Sounders defeat Monterrey 1-0

Alvaro Fernandez splits two Monterrey defenders (courtesy MLS).

The Sounders are currently playing in the CONCACAF Champions League tournament which pits teams from the U.S., Canada, Central America, and the Caribbean against one another.  The Sounders are currently in the group stage with Monterrey and teams from Guatemala and Costa Rica.  The Sounders won their first game against Communicaciones from Guatemala.  And tonight they won at Monterrey, only the second MLS team to win a CONCACAF match in Mexico.  Monterrey won the entire tournament last year; they're a good team (usually).

Seattle scored its lone goal in the first half on a brilliant shot by Alvaro Fernandez.  The Sounders controlled the game in the first half.  Monterrey very much looked out of sync.  The second half was a different story, however.  Monterrey applied constant pressure on the Sounders' goal.  Somehow shots were deflected, missed, or stopped by keeper Terry Boss.  Boss played an excellent game, with one exception.  On a friendly pass back to him, Boss misplayed the ball, and a Monterrey player won control with an open goal in front of him.  Somehow, though, he didn't have the right angle, so he had to pass, and the subsequent shot by the Monterrey player was offline.  It was a lucky break for the Sounders for sure.

Because the Sounders also have league matches and U.S. Open Cup matches, the team will play 6 games in 18 days.  Several key players, including Kasey Keller, Fredy Montero, and Mauro Rosales, did not play in the game.  It was an impressive showing by the Sounders.  They were lucky, for sure, but they'll take it.