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

Jun 6, 2010 - 5:54 AM SEATTLE(AP) -- 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.