The pace of the schedule picks up as Seattle Sounders FC reaches the halfway point in the season this week with two MLS games, first at home on Wednesday night against four-time champion D.C United and then on Saturday night at the New York Red Bulls.
Game time on Wednesday is 7:30 p.m. PT on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field. Saturday's match at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, is 4:30 p.m. PT.
Sounders FC (5-3-5, 20 points) is gathering momentum, having dispatched San Jose, 2-1 at home in its last outing. Seattle begins the week in third place in the Western Conference and with the fifth best point total in the league. D.C. United (5-2-7, 22 points) has won two in a row and leads in the East. This will be the first meeting between the two clubs.
New York (2-10-3, 9 points) is in the East basement. The team that went to the 2008 MLS Cup finals has lost six straight-their last three on the road-and is winless in seven.
Wednesday's match will be televised nationally by ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes. Calling the play on ESPN2 will be Glenn Davis with analysis from Kyle Martino. Allen Hopkins will report from the sideline. Kevin Calabro will call the game on News Talk 97.3 KIRO FM with analysis from Pete Fewing. The game can be heard nationwide in Spanish on ESPN Deportes Radio.
Saturday's match will be aired live on KONG 6/16 and News Talk 97.3 KIRO FM. Calabro will be paired with Ty Keogh in the booth. Calling the game in Spanish on THIS-TV (Comcast channel 114) will be Jaime Mendez with analysis from Hugo Alcaraz-Cueller, and on 1210 AM Ke Buena will be Rene Aleman, Noe Menendez and Victor Hernandez.
Sounders FC begins a three-game MLS home stand on June 28 against Colorado. Game time is 1 p.m. PT and that game is sold out. To purchase tickets to future home games, call 1-877-MLS-GOAL or visit www.SoundersFC.com.
Upcoming Competition Schedule (All times Pacific)
Wednesday, June 17, 7:30 p.m. - D.C. United; Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field
Saturday, June 20, 4:30 p.m. - at New York Red Bulls, Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.
Sunday, June 28, 1:00 p.m. - Colorado Rapids; Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field
Saturday, July 11, 1:00 p.m. - Houston Dynamo; Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field
Saturday, July 18, 12 p.m. - Chelsea FC; Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field
Upcoming Training Schedule, June 15-24 (subject to change):
Monday, June 15 - Training at Starfire Sports Complex, 11 a.m.
Tuesday, June 16 - Training at Starfire Sports Complex, 10 a.m.
Thursday, June 18 - Travel to New York; No Training
Friday, June 19 - Training at New York, TBD P.M.
Sunday, June 21 - No Training
Sunday, June 22 - No Training
Tuesday, June 23 - No Training
Wednesday, June 24 - Training at Starfire Sports Complex, 4 p.m.
Midweek Magic
Sounders FC is perfect in its three midweek matches to date, beating New York, 3-0, to open the season on a Thursday, March 19. Seattle has since won a pair of Tuesday night games in U.S. Open Cup Play-Ins, defeating both Real Salt Lake, 4-1, and Colorado, 1-0. All were at home, with the USOC games played at Starfire Sports Stadium.
Big Audience, Good Results
Wednesday will also mark the fifth national TV match for Sounders FC and the team is undefeated (2-0-2) on such occasions. The opening game of the season, the 3-0 win over New York, was aired on ESPN2. Seattle also beat Toronto FC, 2-0, and tied Columbus, 1-1, on Fox Soccer Channel. It tied the L.A. Galaxy, 1-1, in a TeleFutura telecast.
Freddie and Fredy, Meet Fred
Three of the Wednesday match-up's share derivations of the same name. Fredy Montero leads Seattle with five goals after twice topping the Colombian first division in goals. Swedish midfielder Freddie Ljungberg is tied for third in total points (7 from two goals, three assists) for Sounders FC. Fred (Helbert Frederico Carreiro da Silva), a Brazilian midfielder, is among D.C. United's top attackers.
Freddie & Fredy Spark Win
Freddie Ljungberg and Fredy Montero each scored a goal and an assist in last Saturday's 2-1 home win over San Jose. The victory ended a six-game winless streak for Sounders FC and was the first in a stretch of five home games in the next six.
Montero scored what proved to be the decisive goal in the 59th minute off a play started by a Ljungberg corner kick. Montero converted a near-post headed flick-on from defender Patrick Ianni to fall at the far post for a 2-0 lead.
