Sounders win, 2-1, moving to 5-3-5 and 20 points on the season. San Jose drops to 2-8-3 and remains at nine points.

Freddie Ljungberg was selected man of the match with a goal and an assist. But Fredy Montero also had a goal and an assist. And the Fredy & Freddie interplay was one of the most encouraging things to come from this game.

“I thought that Montero and Ljungberg did a very good job in the first half of interchanging,” coach Sigi Schmid said. “You saw Montero a lot on the right wing and he did that job when he was inside and Ljungberg was on the right, so they did a good job of interchanging and that’s the way we want to play. As they get more and more time with each other we’ll do that better and better.”

(Schmid also said went out of his way to praise Stephen King, who he said covered a lot of ground.)

“Me and Fredy we try to work (together),” Ljungberg said. “Early in the season I played the midfield and I had to defend and lot and I had to go back deep, so we were far off on the pitch. Now we’re trying to mix a little bit and we’re higher up and then we can have more combinations, me and Fredy, and it worked well.”

However, a little shine came off of Montero's night as he butchered a clearance -- actually sending the ball back into Seattle's penalty area -- setting up San Jose's lone goal. I didn't have a chance to speak to Montero after the game, but clearly Kasey Keller wasn't happy at the time, and he hadn't mellowed much in the locker room.

“There were a whole lot of problems on that goal,” Keller said. “We got complacent and didn’t clear the goal. I don’t know why. It definitely won’t happen again.”

The Sounders' dominated most of the way, but klunked around a bit after their second goal. Schmid said as much after the game, But after going since April 25 without a win, he was more interested in three points in the standings than he was in style points.

"When you’re in a streak where we weren’t getting win, but right now you take the win,” Schmid said. “There were games where we played well – Chivas as an example – and we came away with the loss and probably played a better compete 90 minutes than we played today. But at the end of the day it’s a good solid win at home, and I’m very proud of the effort that the team put in.”

The Sounders don’t have long to celebrate. They return to action Wednesday against Eastern Division leader D.C. United at Qwest Field.

Schmid pointed out that players such as Jhon Kennedy Hurtado and Nate Jaqua will be back for that one. And Osvaldo Alonso came on in the closing minutes tonight and could be ready to start again Wednesday.

Also, Tyrone Marshall, who came off the field briefly tonight after getting kicked, said he feared he was hurt worse than he was, and he said he'll be ready for United.

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