Sounders End Winless Streak, Steve Zakuani Plays

Too many narratives from which to choose this evening, none of these are forced. Quite simple the play on the field was strong for the majority of the match. The Seattle Sounders managed to carry their strong play to a 2-1 win over the Colorado Rapids. Goals from Eddie Johnson and Alvaro Fernandez were overshadowed by the appearance of Steve Zakuani. To quote Johnson;

... that’s the loudest I’ve ever heard it. That’s the loudest I’ve ever heard a stadium. I’ve been playing 11 years of soccer and that’s the loudest I’ve ever heard a stadium.

This is a team that's won trophies, a grown ass man who has played in massive games for club and country. Tonight Eddie Johnson saw something new.

That's sports. Every match, every game, something new can happen. Tonight's new wasn't an amazing goal, or a save. Tonight's new wasn't a win to end a nine match winless streak. Those happen every once in a while.

Today, the new was simply a Seattle Sounder returning to the field. He did so against the team where his very career was threatened. He didn't get many touches. He didn't threaten goal. It was still more than enough. And then Steve Zakuani capped it off with a moment that only a great man can do. He took off his jersey and swapped with the man who was suspended for tackling him. Brian Mullan will be able to have that top for the rest of his life. Zakuani will as well. If you want closure, there it is.

Still, Seattle won. Probably the perfect way to end the Zakuani-Mullan thing.

The formation was very similar to the typical that the Sounders use. But within that normal shape they did a few things differently. Outside mids would become withdrawn forwards. When that happened the rest of the midfield shifted over. Andy Rose sat in very Evans spaces. Osvaldo Alonso won the ball, because that's what he does.

While the ball flowed much better than it has in the past, it was two dead ball situations that created the goals. The first was from stellar service on a corner from Mauro Rosales to Alvaro Fernandez who headed it home. The second started from a dead ball, that seemed to be stopped, but the Sounders quickly reset, reentered and Johnson knocked it home.

Colorado would score once late and have another waved off for offside.

Seattle's win would finish 2-1, but that really isn't the story. Steve Zakuani is the story. It has little to do with soccer, it has everything to do with being the man I wish I could be.