Ljungberg opened the scoring shortly before halftime. Deep in the San Jose defensive third, he first stripped the ball from a Quakes player. Montero then fed forward Sebastian Le Toux whose one-touch pass put Ljungberg behind the defense, where he neatly chipped over Joe Cannon, the onrushing San Jose goalkeeper.
Darren Huckerby pulled the visitors a goal back in the 69th minute. Seattle finished with a 10-3 advantage in corner kicks and 10-7 in shots.
Busy Week But Fresh Legs
This will be the first instance of Seattle playing multiple league games in one week, but there are fresh reinforcements at the ready. Two regular starters, forward Nate Jaqua and central defender Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, rested last Saturday. Both were suspended for the San Jose match, Jaqua for a red card at Chivas USA on June 6 and Hurtado for accumulating five yellow cards.
Osvaldo Alonso, who started the season's first 10 games, played just 15 minutes after coming off the bench against San Jose. Alonso had been sidelined for two games with a quadriceps strain.
If they Score, the Points Follow
When Sounders FC scores, points in the standings have followed, and when Seattle scores first, so much the better. It is 5-0-3 when striking first and 5-0-5 when scoring at least one goal. Each of Seattle's three losses has been by shutout.
Into the Meadowlands
The last time a Seattle soccer club ventured to the Meadowlands was 1983, the final season of the NASL Sounders. Brian Schmetzer was a member of that Sounders team which faced the Cosmos on July 20, 1983. Schmetzer is now the top assistant coach for the MLS Sounders FC. In 1983, the Cosmos won, 4-3, via a shootout. Although the NASL Sounders were 1-4-1 in six visits to Giants Stadium, it was there that they claimed their only major trophy, the 1981 Trans-Atlantic Challenge Cup. That came by virtue of a 3-3 draw with New York after trailing by two goals. Barring a postseason meeting with the Red Bulls, this will be the last visit. Red Bull Arena opens in 2010.
Chasing History
At 5-3-5 through the first 13 games, Seattle is off to the best start for an MLS expansion franchise since the Chicago Fire (8-5-0) in 1998. Miami and Chicago are the only expansion teams to reach the playoffs, with the Fire winning both the MLS Cup and the U.S. Open Cup in its first season.
Previous Expansion Starts
Team |
13 Gm |
14 Gm |
15 Gm |
1st Season Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Chicago Fire (1998): |
8-5-0 |
9-5-0 |
10-5-0 |
20-12/MLS Cup, U.S. Open Cup |
Miami Fusion (1998): |
5-8-0 |
5-9-0 |
5-10-0 |
15-17/1st round playoffs |
Real Salt Lake (2005): |
3-8-2 |
3-8-3 |
3-9-3 |
5-22-5/5th, West |
Chivas USA (2005): |
1-9-3 |
1-10-3 |
1-11-3 |
4-22-6 /6th, West |
Toronto FC (2007): |
4-7-2 |
5-7-2 |
5-7-3 |
6-17-7/7th, East |
San Jose Earthquakes (2008): |
3-9-1 |
3-9-2 |
3-10-2 |
8-13-9/7th, West |
Seattle Sounders FC (2009): |
5-3-5 |
Barcelona Coming to Seattle
Tickets for the August 5 match between the Sounders FC and European champions FC Barcelona on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field go on sale to the general public beginning June 15. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. (PT). Tickets are available at www.SoundersFC.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000.
Sounders FC season ticket holders have received tickets to the game as part of their 18-match package, which also includes Chelsea and the MLS Cup.
FC Barcelona, whose heralded roster of international superstars currently includes Lionel Messi, Rafa Marquez, Xavi, Carles Puyol, Thierry Henry, Samuel Eto'o and Andres Iniesta. Last week Barca won its third UEFA Champions League crown by defeating Manchester United, 2-1, on goals from Eto'o and Messi.
FC Barcelona has more than 150,000 voting members. Barcelona inspired formation of the Sounders FC Alliance, a supporters association which empowers members to have a vote in the club's direction.
Chelsea Tickets on Sale
Tickets for the Sounders FC-Chelsea match on July 18 are now on sale. Chelsea completed its season by winning the FA Cup. The Blues finished third in the English Premier League and advanced to the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League. To purchase, call 1-800-745-3000, all Ticketmaster outlets or the Qwest Field Box office, or visit www.SoundersFC.com.
