REAL SALT LAKE VS. SEATTLE SOUNDERS
RIO TINTO STADIUM, Sandy, Utah
US Open Cup, Round of 16
June 28, 10 pm ET (YouTube)
It’s been a rough MLS season thus far for the Seattle Sounders, but they do remain in the hunt for a fifth US Open Cup title. On Tuesday they visit 2016's surprisingly strong starters Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium in the tournament's Round of 16.
Seattle Aim to Turn Things Around
With goals in short supply as star striker Clint Dempsey performs for the US national team at Copa America Centenario, the Sounders are tied for the third-lowest point tally in the league, and currently sitninth in the Western Conference. It’s definitely not what the ambitious club had in mind, but they can take a step towards righting the ship in the Open Cup, a longstanding area of emphasis in Seattle.
It will be a tough feat for the club considering that Dempsey remains suspended thanks to last year's Cup kerfuffle. But both manager Sigi Schmid and veteran defender Brad Evans have returned from their recent bans and should play big roles in this one.
RSL Building on Impressive Start
If Seattle’s woes have been unexpected, RSL have been a pleasant surprise. The hosts for this Open Cup clash sit third in the MLS Supporters' Shield race and have an impressive home record to date, going undefeated in six matches with just one draw.
That's likely to be a factor on Tuesday night, especially considering how the home team rallied for a 2-1 win at home over the Sounders in March and pulled off an even more impressive feat against USL side Wilmington Hammerheads in their Open Cup opener on June 14.
