Gonzales gets first MLS goal in Sounders’ 3-0 win

It took Leo Gonzalez 24 games to get his first MLS goal.
Then, he added his first assist, too.

Steve Zakuani and Fredy Montero also scored to help the
Seattle Sounders beat the New England Revolution 3-0
Saturday night.

Zakuani set up the first goal when he tapped the ball to
Gonzalez, stationed just on the left side of the penalty
area 16 yards up from the goal line. Gonzalez drove a shot
into the upper right corner of the net well beyond the
reach of Revolution goalkeeper Bobby Shuttlesworth.

“It was a matter of getting the confidence to kick it, and
a little bit of luck as well,” said Gonzalez, a defender
who played 11 regular-season games plus both playoff games
for the Sounders last season, and has played 11 games this
season at left back. “Thank God it was a beautiful goal
and it gave us confidence for the remainder of the game.”

The Sounders (4-5-3) snapped a two-game losing streak,
both of which were shutouts. Goalkeeper Kasey Keller
earned his fourth shutout.

Prior to Gonzalez scoring midway through the 5th minute,
the Sounders had gone 271 minutes without a goal at home.
Their previous one was in the 4th minute of a 1-1 tie
against Columbus on May 1.

“We wanted to play like no tomorrow, and I was pleased
that we came out and played that way, said Sounders coach
Sigi Schmid, whose team had scored just four goals at home
this season. “Before the game, we said to (Gonzalez),
‘you’ve got a tough guy with speed in (New England’s
Sainey) Nyassi, so just make sure you defend him, and if
you can get forward once in a while, great, but dont worry
about that.'”

The Revolution (3-7-2, 11 points) lost for the third time
in four games and have just one win in their last eight.

Zakuani made it 2-0 late in the 24th minute with a rising
shot from the top of the box that went just over
Shuttlesworth’s hands, glanced off the crossbar and
dropped into the net.

Montero pushed the lead to 3-0 late in the 42nd minute,
gaining control of a volley from Pat Noonan, then
dribbling right around Revolution defender Pat Phelan and
firing from the top of the box into the upper left corner.

“The first two goals were just window strikes, (but) at
the same time, we didn’t defend very well,” Revolution
coach Steve Nicol said. “It’s just school-boy stuff – you
don’t let a man behind you on a throw-in. We were sleeping
and let a guy get to the edge of the box. It’s tough to
come back from that. Their third goal was downright bad
defending.”

The Sounders outshot New England 19-2, setting a franchise
record for shots taken.

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