13-Game Report
Seattle is off to the second-best start in MLS expansion history, and has done so despite facing its fair share of adversity. Sounders FC has stayed above .500 through the first 13 games despite finishing five games shorthanded, going 0-2-3 in those contests. Resulting suspensions and injuries have allowed Sigi Schmid to pick his starting lineup from his top players on only three occasions to date.
Back Four Shuffle
In the past six games due to injuries and suspensions, coach Sigi Schmid has been forced to shuffle his back four each game. Schmid has deployed seven different players and his central defense tandem of Tyrone Marshall and Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, after starting and playing the entire 90 minutes of the first 11 games, have not played together the past two games. Patrick Ianni stepped in at central defense during those games, and Ianni has also been used at right back in place of James Riley. Each of those absences was due to suspensions. Riley and left back Tyson Wahl have started each of the last three matches.
Needed: A Trip to the Cleaners
The unsettled lineup could be one factor in Seattle's inability to earn a clean sheet in the last seven games. Sounders FC posted shutouts in four of its first six games, and all occurred in matches when the central core of Tyrone Marshall, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado and keeper Kasey Keller played the entire match. Seattle's last shutout was against San Jose (2-0) on April 25.
Youth is Served
Central midfield has also experienced its share of upheaval in recent weeks with five different pairings used in the last six games. Coach Sigi Schmid praised the work of Stephen King who, in his second start, connected effectively with Brad Evans. King (age 23) and Evans (24) are members of a youthful group of midfielders. Osvaldo Alonso, the regular holding center mid, is 23. Steve Zakuani, the regular on the left wing, is 21 and Schmid has used the team's youngest player, Sanna Nyasssi (20), on the right flank.
Other under-26 starters are Fredy Montero (21), Patrick Ianni (24) and Jhon Kennedy Hurtado (25).
Trends to Date
Of Seattle's 17 goals in the first 13 games, 10 have come in the first half and 13 in the first 60 minutes. Only two have come from set pieces, both corner kicks by Freddie Ljungberg. Of the six games in which Sounders FC has scored multiple goals, four have been at home.
The defense has not allowed more than one goal in its seven home games on Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field. Three of the four shutouts have been at home. Four of the 10 goals allowed by been scored by opponents in the final 15 minutes of the first period.
Leaders of the Pack
Kasey Keller is tied for No. 2 of MLS goalkeepers with a goals-against-average of 0.71. Keller is tied for 3rd in wins (5) and shutouts (4). Forward Fredy Montero is tied for the lead amongst players in fouls suffered (30) and he is 4th in shots (36). Montero is tied for eighth in goals (5), and tied for 3rd in game winning goals (2). Seattle is the team with most fouls suffered (179) and seventh in fouls committed (152). The 31 cautions is 2nd in the league. It ranks third in goals allowed per game (0.85). Seattle is tied for No. 3 in fewest goals allowed (11) behind Houston (8) and Chivas USA (10). Two of Seattle's goals against were scored while playing shorthanded.
Seating Capacity Increasing
Due to the high demand for Sounders FC tickets, the team will open up seating in the south end zone of the stadium's lower bowl, beginning with the June 28 match versus Colorado. The seating configuration will be the same as it was for the inaugural game, with a capacity of approximately 32,000. The team will utilize the full-stadium capacity of 67,000 for Chelsea and FC Barcelona.
Attendance Record
Sounders FC is the first franchise in MLS history to have 28,000 or more fans at seven consecutive regular season or postseason home games. Each of the first seven games on Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field has sold out. The inaugural March 19 match drew the largest crowd in franchise history as 32,523 fans watched the Sounders FC defeat New York. The May 30 match with Columbus attracted the second-largest crowd to date (29,126). Seattle leads MLS with a seven-game average of 29,401.
Jaqua in June
If history is to repeat itself, Nate Jaqua will need to make things happen in the final three games of the month. June has been Jaqua's most productive month during his career, with 11 goals in 23 MLS games. However, he missed the June 13 game with San Jose as a result of receiving a red card the week prior. When he returns, Jaqua will be carrying four yellow cards. His game-tying goal against Columbus on May 30 earned MLS Goal of the Week.
Keller is Nearly Unbeatable
Seattle is 5-1-5 when goalkeeper Kasey Keller goes the entire 90 minutes, including 4-0-2 at home. Keller set an MLS record for consecutive scoreless minutes to start a season (457), and he is the only goalkeeper in league history to post three complete shutouts to start an MLS career.
