The nail-biting nerves, cloaked with anticipation, were different this time around for Seattle Sounders FC.
No longer were the Sounders the new kids on the pitch, trying to find their way. Not in 2010. A second season in the Major League Soccer has brought about loftier expectations, including talk about a championship.
Yes, the Sounders were thrilled with a season-opening 2-0 victory over the expansion Philadelphia Union on Thursday night in front of 36,241 fans at rain-soaked Qwest Field.
A win is a win – worth three points in the MLS standings.
But it’s no longer enough.
“Last year, if we were home and we win 2-0, I don’t think there’s much talk about, ‘Let’s play better, let’s play better.’ I think we were happy with three points,” Evans said. “Now the focus is on playing better soccer. We have to play good soccer to compete with the best teams. We can’t just squeeze by.”
Two goals in the first 43 minutes, including a like-you-draw-it-up tally from Evans in the 12th minute, put the team’s recent goal-scoring angst at ease, at least for the time being.
This was a team that went scoreless at home in five of its final six games in 2009 – enough that it prompted a change in its attacking style.
In the offseason, Sounders coach Sigi Schmid switched to more of a quick-touch, don’t-hesitate philosophy to speed up the game’s tempo, and not allow opponents to sit back and wait for Seattle to fire off shots.
The change produced mixed results as Seattle scored six goals in six preseason matches before the start of the regular season Thursday.
Yet, when midfielder Steve Zakuani and forward Fredy Montero got going in a two-man passing game on the left side early on, it produced gold.
Montero fed Zakuani along the left in-line. Quickly, Zakuani put a pass in the Philadelphia penalty box, and right at the foot of Evans.
“Any time he’s got the ball, there’s always a chance that it’s coming across,” Evans said. “I had my late run in the box, and it kind of skipped by two defenders. I caught it well with the inside of my right foot and put it to the far post.”
It whizzed by goalkeeper Chris Seitz, a reserve on MLS champion Real Salt Lake last season. It was the first goal Seitz has given up in eight career outings.
“That was one like you draw it up in practice,” Schmid said.
The Union was more than ready to try and go toe-to-toe with the Sounders in its first match – in the Sounders’ loud stadium. And the longer the match went on, Philadelphia took more of a rough-and-tumble approach with Montero and Freddie Ljungberg, Seattle’s speedy forwards.
It was a tactic the Sounders saw plenty at the end of last season. But on this night, the Union ratcheted up the physical action, earning five yellow cards, including two by Toni Stahl, who was ejected in the 40th minute.
The absence led to the Sounders’ second goal, which was of the bizarre but true variety in the 43rd minute.
Midfielder Osvaldo Alonso rocketed a shot from the right side with so much topspin – and with the aid of a tailwind – it took a high hop over the entire Union defense, and appeared headed out of bounds.
Out of nowhere came Montero, who stuck his head out dangerously close to the left post but nudged enough of the ball to get a goal for a 2-0 Seattle lead.
Asked how much room he had between his head and the post, Montero grinned.
“Two meters,” he said.
“It was one of the toughest goals to score in my entire professional career,” Montero added. “The only option I had was to stick the ball in that little, small space. It was a fast ball. It bounced right in front of me. Luckily it went in.”
Added time
For a second consecutive season, Seattle’s Kasey Keller notched an opening-day shutout. He helped blank New York, 3-0, last season. … Ljungberg (back) had to leave early in the second half with soreness on a foul by Stahl in the first half that drew the first yellow card. … The 36,241 fans set a Sounders record for regular-season play in an MLS match.
Todd Milles: 253-597-8442
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