Undefeated Seattle Sounders FC (3-0-0) returns home Saturday night to host the Kansas City Wizards (1-2-0). Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. PT at the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field.
KONG 6/16 will carry the match live on television. News Talk KIRO 97.3 FM will air the game on radio. Kevin Calabro will call the action with analysis from Greg Vanney. Calling the game in Spanish on 1210 AM Ke Buena will be Rene Aleman, Noe Menendez and Victor Hernandez.
With nine points, Sounders FC holds the early lead in the Western Conference of Major League Soccer by virtue of goal difference over Chivas USA. Kansas City is in fifth place in the East with three points. The Wizards earned their first points of the season this past weekend, beating San Jose, 2-0.
Seattle heads to Los Angeles for an April 18 match against Chivas USA. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. PT at The Home Depot Center.
Seattle's first three home games, including this weekend's match against Kansas City, have sold out, and fewer than 1,000 tickets remain for San Jose (April 25) and Los Angeles (May 10). Tickets are available for all remaining home dates by calling 1-877-MLS-GOAL or by visiting www.SoundersFC.com.
Upcoming Competition Schedule (All times Pacific)
Saturday, April 11, 7:30 p.m. - Kansas City Wizards; Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field
Saturday, April 18, 7:30 p.m. - at Chivas USA; The Home Depot Center, Carson, Calif.
Saturday, April 25, 7:30 p.m. - San Jose Earthquakes; Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field
Tuesday, April 28, 7:00 p.m. - Real Salt Lake (U.S. Open Cup); Starfire Sports Complex
Upcoming Training Schedule, April 7-14 (subject to change):
Tuesday, April 7- Training at Starfire Sports Complex, 10 a.m.
Wednesday, April 8 - Training at Starfire Sports Complex, 10 a.m.
Thursday, April 9 - Training at Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field, 10 a.m.
Friday, April 10 - Training at Starfire Sports Complex, 10 a.m.
Sunday, April 12 - No Training
Monday, April 13 - Training at Starfire Sports Complex, 10 a.m.
Tuesday, April 14 - Training at Starfire Sports Complex, 10 a.m.
Wednesday, April 15 - No Training
Kickoff Time Change for June 17 Home Game against D.C. United
Kickoff time for the June 17 match between Sounders FC and D.C. United has been moved to 7:30 p.m. PT. The game at the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field will be aired live on ESPN2.
Three Consecutive Sell Outs
This Saturday's game is sold out. Each of the franchise's first two outings have been backed by passionate, partisan capacity crowds. The team has scored seven times in all, including five at home, and not surrendered a single goal. More than 60,000 fans have watched the first two home Sounders FC games, both sellouts. The attendance for the Real Salt Lake game was 28,548 after a throng of 32,523 had congregated for the inaugural home match at Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field. Stadium capacity for the remaining MLS matches is listed as 27,700.
Their First MLS Goals
Freddie Ljungberg, making his second appearance and first career MLS start, didn't take long to score his first MLS goal, giving Seattle a 1-0 lead over Toronto FC in the 15th minute following a quick exchange with Nate Jaqua. Steve Zakuani tallied his first professional goal just before the half concluded. Zakuani, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft from the University of Akron, put the ball in goal after a Jaqua shot was blocked. Scoring in his third game, Zakuani matched Freddy Adu (2004) and Maurice Edu (2007) for the earliest goal scored by a top choice from a SuperDraft. No other player selected in the SuperDraft has scored prior to their third game.
Chasing History
Sounders FC has become the first MLS expansion team to win its first three games. In 1998, Chicago won its first two matches, before losing its next five (one by shootout).
Seattle and Chivas USA are the first clubs since Kansas City in 2006 to start a season with three wins. The last MLS team to win its first four games was Los Angeles in 1998. The Galaxy went on to win its first nine.
Seattle is tied with New York (2007) with seven for most consecutive unanswered goals to start a season. The record for most consecutive unanswered goals in a single season is held by Kansas City with 16 in 2000.
