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SEATTLE - Steve Zakuani and Osvaldo Alonso struck for goals in the first 25 minutes as the Seattle Sounders FC beat Chivas USA, 2-1, extending its win streak to a record-breaking five straight in MLS play on Friday night on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field.
Sounders FC (14-9-6, 48 points) improved to 10-1-3 in its last 14 MLS matches and is undefeated (8-0-2) at home in ten MLS and Open Cup matches since June 10. With one game remaining in the regular season Seattle has also surpassed last year's point total with 48 points.
Chivas USA (8-16-4, 28 points) lost for the fourth time in five games. It was Seattle's first win in five league meetings with the Red and White. It had beaten Chivas USA, 3-1, in the U.S. Open Cup semifinal last month.
Sounders FC scored early with a goal in the 9th minute. Jeff Parke flicked a ball to Zakuani in the midfield. After he fought through a crowd of defenders, Zakuani juked Zach Thornton, the approaching keeper, and rolled the ball into the net from 10 yards.
It was the first time Sounders FC scored against Chivas USA in five MLS contests.
Zakuani now shares the team lead with 10 goals and Parke recorded his first assist for Sounders FC.
Seattle scored again in the 25th minute, with Alonso starting and finishing the sequence. He won the ball and found Montero on the left flank. Montero sent Zakuani to the end line, and the left winger cut it back to the middle where a streaking Alonso knocked it past Thornton from six yards.
It was Alonso's first goal since June 17, 2009. Montero is now tied third in MLS with 10 assists and Zakuani has six.
Nathan Sturgis missed a close-range shot in the 62nd minute after Zakuani's header deflected off of Thornton.
Chivas USA pulled back with a goal in second-half stoppage time. Rodolfo Espinoza swung in a cross and Jesus Padilla headed it past Kasey Keller at the far post.
The visitors finished with a 14-11 edge in shots (4-3 on goal). Each team had five corner kicks.
With a crowd of 36,356, Sounders FC set a new MLS single-season attendance record at 542,600, bringing the average to a record-breaking 36,173. The match also marked the 31st consecutive sellout.
The group stage of the CONCACAF Champions League play concludes on October 19 when CD Saprissa of Costa Rica meets Seattle at 7 p.m. PT on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field. Seattle then wraps up the MLS regular season in Houston on Saturday at 1 p.m. PT.
CHIVAS USA (8-16-4) VS SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC (14-9-6)
DATE: October 15, 2010 -- Qwest Field
Scoring Summary:
SEA--Zakuani 10 (Parke 1) 9
SEA--Alonso 1 (Zakuani 6, Montero 10) 25
CHV--Padilla 6 (Espinoza 3) 92+
CHIVAS USA--Zach Thornton, Mariano Trujillo, Jonathan Bornstein, Michael Umana,
Ante Jazic, Rodolfo Espinoza, Jorge Flores, Michael Lahoud, Paulo Nagamura,
Jesus Padilla, Giancarlo Maldonado (Sal Zizzo 76)
TOTAL SHOTS: 14 (Flores 4);SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (4 tied with 1);FOULS: 5 (Lahoud 2,
Umana 2);OFFSIDE: 2;CORNER KICKS: 5;SAVES: Thornton 1;
CAUTIONS: Nagamura
26; EJECTIONS: None.
SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC--Kasey Keller, James Riley, Leo Gonzalez, Jeff Parke,
Patrick Ianni (Tyrone Marshall 51), Sanna Nyassi (Alvaro Fernandez 60),
Nathan Sturgis, Osvaldo Alonso, Steve Zakuani, Fredy Montero (Nate Jaqua 87),
Blaise Nkufo.
TOTAL SHOTS: 11 (Montero 4);SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (Zakuani 2);FOULS: 13 (Gonzalez 3,
Marshall 3);OFFSIDE: 4;CORNER KICKS: 5;SAVES: Keller 3;
CAUTIONS: Zakuani 59,
Montero 84; EJECTIONS: None.
Referee: Edvin Jurisevic
Referee's Assistants: Craig Lowry, C.J. Morgante
4th Official: Yader Reyes.
Attendance: 36,356.
Temperature: 50 and Clear.
