For the first six games of the Sounders’ season, Fredy Montero could identify a little with Albert Pujols.
Not in terms of profile or contract, but Montero probably could feel the Los Angeles Angels slugger’s pain in terms of unfulfilled expectations.
But it appears he’s ready to play catch-up.
Montero stunned host FC Dallas, which outplayed the Sounders in the first half, with a pair of goals in a three-minute span give the Sounders a 2-0 triumph Wednesday night, their fifth consecutive victory, tying the club record.
Montero, who started on the bench and came in at halftime for Mauro Rosales, scored in the 68th minute from 15 yards out after a feed from Cordell Cato, then struck again in the 71st minute after Alex Caskey sent a cross into traffic. The ball was deflected, but Montero lunged and pushed a header past Dallas goalie Kevin Hartman.
The assist for Cato, 19, who entered his first MLS game in the 65th minute, made him the youngest in clubhistory to score.
The Sounders received another clean sheet from rookie goalkeeper Bryan Meredith, who has gone 21/2 games without surrendering a score since replacing injured Michael Gspurning. He had five saves.
With its sixth shutout in nine games, Seattle improved to 7-1-1. Dallas is 0-3-2 in its last five games and 3-5-3 overall.
The club’s career scoring leader with 37 goals, Montero was shut out for the first six MLS games before a spectacular strike from 35 yards out against Los Angeles. The Sounders offense has scored just 13 goals, but has given up a league low three.
Dallas was missing two starters Carlos Rodriguez and Ricardo Villar, because of injury, and a third, Daniel Hernandez, sat out after receiving a red card Sunday.
