Fredy Montero credits the road support as one of the greatest motivating factors when playing a big rival.
Fredy Montero knows how to score in big rivalry games on the road.
He did it with a brilliant free kick in the 57th minute and a second goal to complete the brace in the 74th minute to help pull the Sounders FC back from behind to top the Portland Timbers at Jeld-Wen Field last July.
He then repeated the feat with a wonder goal in the 63rd minute and another strike in the 67th minute at Empire Field in Vancouver in September to win the Cascadia Cup with a 3-1 win over the Whitecaps.
After each of those four goals, he ran toward the Sounders FC supporters who were cheering on their club in the sections in the corner nearest where each goal was scored.
That support has been one of the greatest motivating factors for Montero throughout his career when he is playing a big rival, as he will on Saturday when the Sounders meet the Whitecaps for the first time in 2012.
“It’s good because you have a thousand people screaming for you,” he smiled. “When you score a goal, the entire stadium is quiet and all you can hear is your fans. That feeling is really good.”
While those games are indicative of Montero’s drive and determination to win for the Sounders and their fans, his affinity for road goals isn’t limited to the rivalry week.
Of his 37 career MLS goals, 19 have come on the road. With the Sounders playing eight of their next 11 matches away from CenturyLink Field, he is looking to add to his three goals this season.
“I enjoy when I score a goal away and the fans are really crazy,” Montero said. “Hopefully we can do that in this game too.”
The Sounders will look to bounce back after a 1-0 loss to Real Salt Lake halted their winning streak at five games. They are in third place in the MLS standings at 7-2-1. Vancouver isn’t far behind at 5-3-2, nearly reaching their win total from 2011 when they finished the season at 6-18-10.
Although Montero and the Sounders have history on their side when the Sounders take the pitch at BC Place for the first time, Montero isn’t about to lean on that history.
“Every single year is a new history. What happened last year doesn’t matter for this one,” Montero said. “You just want to score goals and win. No matter what.”
Kickoff is set for 2 pm with television coverage on KONG 6/16 and the radio broadcast on 97.3 KIRO FM.
