Ljungberg has goal, assist to help Sounders beat Earthquakes 2-1 to snap 6-game winless streak

Ljungberg helps Sounders end 6-game winless streak

SEATTLE — Freddie Ljungberg scored into a wide-open net in the 42nd minute, then set up Fredy Montero’s goal with a corner kick in the 59th as the Seattle Sounders beat the San Jose Earthquakes 2-1 Saturday night, snapping a six-game winless streak.

Seattle (5-3-5) had gone 0-1-5 since a 2-0 victory over San Jose on April 25 in Seattle.

Darren Huckerby scored for San Jose (2-8-3), which entered on a two-game unbeaten streak after going eight without a win, remained at the bottom of the Western Conference with nine points.

Brad Evans started the Sounders’ first scoring play when he took the ball away from fallen defender Jason Hernandez just on the Earthquakes’ side of midfield. Evans got it ahead to Montero down the left side, and Montero sent it on to Sebastien Le Toux, who passed to Ljungberg in the left side of the box.

Ljungberg beat goalkeeper Joe Cannon, lofting it over him and into the center of the net for his second goal of the season.

The Sounders made it 2-0 in the 59th minute. Ljungberg’s corner kick from the right floated toward the middle of the box, where Patrick Ianni got it over to Montero at the left post for an easy tap-in and his team-leading fifth goal.

Huckerby scored for San Jose in the 68th minute when he ran onto a well-placed cross by Ryan Johnson and drove a 12-yard shot past Kasey Keller from straight on.

The Earthquakes nearly tied it in the 84th minute when Johnson had a shot inside the top right corner of the 6-yard box with Keller caught in traffic off his line, but it flew wide of the far post.

Story from: STATS LLC, www.stats.com.