Photo Credit: Seattle Sounders FC Official Website

It’s been a few days since the Sounders earned their first three points of the 2013 MLS season.  The team came into Colorado desperate for a win, or at least a goal.  They ended up getting both with a 1-0 victory.  It was most certainly a successful match and an obvious stepping point for the Sounders to move forward from, but there are still many questions left on the field.

Seattle's overall cohesiveness still looked incomplete, and not just because of absences such as Eddie Johnson.  Mauro Rosales, who was a focal point in the last two seasons, didn’t enter the fray until midway through the second half and even then looked uncharacteristically out of place.  Is his age starting to show?  Has he lost favor with Sigi Schmid or his teammates?  Hopefully neither of these are the case because an in-form Rosales would be an asset to the struggling Sounders.

Photo Credit: Ted S. Warren/Associated Press

The truth of the matter is, Sounders FC fans have been spoiled over the last few years.  Since the team entered the league in 2009, the Sounders have become one of the premier clubs in Major League Soccer.  Sounders fans are used to success.  But with Saturday’s 0-0 draw with New England, their continued bad form is giving Seattle soccer fans their first real taste of what it’s like to be a losing team.

Saturday’s performance was little more than the stereotyped depiction of a soccer match; lots of movement and running around but little real action.  The Sounders did dominate possession and the passing game in addition to outshooting the Revolution 13-5.

Photo Credit: Ted S. Warren/Associated Press

The Seattle Sounders have made some substantial changes to chase the goal of winning the  MLS Cup.  Fredy Montero was sent on loan, and Sharlie Joseph and Obefemi Martins were signed.  The team is in an ambitious transition period.  With transition comes some frustration and disappointment.  This was certainly the case with the 1-1 draw to derby rivals Portland Timbers.

The crisp spring evening match began well for the Sounders.  Dangerous scoring opportunities were made early and in the 13^th minute the Sounders drew first blood.  Steve Zakuani collected a loose ball at midfield and took the ball in speedy stride, outpacing the Timbers by a long shot and carrying the ball into the box where he unleashed a devastating curling cross to Eddie Johnson who tapped the ball in to give the Sounders the 1-0 lead.

Photo Credit: Kevin Casey/Getty Images

After an offseason of dramatic changes and a positive training camp, the Sounders felt ready for the start of the 2013 MLS season.  But the opener did not end as planned for Seattle, as the Impact picked up a 1-0 victory.

The match’s lone goal came in the 35^th minute when Davy Arnaud collected a through ball missed by Zach Scott and then chipped it over an onrushing Michael Gspurning for what would prove to be the game winning goal.  The play started when possession was lost at midfield uncharacteristically by Jon Kennedy Hurtado.  The success of Montreal’s counterattack was a clear message that some action must be taken to revitalize the depleted Sounders backline with the trade of Jeff Parke and the injury to Patrick Ianni.

Finally, Seattle has its chance to shine.  After three seasons of being knocked out of the playoffs in the first round the Sounders have made it to the Western Conference Finals after defeating Real Salt Lake 1-0 in last night’s second leg of the Western Conference semi-finals.  The match was a nail biter but well worth the stress.

From the very start of the match it was clear the game was going to be a physical affair.  Both teams exchanged heavy tackles but fortunately no early cards were shown.  Both sides were evenly matched in the first half as each defense stifled any attacks that came their way.  In addition, both Salt Lake and Seattle were without their major playmakers; Seattle was without Rosales and until mid-way through the second half Salt Lake did not play Espindola.  Seattle had the best chance of the first half when Mario Martinez blasted a free kick which Nick Rimando parried onto the crossbar by his fingertips.

The first leg of MLS playoffs always tends to be a tense venture and last night’s match up between Seattle and Salt Lake was no exception.  Both teams displayed expert defensive prowess and as a result the match ended in a 0-0 draw.  But the game was by no means void of action.

The action got off to a fast start in the 23^rd minute as Nate Grabavoy dashed towards the top of Seattle’s eighteen yard box where he met an onrushing Michael Gspurning who made a spectacular sliding save.  Both keepers were kept busy as the Sounders peppered Salt Lake’s Nick Rimando with shot after shot.  Rimando finished the match with one of the most sound performances by a keeper in MLS this season, and Gspurning matched him save for save.

The right team won.  End of story.  Seattle dominated their arch rivals, the Portland Timbers, in a dominating 3-0 victory, once again asserting their superiority in the Northwest and MLS. Seattle had much to lose and even more to gain in this match, (a loss or tie and Portland would take the Cascadia Cup; a win would put Seattle in the running for Cascadia depending on the Portland-Vancouver result and would move them into a better playoff position) and they responded with efficiency and determination to prepare them for post season success.

                                                                       Photo Credit: Otto Gruele Jr./Getty Images

It was clear why San Jose sit atop the standings in the Western Conference of MLS as they came to CenturyLink Field to face the Sounders.  With high defensive pressure and an in form offense San Jose was able to take three points from the Sounders in a 2-1 victory.  Sigi Schmid knew that his team would have to play quick one and two touch soccer and be defensively alert to Chris Wondolowski and Simon Dawkins but the Sounders were unable to come through with those demands in the first half.  Not even ninety seconds in, Simon Dawkins found space on the top of the eighteen yard box and smashed a goal into Michael Gspurning’s upper left corner.  This set the tone for the rest of the match as both teams intensified their offensive movement.  The Sounders responded in the 14^th minute when Sammy Ochoa grappled to possess the ball and flicked it across the goal to an open Steve Zakuani who scored his first goal in seventeen months since returning from his broken leg.  It was a fantastic moment of jubilation for the number 11 and one that will be a great memory for the 2012 season.

                                                                                 Photo Credit: Getty Images

It was without a doubt the Fredy Montero show as the Sounders hammered Chivas USA 6-2  in Los Angeles.  The offense was spurred on by Montero’s first hat trick in a Sounders FC uniform and the second hat trick for a Seattle player this season.  From the very get go it looked like it was Seattle’s game.  Chivas looked shaky at the back and at 10 minutes they cracked as Montero threaded a lovely through ball to Brad Evans who gently tucked the ball inside the far post.  And the goals kept coming.  In the 27^th minute Montero scored his first goal of the game when he found space in the box to collect a pass from Mauro Rosales and slide the ball into the back of the net from a near identical position as Evans. Minutes later in the 34^th, Rosales and Montero combined again as Rosales slotted a pass to Montero who chipped the ball in for his second of the night.  An unfortunate penalty was awarded before half time to Chivas and Agudelo made the score 3-1.

On a perfect sunny evening in Seattle, Sounders fans were treated to two long awaited spectacles; a Sounders win and the return of number 11, Steve Zakuani.  After a ten game winless streak and a near year and a half absence, both events made for a memorable night at Qwest Field.

The Sounders came out of the gate with guns blazing hoping to take three points in one of their few summer home games.  The formation had been altered slightly from previous games with Mauro Rosales playing a withdrawn forward role as Fredy Montero sat on the bench.  Alvaro Fernandez appeared to have finally begun to find his form as he made several darting runs from the outside wing and playing some great give and go football with Rosales and Eddie Johnson.  The game was tied 0-0 going into halftime.