For the Sounders, some of the drought is over

It is mid-June but the weather is like the belly of July and the seats at Sounders Stadium were full with the regulars but also a new swath, high school seniors, soccer players who were finally done with school, with league play and team play and playoffs. They are headed to soccer schools all over this country, to D-1 programs where they will try to star or to walk on, to Community Colleges where they will try to shine for a future tryout. They have been playing since last June. They are 18, they have an iPod, a cellphone and about 12 days of vacation before they must begin the soccer training all over again, this time as the skinny-legged rookie.

And they know well the fix the Sounders had gotten themselves into. Winless in six games, five ties, a loss they should have won, five red cards, third place in their division, where once they looked like a new race car — now they look like a new RV on a steep hill. Worst of all, playing a team they should beat, the San Jose Earthquakes, a fine team but in slight disarray, Saturday evening at home, you cannot win this except to win what you are supposed to win. And the Sounders do, stretching out a 2-1 victory, while fires for future games burn all around the night: Chivas loses to the Houston Dynamos (a team the Sounders have not even met, but will on July 11, right here, Saturday at 1); DC United, coming here next, beats Chicago for first place in the East. It is getting very complicated in this MLS season and the Sounders have not even met all the dinner guests.

The games you are supposed to win are best played with a careful poise and form, and the Sounders began with just such a rhythm. At the sixth minute, a cross from Zakuani was only a part second early for Ljungberg and a goal there would have freed the fretful Sounders. Zakuani plays San Jose like a back country skier and seems to find elegant stretches of running room against them. On such a lovely Saturday night, soccer is a fine way to make a living. Joe Cannon, the San Jose goalie, seemed also inspired, and no matter what concoction the Sounders would create, they could not get the ball past Cannon.

Sebastien Le Toux was starting for the red-carded Nate Jaqua. Le Toux is not the physical offensive force of Jaqua but he is a relentless trapper from the first moment to the last, relentless in a degree that can surprise a defender or a keeper. He is a torment where there are not typically torments, and it was his pestering that started to open the San Jose defense. Twice their clearances flew out of bounds. Twice their keeper had to rush his kick.

The soccer boys in the stands perched up and smiled a bit. They know what comes when there are moments of indecision on defense — like fly fishermen, they know what the water looks like when something might happen. And it nearly did. Ljungberg gave one of his lovely lessons in soccer, laying off a soft lead to Zakuani, his cross to Montero, goal for certain but somehow it hits the very inside of Cannon's leg and bounces wide. Montero kicks the inside of the net in frustration.

But Ljungberg now has the scent and he is not a gentle hunter. He breaks past a San Jose defender, who trips him, and Ljungberg is up like a shot, screaming nose to nose, toe to toe. Ljungberg knows it is there, the soccer boys know it, San Jose can feel it and sure enough, their defender makes one slip, one pause, it is a crowd in there and Montero slips it to Le Toux, who lays it gently rolling downfield and out of the pack comes Ljungberg, it is his, now rushing alone onto the keeper and he slots it over Joe Cannon's right ear, goal, 42nd minute.

Seba has the scent as well and forces three more corner kicks in the minutes before the half. Corner kicks are a quiet, often private weapon in a soccer game. They may not even yield a goal, indeed the Sounders have not done well with their set pieces, but they take a toll. They are like getting a walk in baseball, with men on base — you are still up, taking a whack at it and they are still on defense, trying to keep the door shut. By the game's end, the Sounders would take ten corner kicks, San Jose three.

At the half, coach Sigi Schmid walks off the field with his arm around Ljungberg. The game is not over but some of the drought is over and Ljungberg has struck.