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Juninho leads Galaxy past Sounders in MLS opener

Mar 16, 2011 - 4:03 AM Seattle, WA (Sports Network) - Juninho's 58th-minute goal was enough for the Los Angeles Galaxy to open the 2011 Major League Soccer season with a 1-0 win over Seattle Sounders FC at Qwest Field on Tuesday.

The Galaxy won all four meetings between the two sides last season, and a wonderful strike from 25 yards off the foot of Juninho continued that run of dominance.

The best chance in a scoreless first half came from Seattle's Erik Friburg, who shot just wide of the right post from outside the penalty area with Galaxy goalkeeper Josh Saunders off his line.

But the visitors picked up their play in the second half and took the lead shortly before the hour mark as Todd Dunivant laid a pass of to Juninho, who fired a bullet of a shot on goal that goalkeeper Kasey Keller got a hand to but couldn't keep out.

Landon Donovan nearly put the result away in the 65th minute for L.A. when he fired a shot from 20 yards that struck the crossbar, while Seattle's best chance at an equalizer came in the final 20 minutes when a low cross from Steve Zakuani was redirected inches wide of the far post by O'Brian White.