Local Product Neagle Signs On
The club signed midfielder Lamar Neagle as a Senior Developmental player on June 10. Neagle, a 2009 UNLV graduate, is a three-time first team All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation selection. He played in every game, but one for the Running Rebels in his four-year career, and led the team in scoring his final two seasons. He scored nine goals in each of his final two seasons. As a senior in 2008, he was named second team All-Far-West Region.
Born in Tacoma, Neagle was a three-year starter for Federal Way's Thomas Jefferson High School. He led them to a 16-2-4 record and the state 4A championship as a senior. Neagle broke a 31-year-old school record by scoring six goals in one game, and was named to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer High School All-Star Team his senior season. He played club soccer for the Norpoint Chivas in Northeast Tacoma.
Neagle was a pre-season trialist with the Sounders FC for two weeks in Southern California, where he played in two games and recorded two assists. After completing his studies, Neagle returned to train with the team on May 13.
Neagle becomes the fourth local product signed by Sounders FC. Chris Eylander, Kevin Forrest and Kasey Keller also played prep and club soccer in Washington.
Into the Cup
Before Wednesday night's game, Sounders FC should know the opponent, site and date of its first U.S. Open Cup contest. Seattle meets the winner of Tuesday's second round match of between the USL-1 Portland Timbers and Sonoma County Sol, winners of the USASA Region IV. The date of the third round game involving Seattle will be on or about June 30. Seattle defeated Real Salt Lake (4-1) and Colorado (1-0) in Open Cup Play-In games.
On the Drawing Board
Seattle will be making its first trip to the Eastern Time Zone since early April when it visits New York. Sounders FC defeated Toronto FC, 2-0, in its first road game on April 4. That game, like Saturday's at Giants Stadium, will be played on artificial turf. Seattle is 5-1-2 on such surfaces. Seattle, with an away mark of 1-2-3, has earned at least one point at every road stop except the Home Depot Center, where it has lost twice to Chivas USA.
Three Now on IR
Seattle has three players on the disabled list. Defender Taylor Graham sustained a fractured third metatarsal of his right foot during training on May 27 and was placed on the IR later that week. He is eligible to return to league play for the July 11 game versus Houston. Graham was in uniform for four league games. He started and played the full 90 minutes of a U.S. Open Cup Play-In game on April 28. Forward Jarrod Smith and goalkeeper Chris Eylander had been placed on IR earlier. Eylander is eligible to return Saturday at New York.
Zach Scott, who has missed the last four games with a partial tear of an abdominal muscle, is expected to participate in partial training this week. Of the 26 players on the roster, all but newly-signed midfielder Lamar Neagle have been used during the MLS and USOC play-in games played to date.
The Pro Shop at Pacific Place
Seahawks and Sounders FC fans who live and work in the heart of downtown Seattle can now purchase licensed apparel and souvenirs for both teams at The Pro Shop at Pacific Place. The new store will be located on Level-3 next to Benetton. The store opened June 12, joining the original Pro Shop at Qwest Field.
Mr. Smith Goes to Africa
Forward Jarrod Smith is on duty with the New Zealand National Team at the FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa. Smith started and played 55 minutes of a friendly warm-up at Botswana. He did not see action in any of the other two friendlies nor the The All Whites' opening Confederations Cup game with Spain on Sunday. New Zealand faces host South Africa on Wednesday and Iraq on Saturday, when Smith celebrates his 25th birthday. Smith, on IR since the start of the MLS season, played 25 minutes for Seattle in an April 28 U.S. Open Cup Play-In game against Real Salt Lake.
Gold Cup Tickets on Sale
Two-time defending champion USA will play a first-round match of the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup on Saturday, July 4, on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field. The U.S. will face Grenada at 6 p.m. PT in the second match of the Gold Cup doubleheader. The first match will feature Haiti and Honduras at 4 p.m. PT. For ticket purchases and information visit www.Ticketmaster.com, www.GoldCup.org and www.CopaOro.org.
All-Star Voting Continues
Sounders FC fans are not only supporting the team in record numbers at home games, they continue to get out the vote. According to last week's report on MLSnet.com, Kasey Keller is the overall leader in votes by fans in balloting for the MLS All-Star Game starters. Tyrone Marshall, Johon Kennedy Hurtado and James Riley are the top vote-getters on defense. Seattle has the top five in midfield: Freddie Ljungberg, Osvaldo Alonso, Brad Evans, Steve Zakuani and Sebastien Le Toux. Fredy Montero, at forward, rounds out Sounders FC players in the top XI balloting with Nate Jaqua in close contention.
