the Open Cup. Some fans will tell you the thrilling semifinal tournament win over Houston was the home highlight of 2009. A packed Starfire erupted as Nate Jaqua drew Seattle level 1:1 in the dying moments, and Stephen King won it in overtime.

Over 66,000 fans watched Sounders FC host Barcelona in August. (Jenni Conner)

Unfortunately for Seattle and its fans, the last match of July was a preview of many home matches to come. After scoring on a great bicycle kick goal from Patrick Ianni and beating Houston 2:1 on July 11th, the Sounders would start a giant home streak of goalless matches that tested the patience of even the most loyal fans. The last match of July was a 0:0 home draw with Chicago Fire. The streak went on like this: 0:4 Qwest loss to mighty Barcelona, 0:1 Qwest loss to New England, 0:0 Qwest draw with Toronto FC, 0:0 Qwest draw with Chivas USA. The minutes, halves, matches and months began piling up and it wasn't until the home finale on October 24th that the Sounders would score again, and win again at Qwest Field (2:1 over FC Dallas). Over 100 days and 500 minutes passed between goals and wins at Qwest Field.

The season would surely have been lost if not for Seattle's away form. The Sounders had qualified for the United States Open Cup Final, and were hoping to host it. However US Soccer awarded the match to DC United, sparking a bit of a row between Sounders FC General Manager Adrian Hanauer and his DC counterpart Kevin Payne. It made good fodder leading up to the September 2nd USOC Final. In that match the Sounders snagged their first major trophy with a thrilling 2:1 win over DC. Seattle's goals were scored by Fredy Montero and Roger Levesque. No matter how the playoff race would play out, Sounders FC had brought home silverware in year one.

The playoff race was perhaps the best in MLS history. With away wins in Columbus and Kansas City the Sounders held on and eventually finished in third place in the Western Conference. Tyrone Marshall's "Big Dig" highlighted the Columbus match. Freddie Ljunbgerg's magic drew raves in Kansas City. At the end, how tight was it? Seattle was a mere three points from finishing not only first in the West, but first in the league.

The playoffs were a letdown. The Sounders returned to their inept offensive form in a 0:0 standoff with Houston in the first round first leg at Qwest Field. Seattle then were eliminated 1:0 in overtime at Houston in the second leg. Fans were disappointed that the club they saw at the end of the season wasn't the stylish offensive unit of the early season, but rather the disjointed attackers of the multiple zero results in mid and late season.

Major League Soccer held MLS Cup 2009 at Qwest Field on November 22nd. 46,000 fans, many wearing Rave Green, watched as Real Salt lake beat the Los Angeles Galaxy 2:1 on penalty kicks. During a week of rain the final was held under stormy by forgiving skies. Before the match Sounders players were paraded out for a final bow in front of the home fans. "Seattle!," yelled the Brougham End of the stadium, "Sounders!" replied the rest.

Sounders fans kiss the cup at the morning-after airport arrival. (Flickr.com photo from Jimmy Metzger)

2009 was a great building block season for the Sounders. Even with the lengthy offensive woes the club excited the city, won a major cup, and began setting new season ticket records for 2010 as they announced the opening of the highest Qwest Field level's first few rows. It was a season with little dramas inside the bigger story. There was Fredy Montero's sudden rise and unfortunate dealings with allegations and the law before having them dropped. There was a quickly swept under the rug story of personal allegations against Nate Jaqua. There were the on-pitch struggles for cohesion between Montero and Freddie Ljungberg. There was the surprise sturdiness of the defense. There was Kasey Keller, the pillar at the back.

Most of all, there were the fans. Lots and lots of them. Over 30,000 per home league match and over 65,000 for each of two international friendlies. There was a city covered in Rave Green scarves. There were large local and increased national TV audiences. There was Kevin Calabro under the spotlight and under the gun as he converted from calling the Sonics to learning soccer. There was Drew Carey, everywhere, all the time telling the story of how he got involved with the Sounders, continually pimping the club and soccer in America. There were the marches from Pioneer Square. There were the issues with the stadium location of Sound Wave, the marching band.

WeAreECS.com photo.

In the end the story of the supporters is the story of the 2009 Seattle Sounders FC. Even the beaming smiles of Kasey Keller and Patrick Ianni reflecting off of the just-won US Open Cup trophy at Boeing Field is a fond but secondary memory. It is the fans who came to greet the club on that rainy early morning that I'll remember. It is the teaming green hordes that fill the heart. Major League Soccer had finally arrived in Seattle after a 13-year wait. More people celebrated that arrival than most anyone thought possible.