Sounders FC stays perfect

Game Two of Seattle Sounders FC's existence may have lacked the dominance of the inaugural game victory on March 19, but if nothing else, Sounders FC showed it could win even when everything doesn't go its way.

Sprinkle in a long-range goal from fan favorite Fredy Montero and five Kasey Keller saves, and well, winning again didn't look so bad at all.

Sounders FC, still riding the wave of excitement and support for the team throughout the city, defeated Real Salt Lake 2-0 before a sellout crowd of 28,548 at chilly Qwest Field on Saturday night, improving its record to 2-0.

Montero, harassed and pushed around by the Salt Lake defenders for much of the night, got the last laugh with his perfectly placed 27-yard blast in the 77th minute, his third goal of the season. Forward Nate Jaqua continued his mastery of Real Salt Lake with the sixth goal in his past six games against the team from Utah. Midfielder Osvaldo Alonso assisted on both goals, and rookie midfielder Steve Zakuani, making his first Major League Soccer start, provided an energy boost with his speed on the left wing.

In the 17th minute, Zakuani, Sounders FC's first-round draft pick in the college draft in January, froze RSL defender Tony Beltran with a fake and centered a pass toward an onrushing Jaqua, who finished the play with his first goal of the season. Zakuani had dealt with a badly sprained ankle during the exhibition season that kept him from starting the opener.

"Part of my game is to put on a few moves and cuts, so I knew I had him [Beltran] off-balance," Zakuani said, "and once I did that, I just put in the ball and luckily Nate put in the goal."

Jaqua couldn't explain his success against Real Salt Lake beyond a feeling of comfort and some coincidence. But things weren't always comfortable for Sounders FC on Saturday, as the visitors controlled offensive play for most of the first 30 minutes of the second half as RSL tried to rally.

Keller made some clutch saves during that stretch, and coach Sigi Schmid sent in Freddie Ljungberg and Nathan Sturgis to get more ball possession. Ljungberg, the team's designated player, made his Sounders FC debut when he came on in the 61st minute, and Sturgis debuted as well, playing against his former team. Then Montero struck, sealing Seattle's win.

Montero's shot didn't seem to have a chance from such a long distance. But it got past RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando, who was out of position trying to gauge where the ball would go. Montero and teammates then launched into a slidestep dance number in celebration.

"We knew over the course of the season that Fredy Montero was going to surprise a few goalkeepers, the way his ball moves when he hits it," Schmid said. "He hits such a heavy ball.

"Sometimes it's better to be lucky than be good," Schmid said. "The one quality this team is showing at a very early stage is the ability to compete, the ability to cover for each other and the ability that nobody's too proud to work a little extra if somebody ends up making a mistake or a bad play."

Notes

• Ljungberg got an ovation when he came on, and said after the game that his surgically repaired hip felt good.

• Sturgis checked in during the 71st minute.

• Sounders FC will host Real Salt Lake again on April 28, a Tuesday night. But it won't be a regular-season MLS game. The two teams meet in a U.S. Open Cup play-in match at Starfire Sports Complex. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. and tickets for the match will be available to the public Monday beginning at 10 a.m. All tickets are $15 and are general admission. The U.S. Open Cup is the nation's pro and amateur club-team championship tournament.

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

SOUNDERS FC 2, REAL SALT LAKE 0

Second half — 2, Seattle, Montero 3 (Alonso 3), 77:00.

Lineups

Real Salt Lake — Nick Rimando, Tony Beltran (Raphael Cox, 84:00), Jamison Olave, Kyle Beckerman, Nat Borchers, Will Johnson, Robbie Findley (Andy Williams, 74:00), Javier Morales, Yura Movsisyan, Chris Wingert, Clint Mathis (Jean Alexandre, 89:00).

Seattle — Kasey Keller, Brad Evans, Osvaldo Alonso, James Riley, Sebastien Le Toux (Roger Levesque, 91:00+), Steve Zakuani (Freddie Ljungberg, 61:00), Tyrone Marshall, Fredy Montero, Zach Scott, Nate Jaqua (Nathan Sturgis, 71:00), Jhon Kennedy Hurtado.

Total shots — Real Salt Lake 13, Seattle 12. Shots on goal — Real Salt Lake 5, Seattle 4. Saves — Real Salt Lake 2, Seattle 5. Fouls — Real Salt Lake 14, Seattle 13. Offsides — Real Salt Lake 0, Seattle 0. Corner kicks — Real Salt Lake 12, Seattle 8. Cautions — Real Salt Lake, Beckerman 10:00; Morales 22:00; Olave 45:00. Seattle, Alonso 21:00.

A — 28,548.