SEATTLE — Former Seattle midfielder Freddie Ljungberg’s return to Qwest Field quickly took a backseat as the other Fredy stole the show Saturday night for Seattle Sounders FC.
Fredy Montero scored the game-winning goal on a header in the 92nd minute as Sounders FC grabbed a 2-1 win against the Chicago Fire.
Montero netted the game-tying goal in the 36th minute after Seattle (9-8-5) fell behind 1-0 following a successful Chicago (6-7-6) penalty kick eight minutes earlier.
Ljungberg, who was traded from Seattle to Chicago on July 20 after a season-and-a-half with Sounders FC, was greeted by a smattering of cheers from the crowd of 36,386 during introductions.
All pleasantries ended after the opening whistle when Ljungberg was booed with every touch on the ball.
“I have a special relationship with the people of this city and the fans were amazing,” Ljungberg said. “Of course they booed in the game, but before the game and after the game they were cheering. I can understand that. It was a nice reception.”
Seattle midfielders Osvaldo Alonso and Nathan Sturgis were two players that helped shadow Ljungberg all over the field.
“I think we were always mindful of where Freddie was going to be,” Sturgis said. “We did a good job of … picking him up and putting him under pressure.”
While Montero put the finishing touches on Seattle’s comeback win, the build-up to his two goals came from some unlikely sources.
Montero’s header at the back post in the waning minutes of Saturday’s match capped a perfect cross from Sturgis.
Sturgis took a throw-in from defender James Riley near the top of Seattle’s offensive zone and sent in a left-footed cross searching for a player at the back post.
Montero met the ball completely unmarked and guided it past Chicago goalkeeper Sean Johnson for the game-winner.
“I just tried to hit a good cross,” Sturgis said. “Fortunately, it got over everyone and got to Fredy at the back post.
“(It’s good) any time you can get a quick restart or just something to change the pace of the game that you can catch defenses off guard.”
The goal was Montero’s team-leading 10th of the season.
“It was a very big goal,” said Montero through a translator, adding that all the credit should go to Sturgis’s cross. “A goal so late in the game puts us closer to the playoffs.”
On Montero’s equalizer in the 36th minute, left-side defender Tyson Wahl, making just his second start of the season in place of regular defender Leo Gonzalez, tip-toed the left touchline trying to corral a pass from defender Patrick Ianni.
After successfully maintaining possession along the line, Wahl whipped a left-footed cross into the box for Montero.
Montero put a touch on the bouncing ball and fired past Johnson to tie the match at 1-1.
“It has been a while since I played a game so it took me a little while to get my feet under myself,” Wahl said. “There was a lot of space in there so I just whipped it in there and it skipped off the turf pretty nicely. I was pretty excited. I was sitting there cheering by myself for a minute.”
The assist was the first of the 26-year-old Wahl’s career, and Sturgis and Ianni also tallied their first assists of the season as Sounders FC ran its unbeaten streak in MLS play to seven games.
Seattle defender Jeff Parke was the victim of bad luck when a low cross struck his right wrist in the penalty box, awarding the Fire a penalty kick in the 28th minute. Parke protested, but video replay showed that the ball was clearly handled.
Chicago midfielder John Thorrington converted the penalty for a 1-0 lead.
Saturday’s win helped Seattle strengthen its quest to maintain playoff position.
“In this league when you go down a goal you usually lose,” Seattle head coach Sigi Schmid said. “So the ability to come back after going down on the penalty kick call … I’m pleased. I thought we kept our composure.”
Sounders FC hit the pitch at Starfire Sports Complex at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday night in a U.S. Open Cup semifinal match against Chivas USA.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
