Sounders shut down San Jose 2-0

Published 11:34 pm Saturday, April 25, 2009

SEATTLE — Steve Zakuani was in and out of the starting lineup during Seattle Sounders FC’s first five games of the season, the first-overall pick in this year’s Major League Soccer SuperDraft being bled slowly into professional soccer.

However, Zakuani is making it difficult for Sounders coach Sigi Schmid to justify slowly working his young prospect into the starting lineup on a full-time basis.

Zakuani scored Seattle’s first goal and helped set up the second, leading the Sounders to a comprehensive 2-0 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes Saturday night.

Brad Evans also scored and Kasey Keller made a huge save early in the first half to preserve the lead for Seattle (4-2-0). But it was Zakuani’s marauding down the left flank that caused San Jose (1-3-2) the most distress.

“He was running at people and creating problems early on,” Schmid said. “We’ve just got to get him 90 minutes fit so he can continue to do that in the second half.”

Zakuani, who missed a large chunk of the preseason because of an ankle injury, started just twice during Seattle’s first five games, coming off the bench in the other three. Those bench appearances included each of the Sounders’ past two contests, both defeats.

But inserted back into the lineup Saturday Zakuani proved the difference maker. He opened the scoring late in the first half, helped create a turnover that made it 2-0 early in the second half, then left to a rousing ovation from the packed crowd of 28,838 at Qwest Field after being substituted in the 67th minute.

“I think the most important thing was for the team to get a win after two losses,” Zakuani said.

“”Every time we’ve won we scored in the first half,” Zakuani added. “That was key and we did that today. After that it’s about keeping them out of the other end. Kasey makes a great save at 1-0, a game-winning save, then after that we got a second through Brad and I think after that it was game over.”

Schmid has been careful with his 21-year-old ward, the 2008 NCAA division I leading scorer at Akron, in large part because of the preseason injury. But Zakuani stated his case for staying in the starting lineup next Saturday against Chicago.

“With young players, if you want to throw them in too much too soon, then sometimes they’ll lose their confidence and I don’t want him to lose his confidence,” Schmid said. “But certainly based on what he did today he’ll get another go next week.”

The first half was all Seattle as the Sounders, with Swedish star Freddie Ljungberg pulling the strings in the center of the field and Zakuani causing problems down the left flank, kept the Quakes pinned in their own half. However, it looked like Seattle would come away empty handed after the Sounders squandered several chances, the best coming in the 12th minute when leading scorer Fredy Montero blazed over from 12 yards out.

But the Sounders found the breakthrough with three minutes remaining in the half. San Jose was unable to clear Ljungberg’s free kick from the right side of the penalty box. The ball came out to defender Tyrone Marshall, who lifted a cross to the far post. An onrushing Zakuani headed down past diving Quakes goalkeeper Joe Cannon and into the corner, giving Seattle a 1-0 lead.

San Jose started the second half brightly, with Sounders goalkeeper Kasey Keller having to make a big diving save off a corner to preserve Seattle’s lead. Moments later the Sounders scored again. In the 50th minute Zakuani created a turnover in midfield and fed Nate Jaqua, who played Evans clear. Evans slotted the ball under Cannon to make it 2-0.

Though play was more even in the second half than the first, San Jose never seriously threatened Keller again.

Spot kicks: With the shutout Keller set a new MLS record for consecutive scoreless minutes to start a season with 389. He broke the previous record of 375 set by Ronald Waterreus for New York in 2007. … Seattle’s next game is not an MLS game, it’s a U.S. Open Cup play-in contest against Real Salt Lake on Tuesday. The game begins at 7 p.m. at Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila. The winner plays the Colorado Rapids for a berth into the round of 16 of the tournament, which includes teams from every professional level in the country. … San Jose played without key midfielder Darren Huckerby. The English Premier League veteran was out with a quadriceps strain. … San Jose fielded former NWAACC star Cam Weaver, as the 2003 NWAACC MVP for Skagit Valley College came on as a late substitute.