Olimpia vs. Seattle Sounders
2015-16 CONCACAF Champions League
August 26 | 10 pm ET | Estadio Tiburcio Carias Andino
TV: Fox Soccer Plus
Last Wednesday’s CONCACAF Champions League Group F matchup between the Seattle Sounders and Honduran side Olimpia certainly wasn’t lacking in late-game theatrics, with the Sounders nabbing a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory on the strength of an Erik Friberg equalizer in the 90th minute and a Brad Evans penalty kick in the final moments of stoppage time.
The sides will get back at it this Wednesday, this time in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, with the Sounders trying to maintain their spot atop Group F before wrapping up the group stage against the Vancouver Whitecaps on Sept. 23.
BAD BLOOD: There was no love lost between Seattle and Olimpia last Wednesday. The end of the game was marked by two trash talk-heavy shoving matches, the second of which occurred after Olimpia goalkeeper Noel Valladares kicked the ball at Evans after the two exchanged words following the Seattle captain’s converted penalty kick.
Sounders head coach Sigi Schmid doesn’t necessarily expect relations to improve as his team heads to a hostile environment in Tegucigalpa this week.
“It’ll probably add a little extra spice to the game than there would’ve been,” Schmid told reporters on Monday. “It probably gets their crowd a little more into it, probably even helps their attendance a little bit with the way the last one ended.”
YOUTH-HEAVY LINEUP: With the Sounders now in full-on battle mode for a Western Conference playoff spot in MLS play, look for Seattle to field a youthful lineup on Wednesday – one that probably won’t come close to resembling the squad Schmid will field in this weekend’s huge home rivalry matchup with the Portland Timbers.
INJURY REPORT: The injury news out of the Emerald City remains the same this week, with Clint Dempsey, Osvaldo Alonso and Andreas Ivanschitz all still working their way back from their respective knocks. However, none of the three figured to play in Honduras regardless of any injuries, with the Sounders inclined to save their elder statesmen for the weekend clash with Portland.
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
AARON KOVAR, SEATTLE: The Homegrown youngster was arguably Seattle’s most dangerous player in last Wednesday’s game and was unlucky not to bag a couple of goals, clanging two shots off the post. The performance earned Kovar just the second MLS start of his career in Seattle’s following game against RSL, and he should get a chance to make his mark again in Honduras.
ALBERTH ELIS, OLIMPIA: Elis scored Olimpia’s lone goal in the sixth minute of last week’s match, heading a set piece past Sounders ‘keeper Troy Perkins to give his side a 1-0 lead that would hold until Friberg’s late equalizer. The 19-year-old striker has been scouted by Everton and proved to be a handful for Seattle’s back line throughout last Wednesday’s contest.
