 In 2009, a shoulder injury that had limited Zakuani's ability to play the full 90 minutes per game forced him to undergo surgery during the off-season. In his second professional year, Zakuani scored ten goals, equalling the score of striker Fredy Montero for the team lead. He also made six assists. Zakuani was named MLS Player of the Week twice; the first was after recording both goals in a 2 – 1 win over Colorado, and the second was awarded for both a goal and an assist in a 2 – 1 victory over Chivas USA. Fans around the league voted the strike against Chivas as the Goal of the Week. Zakuani also won the award for his perfectly timed break past the defensive back line for a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper while scoring a goal against Toronto FC. He also recorded the fastest-scored goal in club history with a fourth-minute tally against Columbus Crew, beating the previous record he had set the season before. Zakuani was again in the starting line-up for the 2010 U.S. Open Cup final, which Seattle won to become the first team since 1983 to repeat as Open Cup champions. On November 7, 2010, he scored the Sounders' first ever playoff goal in a 2 – 1 loss to the Los Angeles Galaxy. He received his green card after the season; this helped the team because MLS limits the number of international players available to each team and receiving permanent resident status exempted him from the cap.
