Seattle Sounders vs. San Jose Earthquakes | MLS Match Preview

MLSsoccer staff

SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC vs SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES
CENTURYLINK FIELD, Seattle, Wash.
June 20, 2015 (WEEK 16, MLS Game #152)
1 p.m. PT (JOEtv / ROOT-NW Alt; CSN-BA)

A vital match in the Western Conference picture kicks off when Seattle Sounders FC play host to the San Jose Earthquakes at CenturyLink Field on Saturday afternoon. Sounders FC moved to the top of the MLS overall table and the Supporters’ Shield race in their last league match, a 3-0 win against FC Dallas last Saturday on their home ground. The Quakes saw their winless run extended to three games in their last MLS contest, a scoreless draw with FC Dallas at Avaya Stadium two weeks ago.

Obafemi Martins came off the bench for the final 29 minutes and scored a goal and added an assist in Sounders FC’s 3-0 home win vs. FC Dallas on Saturday night, their third consecutive victory at CenturyLink Field. Martins is tied for third in the MLS Golden Boot standings; his four assists for the season are tied for 10th-most in the league.
The Quakes return to action after a weekend off, Chris Wondolowski having his goalscoring streak snapped at four games in a scoreless draw with FC Dallas on June 7 at Avaya Stadium.
The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Chris Wondolowski scored a pair of goals and Innocent hit for a late game-winner as the Quakes took a 3-2 win March 14 at CenturyLink Field.
The win in the first meeting was the first for the Earthquakes in Seattle since 2012, when they won the season series, including victories in both games at CenturyLink Field. Sounders FC haven’t scored a goal on their last three visits to northern California, since a 2-1 loss at Buck Shaw Stadium in 2012; Seattle last won at San Jose in 2010.

REFEREE: Juan Guzman. AR1 (bench): Frank Anderson; AR2 (opposite): Felisha Mariscal; 4th: Tyler Ploeger
MLS Career: 53 games; FC/gm: 25.5; Y/gm: 3.6; R: 17; pens: 12

DOWNLOAD FULL GAME GUIDE (PDF)

SUSPENDED: SJ: JJ Koval (through June 21); Mark Sherrod (through June 21)
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: none
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: SEA: Osvaldo Alonso … SJ: Fatai Alashe, Sanna Nyassi
DISABLED LIST: none
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none

HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (17 meetings): Sounders FC 6 wins, 19 goals … Earthquakes 9 wins, 21 goals … Ties 2 AT SEATTLE (10 meetings): Sounders FC 5 wins, 15 goals … Earthquakes 4 wins, 10 goals … Ties 1
FUTURE MATCH: 9/12: San Jose Earthquakes vs. Seattle Sounders FC, 7:30 p.m. PT

The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Chris Wondolowski scored a pair of goals and Innocent hit for a late game-winner as the Quakes took a 3-2 win March 14 at CenturyLink Field.
The win in the first meeting was the first for the Earthquakes in Seattle since 2012, when they won the season series, including victories in both games at CenturyLink Field.
Sounders FC haven’t scored a goal on their last three visits to northern California, since a 2-1 loss at Buck Shaw Stadium in 2012; Seattle last won at San Jose in 2010. · Coaches record: Sigi Schmid vs. SJ: P37 W16 L15 D6 … Dominic Kinnear vs. SEA: P10 W4 L4 D2

LAST MEETING (MLS) 3/14: SEA 2, SJ 3 (Dempsey 1, Martins 84 – Wondolowski 13, 48; Emeghara 70)

Sounders FC got off to a dream start. Tyrone Mears fired a blistering attempt from just outside the penalty box, which Quakes goalkeeper David Bingham deflected. But the ball took another fortuitous bounce directly to Clint Dempsey, who put home a short-range header to give Seattle the lead after just 23 seconds.
But the Quakes found the equalizer in the 13th minute. Marvell Wynne sent in a perfect cross just inches over the head of a leaping Sounders defender and found Chris Wondolowski, who blasted his attempt past Seattle ‘keeper Stefan Frei from inside the area.
San Jose then took the lead in the 48th minute after converted Seattle center back Brad Evans whiffed an attempted header back to Frei, allowing Wondolowski to sneak in and pot the ball home.
The Quakes went down a man in the 57th minute when Victor Bernardez was shown a straight red card by referee Baldomero Toledo for a tackle on Seattle midfielder Micheal Azira. But it was San Jose who took advantage, making the score 3-1 in the 70th minute after Innocent Emeghara danced his way through the Sounders back line and slotted his attempt past Frei.
Obafemi Martins tapped home a cross from midfield substitute Andy Rose to cut the deficit to 3-2 with six minutes to play, but it wasn't enough for the home side.
SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC (4-4-2): Stefan Frei - Tyrone Mears (Cristian Roldan 80), Brad Evans, Chad Marshall, Leo Gonzalez - Marco Pappa, Micheal Azira (Andy Rose 67), Gonzalo Pineda, Lamar Neagle (Chad Barrett 72) - Clint Dempsey, Obafemi Martins.
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES (4-2-3-1): David Bingham - Marvell Wynne, Victor Bernardez (sent off 52), Paulo Renato (Adam Jahn 64), Shaun Francis - Fatai Alashe, JJ Koval - Sanna Nyassi (Shea Salinas 72), Matias Perez Garcia (Ty Harden 57), Innocent Emeghara – Chris Wondolowski.