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Sounders-United Preview

Jul 14, 2010 - 7:53 PM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

Seattle (4-8-4) at D.C. (3-9-3), 8:00 p.m. EDT

The Seattle Sounders have been one of the biggest disappointments in MLS this year. Fredy Montero is doing his part to change that.

Montero looks to extend his scoring streak to six games while helping the Sounders snap a four-match winless skid when they visit D.C. United on Thursday night.

The Sounders (4-8-4) were expected to contend for their first MLS Cup in 2010 after a dazzling inaugural season in which they earned a playoff spot and won the U.S. Open Cup.

Seattle, 1-4-2 on the road, has instead struggled to duplicate that success. It sits in seventh place in the Western Conference, six points out of the final playoff position.

Montero has been a bright spot, leading the Sounders with six goals and six assists. The forward had three of each during a five-game scoring streak, including a goal in a 3-2 home loss to D.C. (3-9-3) on June 10 that started Seattle's 0-3-1 slump.

The Sounders wasted another of Montero's efforts Sunday, giving up a goal to Dallas with three minutes to play and settling for a 1-all tie. Montero gave Seattle the lead in the 14th minute, but the club struggled to overcome the loss of rookie forward Miguel Montano to a red card with 34 to go.

"I'm just glad we were able to hang on for the point because it really would have been a shame to not get anything out of this game," coach Sigi Schmid told the team's official website.

Montero may be in ideal position to extend his scoring streak as Seattle attempts to end a three-game road skid, during which it has been outscored 7-2.

He has found the net in all four games against United, including once in a 2-1 win during the Open Cup final at RFK Stadium on Sept. 2. The Sounders also took the only league meeting in the nation's capital, 2-1 on Sept. 19.

D.C. is trying to solve the offensive issues that have contributed to an 0-1-2 stretch, which continued with a scoreless tie at New York on Saturday. United are last in MLS with 11 goals and have managed five while going 2-4-1 at home.

Pablo Hernandez might be available to help solve the problem. The 23-year-old Argentine forward joined the club on loan from Defensor Sporting of Uruguay on July 1. However, the transfer window opens Thursday and the club needs papers to clear before he's eligible to play.

"Pablo's a good athlete, which is important in our league," general manager Dave Kasper told the team's official website. "He's coming from Uruguay, which is a tough, physical league, so he can take the beating that he's going to get as a forward. He's a special player."

If Hernandez is ineligible to make his debut, D.C. could start Santino Quaranta and Danny Allsopp together at forward again. The two players have combined for three goals on the season, with neither finding the net since Allsopp scored twice in a 2-1 win over Kansas City on May 5.