Fredy Montero was rested and ready when the Seattle Sounders needed him.
After sitting out the first half, Montero scored twice in a three-minute span to lead the Sounders to their fifth consecutive victory, 2-0 over FC Dallas on Wednesday night.
''That was a planned substitution,'' Seattle coach Sigi Schmid said. ''When Fredy wasn't scoring goals, he was getting chances. If he wasn't, then we would have been concerned. All goal scorers are streaky. Now in the last three games he has three goals and one assist.''
Seattle improved to 6-1-1. Dallas is 0-3-2 in its last five games and 3-5-3 overall.
After Dallas controlled the ball for most of the first 68 minutes, Seattle's Cordell Cato won a battle in the home team's end and sent the ball toward the right corner of the goal.
Montero maneuvered around defenders Matt Hedges and Hernan Pertuz and shot just inside the right post to beat goalkeeper Kevin Hartman on his short side from 15 yards out.
''It was a really fast play,'' Montero said.
Montero's second goal came in the 71st minute on a short right-footed shot from in front of the net.
Montero, the Sounders' career leader with 37 MLS goals, entered the game with one goal and one assist in eight games this season. The team has scored only 13 goals this season, but has allowed a league-low three.
Seattle goalkeeper Bryan Meredith recorded his second shutout in his second start this season.
Despite missing injured starters Carlos Rodriguez and Ricardo Villar - along with Daniel Hernandez, out after receiving a red card Sunday - Dallas outplayed the Sounders in the first half.
FC Dallas outshot the Sounders 6-5 in the first half and 15-11 for the game.
''We dominated the scoring chances and shots on goal,'' Dallas coach Schellas Hyndman said. ''On their second chance in the game, they score. Then on their third chance, they score again.''
In the first half, Dallas forced Seattle backup goalkeeper Bryan Meredith to make four saves.
The last of those was a big one. From point-blank range, Scott Sealy headed the ball toward the net. Meredith punched the ball off the crossbar.
''He floated one up, and I did anything I could to get to it,'' Meredith said.
The rebound rolled to Sealy, but he was unable to get off an effective shot.
''The goalie had a save he pulled out of nowhere,'' Sealy said. ''If that goes in, we start to go better.''
The 22-year-old goalkeeper had his second shutout in his second start in place of the injured Michael Gspurning.
