| 18 September 2011
After a peculiar little hiccup against Real Salt Lake the Sounders bounced back in a dominating 3-0 victory over visiting DC United. The Sounders showed they were well prepared for the match from the first whistle, dominating possession and looking dangerous every time they moved into DC United’s defensive zone.
It was not until the 35th minute that Seattle broke through when Mauro Rosales sent the ball down the right side for Mike Fucito who spun his defender and darted into the box before slotting the ball into the net for his second goal of the season.
Minutes later in the 45th minute a one-two between Fredy Montero and Mauro Rosales led to a deftly slotted pass into the feet of Alvaro Fernandez who easily tucked away what would be his first of two goals in the match. Fernandez would add his second in the 60th minute when he caught a rebound from Willis saving a pounding header from Fredy Montero.
The star of the show though was once again Mauro Rosales, who with two assists in the match set an all-time record for assists in the club. Unfortunately Rosales was forced to leave the game late in the second half with an MCL sprain after an unnecessary foul. Kasey Keller was also in good form with six saves including a spectacular diving parry in the 72nd minute.
The team looked to be in fine form, poised to make a run deep into the playoffs and the CONCACAF Champions League. The key is ensuring that Mauro Rosales makes a complete yet speedy recovery and that the Sounders midfield core remains intact. With this in mind, it looks as if Sigi Schmid’s team may be able to offer some hope to Seattle sports fans.
