Seattle Sounders FC vs. FC Dallas | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

Seattle Sounders FC vs. FC Dallas
2018 MLS Regular Season — Week 24
CenturyLink Field — Seattle
August 12 — 10 pm ET
WATCH: FS1, TSN4

With four straight wins and seven games without defeat, Seattle Sounders FC are one of the hottest teams in MLS at the moment and they host the top team in the West in FC Dallas Sunday night at CenturyLink Field.

This is their second meeting this season, with Dallas winning 3-0 at Toyota Stadium on March 18. Roland Lamah scored a goal in each half and Maxi Urruti struck in the second half to lead FCD. Clint Dempsey saw red following Video Review in the 37th minute.

The Sounders have won eight of the 10 league meetings with Dallas at CenturyLink Field, which includes seven consecutive wins (1L-1D). They have allowed just one goal in their last five home meetings.

Seattle Sounders FC

Seattle (8-9-5) needed to rally late to extend an unbeaten streak to knock off Minnesota United FC, 2-1, at TCF Bank Stadium last Saturday.

Darwin Quintero put the Loons in front in the 20th minute with his 10th goal of the season, but Nicolas Lodeiro leveled in the first minute of stoppage time from the penalty spot and Will Bruin came off the bench to net the dramatic winner, poking a flicked-on header by Raul Ruidiaz over an onrushing Bobby Shuttleworth six minutes later.

“It’s a big game and everyone is pulling in the right direction because we are winning because everyone feels it, in the locker room after the game everyone felt that,” Brian Schmetzer said. “That was a big win.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: D - Jordy Delem
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: F - Jordan Morris (torn ACL); QUESTIONABLE: M - Handwalla Bwana (right midfoot sprain), M - Victor Rodriguez (right hamstring strain)

Projected Starting XI
(4-2-3-1, right to left)
GK: Stefan Frei — Kelvin Leerdam, Kim Kee-hee, Chad Marshall, Nouhou Tolo — Gustav Svensson, Osvaldo Alonso — Cristian Roldan, Nico Lodeiro, Harry Shipp — Raul Ruidiaz

Notes: Since the start of June, Stefan Frei has conceded 8.3 goals fewer than his xGA. The next closest goalkeeper has allowed 5.1 goals fewer than his xGA. … Since a 3-2 loss to Portland on June 30, Seattle are undefeated (5W-2D) and have allowed four total goals.

FC Dallas

FCD (12-4-6) are no longer undefeated at home following a stunning 3-1 defeat to the San Jose Earthquakes Saturday at Toyota Stadium.

Four minutes after Vako opened the scoring for the Quakes, Lamah leveled in the 23rd minute. Jahmir Hyka put San Jose in front two minutes after halftime and Vako put the game away with his second goal two minutes from full time.

“You can lose to the worst team in the league sometimes and that doesn’t make us the worst team in the league. It happens,” Reggie Cannon said. “We were sleeping and it kind of slapped us in the face twice to wake us up.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: F - Santiago Mosquera (left hamstring strain)

Projected Starting XI
(4-2-3-1, right to left)
GK: Jesse Gonzalez — Reggie Cannon, Matt Hedges, Reto Ziegler, Marquinhos Pedroso — Carlos Gruezo, Victor Ulloa — Roland Lamah, Maxi Urruti, Michael Barrios — Dominique Badji

Notes: Since taking over as Dallas’ starting goalkeeper on May 25, Jesse Gonzalez has six games with 5+ saves, the most of any MLS 'keeper in that time. … FCD are looking to avoid dropping consecutive league games for the first time since July-August 2017.

All-Time Series

Overall: Seattle Sounders FC 11 wins, 39 goals … FC Dallas 6 wins, 25 goals … 6 draws
At Seattle: Sounders FC 8 wins, 27 goals … FC Dallas 1 win, 7 goals … 1 draw
Last meeting at Seattle: Seattle Sounders FC 4, FC Dallas 0 (Oct. 15, 2017)