Can Sounders FC keep the good vibes going?

The good vibes and buzz surrounding Seattle Sounders FC remain from last Thursday night, when the new Major League Soccer team won its inaugural game in impressive fashion before a festive sellout crowd at Qwest Field.

Now the challenge is whether that excitement and energy from the fans in the stands is still there and will it be a factor in Game 2 of Sounders FC's existence tonight against Western Conference foe Real Salt Lake.

The game is sold out, even though the stadium capacity is down to 27,700 from 32,523 on March 19 for the opener. Some seats in the lower bowl have been covered with a tarp. Another big crowd is good news for Sounders FC, which fed off the atmosphere last week.

"My expectation is that they're going to come back with the same," coach Sigi Schmid said. "They're going to want more, and I'm excited. I'm looking forward to the second game. I think they're excited, and they're looking forward to the second game. I think it will be a great atmosphere. It's just a matter of us remembering what won the game for us last week."

Some fans have groused about the reduction in available seats; the team prefers an intimate setting in the stadium lower bowl over opening up the rest of the Qwest Field seating.

Sounders FC won big last week, giving fans hope for a potential winner. The first two games were hot tickets. Support for soccer is plentiful in Seattle, and in addition to another chance to see what MLS Player of the Week Fredy Montero might do, designated player Freddie Ljungberg is expected to make his debut in a reserve role.

Fans should also keep an eye on forward Nate Jaqua, who has five goals in his past five games against Real Salt Lake, which beat out Seattle for an MLS expansion franchise in 2004. This match is between two teams that trained next to each other at Oxnard College in California last month.

"That gives them a better picture of what we're going to look like, who's going to play where, for sure," Schmid said. "For us, because they are a team that hasn't changed personnel that greatly from last year, they're a little bit easier than New York from the standpoint of having an idea who is going to play where.

"I think it's a little bit of an advantage for them having seen us, but we also have the advantage of we've already been through the war once."

Notes

• Central defender Jeff Parke has left the team. Parke was chosen in the expansion draft by Seattle, but left for Europe in December. He returned last week and played in the team's reserve game March 20.

Parke, a five-year MLS veteran, reportedly went to Vancouver, B.C., to train with the Whitecaps of the USL.

"He still hasn't signed a contract with the league, that's still up in the air," Schmid said. "So until those things get resolved, it just made sense to not continue with the training at the moment."

• Midfielder Sanna Nyassi was limited in practice earlier this week but is probable to play tonight. Nyassi started the opener.

José Miguel Romero: 206-464-2409 or jromero@seattletimes.com