Fredy Montero came off the bench to score in the 64th minute, Eddie Johnson added a clinching goal in the 87th minute and the Seattle Sounders beat Cascadia rival Vancouver 2-0 on Saturday in a key game for positioning in the MLS Western Conference playoff chase.
Just two minutes after coming off the bench, Montero found the back of the net for the eighth time in league play. Mauro Rosales took a free kick from about 35 yards out, but instead of going on net, chipped it into the penalty area.
Defender Jeff Parke played the ball off his chest and directed it to Montero, who got just enough of his toe on the shot to bounce it past Vancouver goalkeeper Joe Cannon.
Johnson scored on a counter attack off a cross from Brad Evans in the closing minutes for his 11th goal of the season.
Seattle moved three points clear of the Whitecaps and Los Angeles and into third place alone in the conference standings. Seattle has played two fewer games than both the Whitecaps and Galaxy.
Vancouver lost for the third time in its last four league matches and second straight following a 2-0 loss to FC Dallas at home on Wednesday.
The Whitecaps appeared to pull even at 1-1 when Darren Mattocks knocked a rebound off Seattle goalkeeper Michael Gspurning into the net, but the goal was disallowed due to a Whitecaps foul.
