Sounders FC remain perfect on the season

SEATTLE — Another sellout, another decisive victory, and another chance for Seattle Sounders FC fans to celebrate.

Two games into its inaugural Major League Soccer season, little has gone wrong for Seattle. On Saturday night, as most of a sold-out crowd of 28,584 stood for the entire 90 minutes, the Sounders FC beat Real Salt Lake 2-0.

This win was an impressive follow-up to a season-opening 3-0 win on March 19. With wins worth three points apiece in the standings, Seattle now has six points and a plus-five goal differential.

“I love six points,” said Sounders coach Sigi Schmid. “We’ve got six points in two games, so I love that. I think our soccer is going to get better and better.”

Nate Jaqua gave Seattle a 1-0 lead in the 17th minute, putting a left-footed shot in the back of the net from point blank range on a cross from Steve Zakuani. Zakuani, the No. 1 overall pick in January’s MLS SuperDraft, took a pass from Osvaldo Alonso, then used a nifty move to beat Real Salt Lake defender Tony Beltran before centering a pass to Jaqua.

The goal continued Jaqua’s mastery of Real Salt Lake, as it was his sixth in his past six game against Real Salt Lake.

“I don’t know, I think it might be a little bit of a coincidence,” Jaqua said. “But I guess maybe I feel comfortable against them.”

Zakuani and Jaqua almost hooked up for a second goal minutes later when Zakuani found the forward in open space, but Jaqua’s shot was saved by Real Salt Lake keeper Nick Rimando.

“It was a dream come true, because I’ve never played in front of that kind of crowd, and it’s loud,” said Zakuani. “When you score or make a good play and hear them, there’s nothing like it.”

Zakuani, who grew up in London, played 61 minutes in his first professional start, then came off for Freddie Ljungberg, who was making his debut with the Sounders. Ljungberg, Seattle’s designated player who is returning from hip surgery, played the final 29 minutes of the game. Zakuani played for the Arsenal youth team in London when Ljungberg was a star for the English Premier League club, and said being replaced by the Swede who is 10 years his senior was a special moment.

“That was great,” Zakuani said. “He’s someone I looked up to. I played for Arsenal as a kid and used to go to the stadium and watch him, so in my first professional start, to come off for Freddie Ljungberg, that’s not an embarrassment, that’s awesome.”

It was the first game action for Ljungberg since he represented Sweden the Euro Cup last June.

“I felt great,” he said. “It was nice to get back on the pitch. I got some nice touches on the ball and stuff and we won the game, so it was great.”

Playing from behind, Real Salt Lake controlled the pace for much of the second half, and had several good scoring opportunities, but Seattle keeper Kasey Keller and his defense were able to turn away the RSL threats.

And after the Sounders weathered the Real Salt Lake threats, they struck back in a big way in the 77th minute on a 30-yard rocket from Freddie Montero. Montero, who had a pair of goals in Seattle’s last game, was held in check for much of Saturday’s game in part because of a physical Real Salt Lake defense. Real Salt Lake defender Jamison Olave, a club teammate of Montero’s in Colombia, led the charge of hard first-half tackles on Montero.

“From the very first ball, they showed that they were going to be stronger, more physical,” Montero said through an interpreter.

But in the end, Montero had the last laugh with his goal, and Sounders fans once again left Qwest Field in a celebratory mood.

“It was great,” Schmid said of the stadium environment. “I thought the energy was really, really good. The noise level was fantastic again.”

Herald Writer John Boyle: jboyle@heraldnet.com.