Game thread, Sounders FC-Real Salt Lake

Jimmy Gabriel, a former NASL Sounder, received the Golden Scarf prior to kickoff. Fredy Montero got the loudest ovation in introductions. It's game time.

Sturgis, King, Wahl, Ianni, Dragavon and Levesque are among those on the bench tonight.

Strange, but there is actually a pocket of RSL supporters in the east corner of the lower bowl. How'd they get in? Stubhub? Kidding.
RSL in red. Both teams just took a photo together on the field (7:38 p.m.)

Sounders FC opened in 4-1-3-2 formation and we're off.

-5th minute: Alonso and Morales exchange some words after a rough play.

Looks like Olave for RSL, a former teammate of Montero's at Deportivo Cali in Colombia, as the task of marking/mugging Montero, along with others.

-Teams feeling each other out, no major runs by either sdie as of 9th min.

-RSL's Beckerman draws a yellow card for roughing Montero, crowd erupts.

-For a moment, two balls on the field at same time as a fan lobs a ball that went out of bounds onto the field.

-Keller with a save on Movsisyan's shot on goal, corner kick RSL but no result.

-Montero splits two defenders and beats another for a shot, but deflected away by GK.

16:58 of first: GOAL -- Zakuani fakes out defender, centers to Jaqua who pounds it in, 1-0 Seattle. Good setup by Alonso with pass out to Zakuani on left wing.

-Yellow card for Javier Morales for a hard blow to Alonso in 22nd min. Alonso is shaken up and stretcher is out, but he's up and walking around.

-25th min. -- Zakuani and Jaqua almost hook up again for a score, but shot by Jaqua is saved.

-Jaqua with a long drive in 31st min., missed wide. Zakuani is a nightmare for the RSL defense, his speed is causing problems for it.

I'm looking at the crowd and hardly a soul is sitting down. Almost like being at a college basketball game.

-Keller takes a chance on coming out to try and knock ball out of the goal box, lucky for him Le Toux clears in 38th min.

-Montero getting the mean treatment from RSL. He's knocked down again, but the emphasis on him is freeing up other players like Jaqua, Zakuani.

-Que pasa? Olave just shoved Montero into the LED boards on the east side. Cheap shot. Montero up and OK after he does a little acting job. Yellow card for Olave in 44th min. I guess being ex-teammates and countrymen doesn't matter.

Olave complains to officials as he walks off the field.

END HALF, 1-0 Seattle.

Second half begins underway, Keller great save on Mathis 49th minute.

-56th minute - Riley centers to Montero, headed away. Corner kick. LeToux has taken all of them tonight.

Ljungberg beginning to stretch out down on the bench.

-Back-to-back corners for RSL in 58th, 59th min. RSL looks more aggressive on offense in second half.

60:02 - Le Toux from Scott, shot wide and high. Ljungberg coming in now for Zakuani. Ljungberg applauds the fans as he takes the pitch to a loud ovation.

63rd min. -- Nasty collision involving Seattle's Marshall and RSL's Findley. Both hit heads and are down for a few moments but both get up and play on.

67th min. -- RSL getting closer to a goal as Movsisyan bounces a shot over Keller's head but on top of net. Tense times.

-RSL is dominating play on offense. Ball has been on its end of the field for almost all of second half.

-71st min. -- Nathan Sturgis in vs. his former team, Jaqua out. Le Toux moves to forward, Sturgis at midfield. This is Sturgis' first action in a game for Seattle. Looks like Sigi Schmid is trying to hold on to the lead and play for the 1-0 win.

76:01 -- PLEASE COME AND SEE THIS GUY PLAY IF YOU CAN. Montero just took a pass in the clear from Osvaldo Alonso and let fly from I'd say 30 yards out from the goal, and SCORED. 2-0 Sounders FC. Then he, Alonso and Hurtado did a neat little slide step in celebration. Los Tres Amigos strike again.

84th min. -- Raphael Cox from UW in for RSL. Local guy.