Carson, CA – Seattle Sounders FC rode a hat trick from Fredy Montero to a comfortable road victory on Saturday, cruising past Chivas USA 6-2 at The Home Depot Center.
Montero's recent form has been brilliant; the Colombian's first-ever Sounders hat trick gives him six goals in his last four games with the Emerald City club.
Brad Evans got Seattle off the mark before two of Montero's goals handed the visitors a three-goal lead.
Juan Agudelo pulled one back from the penalty spot in the 38th minute before Miller Bolanos cut Chivas' deficit to just one goal in the 64th minute.
But the Sounders answered with three goals to complete the rout. Montero completed his three-goal performance in the 67th minute while Samuel Ochoa's 80th-minute header and Ante Jazic's stoppage-time own goal added insult to injury for the Goats.
The Sounders (12-6-7) have won two in a row to climb into a tie with Real Salt Lake for second place in the Western Conference. Chivas (7-10-6) has lost two of its last three league games, conceding 11 goals over that stretch.
Seattle found itself in front in just the tenth minute when Montero played in Evans, who curled a shot around Dan Kennedy and into the back of the net.
The lead was doubled 17 minutes later when Montero capped a fine passage of play at the edge of the penalty area by smashing a left-footed shot just inside the far post.
Chivas came close to pulling one back at the half-hour mark, but Agudelo's powerful header was placed directly at Michael Gspurning. The Austrian 'keeper pulled off a great reaction save, parrying the ball over the crossbar with his fist.
The Goats were left to rue that miss as the Sounders extended their lead in the 34th minute. Montero played a square ball to Mauro Rosales and collected the return pass before chipping a cheeky effort over Kennedy.
The home side was handed a lifeline four minutes later when referee Juan Carlos Rivero whistled Jeff Parke for a hand ball in the box and pointed to the spot. Agudelo got the better of Gspurning this time, sending the Sounders 'keeper the wrong way.
Chivas got to within one goal when Bolanos beat Gspurning with a shot from distance in the 64th minute, but Montero wrapped up his hat trick three minutes later by beating Kennedy with a right-footed shot from close range.
Ochoa put the result beyond any doubt 10 minutes from time, heading home a cross from Christian Tiffert.
And to cap a miserable night at The Home Depot Center for Chivas, Jazic conceded an own goal when his failed clearance ended up in the back of the net.
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