Sounders FC gets back in the win column with 2-1 victory over Earthquakes

Seven weeks between wins. Far too long for the Sounders FC's liking, but the drought finally came to an end Saturday night at Qwest Field, thanks in large part to a Freddie, a Fredy and a pair of substitutes.

Midfielder Freddie Ljungberg scored the opening goal and assisted on the second, forward Fredy Montero assisted on the first and scored the second and substitutes Sebastien Le Toux and Patrick Ianni added assists in Sounders FC's 2-1 win over the San Jose Earthquakes.

Sounders FC had a 2-0 lead before surrendering a goal off a failed clearance attempt in the 68th minute and had to hang on for the much-needed victory. The win ended a string of five draws and a loss since the last time the Rave Green won a game, April 25 against the Earthquakes.

"When you're in a streak when we weren't getting wins, right now you take the win," coach Sigi Schmid said. "There's been games that we've played well, Chivas [last week] as an example and we came away with a loss and probably played a better complete 90 minutes than we did [Saturday]. But at the end of the day, it's a good solid win. We want to win it when we're at home."

Sounders FC opened the game with Ianni replacing Jhon Kennedy Hurtado at central defender and Le Toux at forward for Nate Jaqua. Hurtado and Jaqua were suspended for the game, one for an accumulation of yellow cards and the other for a red card from last week.

Seattle had the run of play in the first half, forcing the tempo with quick restarts of play as often as it could and came close to scoring a few times, apparently heeding Schmid's practice-week message of playing with more of an attitude in the goal area.

Montero had two good chances right on goal, one in the 23rd minute and another in the 38th. He was off target with the first, unlucky on the second. Montero and Le Toux then teamed up to put Sounders FC on the board in the 42nd minute.

Earthquakes defender Jason Hernandez tripped on the ball in San Jose's end of the pitch, and Montero poked it free to Le Toux. He saw Ljungberg all alone on his left and sent the ball his way. Ljungberg had only San Jose goalkeeper Joe Cannon to beat and did so.

"It was nice when the goal went in, because you were wondering what the hell was going on," Ljungberg said, referring to the misses. "We scored and then we scored a second one, felt like we could control the game and then we made a bit of a sloppy mistake on their goal."

It was Ljungberg's second goal of the season. He figured in the next Seattle goal as well.

A corner kick in the 59th minute from Ljungberg went to Ianni, who was in position for a header that went wide. Montero was waiting for the flicked ball and only needed tap it past Cannon to make it 2-0.

But there was still time for the struggling Earthquakes to rally. Darren Huckerby scored in the 68th minute to cut into the lead. Sounders FC made a defensive substitution soon afterward, bringing on Osvaldo Alonso for Montero in what was Alonso's first game action since he injured his right quadriceps May 23 against Colorado.

Sounders FC (5-3-5) survived one last good scoring chance by the Earthquakes, who are in last place in Major League Soccer's Western Conference, in the 84th minute. Seattle moved into sole possession of third place with the win.

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

Sounders FC 2, San Jose 1

Second half — 2, Seattle FC, Montero 5 (Ianni, Ljungberg), 59th. 3, San Jose, Huckerby 1 (Johnson, Salinas), 68th. Total shots — Seattle 10, San Jose 7. Shots on goal — Seattle 6, San Jose 2. Total saves — San Jose 4, Seattle 1. Fouls — San Jose 20, Seattle 15. Offsides — Seattle 3, San Jose 2. Corner kicks — Seattle 10, San Jose 3. Yellow cards — Yellow Cards — Pitchkolan, San Jose, 16th; Corrales, San Jose, 34th; Evans, Seattle FC, 43rd; Ribeiro, San Jose, 50th; Montero, Seattle FC, 73rd; Wondolowski, San Jose, 94th+. Goalies — San Jose, Joe Cannon; Seattle FC, Kasey Keller. Referee — Silvio Petrescu. Assistant referees — Craig Lowry. David Bragg. 4th official — Yader Reyes. A — 28,999 (27,700).

LINEUPS

San Jose — Joe Cannon, Chris Leitch, Arturo Alvarez, Jason Hernandez, Michael Zaher (Quincy Amarikwa, 81st), Chris Wondolowski, Ryan Johnson (Pablo Campos, 85th), Darren Huckerby, Antonio Ribeiro (Shea Salinas, 58th), Ramiro Corrales, Aaron Pitchkolan.

Seattle FC — Kasey Keller, James Riley, Patrick Ianni, Tyson Wahl, Steve Zakuani (Roger Levesque, 77th), Fredy Montero (Osvaldo Alonso, 74th), Sebastien Le Toux, Brad Evans, Stephen King, Tyrone Marshall, Fredrik Ljungberg.