Seattle is one game behind the MLS record for consecutive shutouts to start a season behind New York's four in 2007.
Keller's Clean Sheets
Goalkeeper Kasey Keller earned another clean sheet in Week 3 at Toronto FC; his league-leading third shutout in three tries this season. Keller, the MLS Player of the Week for Week 2, is the only goalkeeper in MLS history to have three complete shutouts to start their MLS career.
He has ten saves on the season without conceding a goal. Keller currently has the second-longest streak of consecutive scoreless minutes to start a season (270 minutes). The record is 375 minutes by Ronald Waterreus in 2007 for New York. Waterreus did not earn a shutout in his second start, having only played 45 minutes.
Welcome Home Kasey Keller
Keller, an Olympia, Wash. native, has yet to allow a goal in five games played in Seattle during his professional career. Prior to this season his only previous Seattle appearances were as keeper for the U.S. National Team and all were shutout victories: Honduras (4-0, Safeco Field, 2002), Venezuela (2-0, Seahawks Stadium, 2003) and Canada (2-0, Qwest Field, 2005).
Montero Named Player of the Month
Fredy Montero scored three goals and added an assist in his first two games to earn him MLS player of the month for March. Montero is the first player since Luciano Emilio (D.C. United, 2 goals) in 2007 to score in his first two MLS games. In the opener against New York, Montero's two goals and an assist matched Brian McBride's 1996 debut for Columbus. Montero's first goal in Week 1 and his second-half drive versus Real Salt Kae Week 2 were each voted by the fans Sierra Mist Goal of the Week.
The Wonder of Oz
Besides being a master at ball-winning in midfield, Osvaldo Alonso is making his mark as a playmaker. Last year's USL-1 Rookie of the Year, Alonso has helped get Seattle off to a strong start by assisting on three of the team's seven goals. His three assists is tops in MLS. The 23-year-old Cuban is the third player in MLS history to earn three or more assists in his first two league appearances. Bryan Namoff did so for D.C United in 2001 and Carlos Hermosillo had four for L.A. in 1998.
Marshall for the Defense
The Sounders FC backline has held firm in its first three games, not allowing a goal. Tyrone Marshall's experience in organizing a back four is extensive. The Jamaican National Team skipper celebrated his 251st MLS appearance last week. Marshall is tied for 11th in active player appearances and he is 22nd overall. Steve Ralston (358) of New England is the leader in both categories. Seattle technical director Chris Henderson (317) ranks No. 2 all-time.
Sigi's Final Countdown
Sigi Schmid is approaching the summit of two MLS coaching categories. The league's active leader in wins (116), Schmid is eight wins shy of Bob Bradley's MLS record 124 victories. New England's Steve Nicol is No. 2 among active coaches in wins (89) and No. 3 overall. Schmid (259) is 14 matches away from surpassing Bradley's MLS record of 272 career games coached.
More About Schmid
Schmid has played more games against Kansas City than any other MLS coach, and his overall career mark against the Wizards is 17-16-8 (4-2-3 in postseason). His Galaxy teams were 13-11-4 overall (3-2-1 in postseason) and his Crew was 3-6-1 (1-0-1 in postseason) versus Kansas City. Schmid is 2-0-1 in his last three games against the Wizards.
Following Seattle's opening two wins, Schmid is 6-0-0 in career games played in March. His combined April record from L.A., Columbus and Seattle is 14-8-13, and was 3-1-0 with the Crew last season.
Week 3 Recap - Sounders FC 2, Toronto FC 0
An early strike by Freddie Ljungberg and another by Steve Zakuani just before the break earned Sounders FC a win in its first road game, 2-0 at Toronto FC last week. Making his first start, Ljungberg scored in the 15th minute by finishing a give-and-go from Nate Jaqua. Ljungberg and Jaqua also figured in the second goal. Ljungberg fed Sebastien Le Toux who, in turn, found Jaqua for a shot from 15 yards. The ball caromed off a TFC defender and Zakuani converted the rebound in the 45th minute.
