Seattle » Opening a season has never been easy for Real Salt Lake. And the trend hasn't changed, even though the team finally made the Major League Soccer playoffs for the first time last season.

Hoping to build on its unprecedented postseason success nearly five months ago, RSL hardly looked in its belated season-opener like a team that kept its core group of players together hoping to find success through improved chemistry.

Instead, defender Tony Beltran got turned around on a move that led to an early goal, the roaring sellout crowd came to life in all its blue-and-green glory, and blossoming superstar Freddy Montero ripped home a late insurance strike late to allow the expansion Seattle Sounders to claim a 2-0 victory over RSL at sold-out Qwest Field.

While the Sounders claimed their second straight win to start their MLS existence, RSL stayed winless in its five season-openers, and returned with the new season to its old troubled ways on the road. It had won on the road just once last season, before a riveting stretch run that included a four-game road unbeaten streak.