2012 MLS Standings: Sounders In Second Place For Now

The Seattle Sounders moved into second place in the MLS Western Conference standings with their first comeback win, a 2-1 victory over Chivas USA, on Saturday. Eddie Johnson led the way with two goals, the last one coming in the 89th minute.

With just one win, the Sounders moved up one spot from third place, which shows just how close the race is for the second, third and fourth seeds in the West.

Real Salt Lake sits in the third spot (14-11-4, 46 points) and the LA Galaxy are fourth (13-11-4, 43 points). Only four points separate the three teams. The Vancouver Whitecaps (10-11-7, 37 points) round out the current playoff teams in the West.

The Sounders have seven games left on their MLS schedule, and their next match will be at the Portland Timbers on Sept.15.

For more on the Sounders and their run to the playoffs, head over to Sounder At Heart.

2012 MLS Standings: Sounders Try To Hold Onto Third Place

The Seattle Sounders FC find themselves right in the middle of a scramble for playoff positioning in the Western Conference as the second, third and fourth seeds are all only separated by three points.

The Sounders are currently in third place with 44 points and a 12-6-8 record but the LA Galaxy are right on their tails in fourth place with 43 points and a 13-11-4 record. The Sounders are still chasing Real Salt Lake, the second place team with 46 points and a 14-10-4 record. The San Jose Earthquakes have separated themselves from the pack with 53 points, so the Sounders are just trying to catch Real Salt Lake and the second seed heading into the playoffs.

After earning a tie with FC Dallas on Sunday, the Sounders next match will be at home against Chivas USA on Saturday.

For more on the Sounders, head over to Sounder At Heart.

2012 MLS Standings (Weekly Update): Fredy Montero's Three Goals Equal Second Place For Sounders

The Seattle Sounders enjoyed an offensive explosion Saturday night at the Home Depot Center, winning 6-2 over Chivas USA. With two games in hand over MLS Western Conference rival Real Salt Lake, the Sounders are level with RSL in the conference standings at 43 points following Seattle's 6-2 victory in Carson, Calif.

Fredy Montero's first career hat trick -- the fourth in Sounders club history -- put the Sounders into second place with a 12-6-7 record.

Th Sounders have a CONCACAF Champions League match this week, then go to Texas to face FC Dallas (a team that needs wins to improve its playoff chances) on Sept. 2. The Vancouver Whitecaps, despite a 2-1 loss to the Portland Timbers over the weekend, continue to hold down the fifth and final playoff spot in the West, five points up on Dallas.

The Sounders have played 25 matches and have nine left in the regular season. Winners of four of their last five MLS matches, they're aiming for their fourth playoff appearance in four seasons of existence.

For more on the Sounders, head over to Sounder At Heart.

Seattle Sounders Thump Chivas USA 6-2, Move Into Second Place In The West

On August 27th, 2011 the Seattle Sounders set a new single-game goals scored record in MLS play with a 6-2 victory over the Columbus Crew. On August 25th, 2012 the Sounders equaled that mark against Chivas USA. Both games featured a hat trick and own-goal in Seattle's favor, as well as a converted penalty kick by the opposition. Coincidence? Yes, with nearly 100% certainty. But Seattle stepping up the quality of their play in late summer is not a recent development. Given the way the Sounders have performed of late, they look more than capable of beating any team in MLS. The trick now is to keep the momentum rolling into the playoffs.

Seattle took the lead in the 10th minute after Fredy Montero split the defense with a through ball that was run onto by Brad Evans who coolly finished past Dan Kennedy. Montero doubled Seattle's lead in the 27th minute, finishing from a very tight angle after Mauro Rosales slid a clever ball into the area. Seven minutes later, Montero had his second; after losing his footing during a counter-attack, Montero recovered in time to regain possession, slid the ball to Eddie Johnson and continued his run. Johnson passed to Rosales who set up Montero's chip to put the Sounders up 3-0.

Chivas would get one back in the 38th minute after Juan Agudelo converted a penalty awarded for a Jeff Parke hand ball in the area. The Goats came out in the second half with a bit more purpose, and in the 64th minute they managed to make it a game; Miller Bolaños converted an excellent strike from just outside of the area, bringing Chivas to within a goal and making what once looked like a runaway Sounders victory look like it might be a nailbiter. The feeling wouldn't last; just three minutes later, Montero claimed his first hat trick as a Sounder with what might have been the best goal of the night; Montero took possession at the edge of the area, cut back into space between two defenders and drilled a low screamer just inside the far post.

Seattle turned a comfortable win into a rout in the 80th minute after Sammy Ochoa drilled a header past Kennedy from Christian Tiffert's cross to make in 5-2. Ante Jazic's cringeworthy own-goal in stoppage time rounded out the scoring, and with the three points and six goals Seattle leapfrogged Real Salt Lake to take second place in the MLS Western Conference. Though the Sounders and RSL are tied in terms of points, Seattle owns the goals-scored tiebreaker as well as holding two games in hand.

Despite the one-sided scoreline, there were some negatives; Seattle's back line had one of its poorest performances in recent memory and had Chivas USA's finishing been better this game could have been even wilder than it was in reality. It was uncharacteristic of the Sounders performances of late and was likely at least in part the result of tactical decisions, but it was nonetheless discouraging to see. Still, a 6-2 win is a 6-2 win; so long as these issues don't continue it's not something that's worth losing much sleep over. The positives far outweighed the negatives and it wasn't just the goals; Brad Evans was an absolute terror down the left, Fredy Montero and Eddie Johnson's chemistry continues to improve week-in and week-out, Mauro Rosales has finally looked like himself for an extended period of time and Michael Gspurning is clearly one of the best goalkeepers in MLS. Mario Martinez looked solid in his debut, and Steve Zakuani showed flashes of his old form.This Sounders team has the potential to be the best in the league, and wins like tonight's show why. And though the playoffs haven't exactly been kind to Seattle in the past, there are many reasons to be excited this time around.

Seattle Sounders Vs. Chivas USA Lineup: Fredy Montero, Christian Tiffert Will Be On Field Together

The Seattle Sounders take on Chivas USA with a chance at second place on the line and they are expected to be at full strength for the first time since the arrival of Christian Tiffert, according the Jeramiah Oshan of mlssoccer.com.

Head Coach Sigi Schmid gave Sounders fans just what they wanted to hear on Saturday:

"We’ll play what we think works for us as a group," Sounders head coach Sigi Schmid said on Friday. "The guys that seem to fit together and see how they work on that. It’s going to be our first opportunity to put Montero, Johnson, Rosales and Tiffert on the field at the same time."

Fredy Montero, Eddie Johnson, Mauro Rosales and Tiffert form one of the most formidable foursomes in all of MLS, and many are eager to see what they can do with extended time together. The Sounders will face the Goats tonight at 7:30 PT.

For more on the Sounders, head over to Sounder At Heart.

Seattle Sounders Look To Grab Hold Of Top Three Against Chivas USA

A slipping Real Salt Lake has given the Sounders an opportunity to claim a virtual tie for second place in the MLS Western Conference, but the Goats have lived up to their nickname this season making three points far from a foregone conclusion.