The victory came despite some harsh playing conditions: a record crowd for TFC and strong winds. In addition, Sounders FC was without forward Fredy Montero, the top MLS scorer, due to illness. Seattle's defense also weathered pressure by the Reds midway through the second half with Kasey Keller preserving the shutout with a near-post save of Pablo Vitti.
About Kansas City Wizards
Kansas City returned to form this past weekend, defeating San Jose, 2-0, and earning its first points. Defender Aaron Hohlbein scored his first career goal in the 28th minute and the Wizards' Designated Player, Claudio Lopez, scored his first of the season with the exclamation point in the 78th minute. Lopez, an Argentine forward in his second season with the club, is tied for third in MLS with 10 shots taken. Kansas City is now 1-2-0 after having lost to Colorado, 2-1, and Chivas USA, 3-2, in its first two weeks. Midfielder Davy Arnaud leads the Wizards with two goals, both scored in the opener vs. Chivas. Kansas City finished the 2008 regular season fourth in the East with a record of 11-10-9, and was eliminated by Schmid's Crew in the conference semifinals.
Wizards Ties
Sounders FC technical director Chris Henderson played for Kansas City from 1999-2000, winning the MLS Cup in 2000. Henderson spent the 2007 season as an assistant coach with the Wizards. Sounders FC head fitness coach David Tenney spent the past two seasons in the same capacity with Kansas City.
Sounders FC defender Tyson Wahl was selected by Seattle from Kansas City in the expansion draft. Wahl spent two seasons with the club and made 32 appearances, including last year at Qwest Field in a shootout loss to the USL-1 Sounders in the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open Cup. Defender Taylor Graham played for Kansas City from 2003-04. Graham scored his first and only goal of his MLS career with the Wizards.
SFC 1st Annual "Give Kicks" Soccer Equipment Drive
Sounders FC, News Talk 97.3 KIRO and Washington Youth Soccer are partners for the inaugural Washington Youth Soccer Equipment Drive Program. Volunteers will be collecting new and gently used clean soccer equipment during the Sounders FC April 11 game against Kansas City. The donations collected at the game will help to meet the soccer uniform and equipment needs of all communities, regardless of income, gender or location, across the state.
Smith Back from Bangkok
Forward Jarrod Smith accompanied the New Zealand National Team to Bangkok for the March 28 and 31 friendlies with Thailand. Smith did not play and returned to Seattle with a right quadriceps strain. He has been on the injured reserve list since the start of the season, initially due to a hip-flexor strain.
Training Room Report
FW Jarrod Smith will resume training in 1-3 weeks. GK Chris Eylander (knee sprain), MF Peter Vagenas (knee), DF Taylor Graham (foot) are limited to partial training. Freddie Ljungberg (knee hyperextension) is being evaluated day-to-day.
Current Training Squad
The following players begin the week training in Seattle: Goalkeepers (3): Ben Dragavon, Chris Eylander, Kasey Keller; Defenders (9): Evan Brown, Taylor Graham, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Patrick Ianni, Tyrone Marshall, James Riley, Zach Scott, Nathan Sturgis, Tyson Wahl; Midfielders (8): Ely Allen, Osvaldo Alonso, Brad Evans, Stephen King, Sebastien Le Toux, Freddie Ljungberg, Sanna Nyassi, Peter Vagenas; Forwards (6): Kevin Forrest, Nate Jaqua, Roger Levesque, Fredy Montero, Jarrod Smith+, Steve Zakuani.
+Injured reserve
*Invitee
Reserves Schedule (subject to change)
April 13-Portland Timbers at Starfire Sports Complex, 1 p.m.
April 21-Univ. of Washington, at Starfire Sports Complex, 1:15 p.m.
Note: All reserve team games are closed to the public