The fan balloting counts for 25 percent of the all-star selection process, and fans can vote up to 10 times a day. Players, coaches/general managers and media each contribute 25 percent also. Balloting continues through July 6 at MLSnet.com.
The 14th annual MLS All-Star Game is July 29, when the MLS takes on Everton of the English Premier League in Sandy, Utah.
Getting Involved
11 players have been involved in the 17 goals scored by Seattle to date, including eight different goal scorers: Fredy Montero (5), Nate Jaqua (3), Steve Zakuani (2), Brad Evans (2), Freddie Ljungberg (2), Tyrone Marshall, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado and Sebastien Le Toux.
D.C United Connections
D.C. United forward Marc Burch played seven games for Sigi Schmid's Columbus Crew in 2006.
D.C. United midfielder Andrew Jacobson played at Cal with Sounders FC defender Tyson Wahl for three seasons (2003-05), and midfielder Rodney Wallace played at Maryland with Sounders FC midfielder Stephen King in 2007.
Rehashing the Inaugural Game
On Thursday, March 19, in front of a capactiy crowd of 32,523, Sounders FC opened its season in magical fashion with a 3-0 home win over the New York Red Bulls. Fredy Montero put Seattle in front early, scoring in the 12th minute on a 14-yard shot following a feed from Sebastien Le Toux. Brad Evans made it 2-0 in the 25th minute, taking a ball from Montero and poking it near post under NYRB keeper Danny Cepero.
Seattle weathered a series of New York attacks in the second half before Montero stole the ball in the Red Bulls half and got his second goal in the 75th minute. Sounders FC finished with a 13-8 advantage in shots, including a 6-2 edge in shots on goal.
Montero's performance earned him MLS Player of the Week and his first goal, the team's first-ever, won MLS Goal of the Week.
Red Bulls Connections
Sounders FC defender Taylor Graham played for New York in 2006 and 2007 and played in 15 matches, starting 9 with one assist.
Red Bulls defender Andrew Boyens and Sounders FC forward Jarrod Smith played together on the New Zealand National Team.
Red Bulls forward Khano Smith was selected by Sounders FC in the 2009 Expansion Draft, before being traded.
Red Bulls midfielder/forward Sinisa Ubiparipovic and Sounders FC midfielder Steve Zakuani attended University of Akron.
Red Bulls forward John Wolyniec scored New York's sole goal in the 3-1 defeat to the Sigi Schmid led Crew in the 2008 MLS Cup.
The Colombian Connection
Colombia is the homeland of the game's two featured forwards, Seattle's Fredy Montero and New York's Juan Pablo Angel. Montero has represented his country four times and was the Colombian league's top scorer twice. Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, a friend and teammate of Montero at Deportivo Cali, is the starting central defender for Sounders FC.
Sigi's Final Countdown
Schmid is approaching the summit of two MLS coaching categories. The league's active leader in wins (118), Schmid is six shy of Bob Bradley's MLS record 124 victories. New England's Steve Nicol is No. 2 among active coaches in wins (91) and No. 3 overall. Schmid (269) is four matches away from surpassing Bradley's MLS record of 272 career games coached.
More About Schmid
Schmid against D.C. United is 13-8-3. He faced off with D.C. United once in playoff competition, with his Galaxy team losing 2-0 in the 1999 MLS Cup final. Schmid is 4-1-0 head-to-head against D.C. United head coach Tom Soehn.
Against New York, Schmid is 9-12-4 in regular season play and 2-1-1 in postseason. His Columbus Crew defeated the Red Bulls, 3-1, in the MLS Cup final last season. Schmid is 2-3-1 head-to-head against New York head coach Juan Carlos Osorio.
Current Training Squad
The following players begin the week training in Seattle: Goalkeepers (6): Chris Blais, Terry Boss, Ben Dragavon, Chris Eylander, Kasey Keller, Tyrel Lacey; Defenders (10): Evan Brown, Taylor Graham, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Patrick Ianni, Tyrone Marshall, James Riley, Kyle Schmid, Zach Scott, Nathan Sturgis, Tyson Wahl; Midfielders (9): Osvaldo Alonso, Brad Evans, Michael Fucito, Stephen King, Sebastien Le Toux, Freddie Ljungberg, Lamar Neagle, Sanna Nyassi, Peter Vagenas; Forwards (6): Kevin Forrest, Nate Jaqua, Roger Levesque, Fredy Montero, Jarrod Smith+, Steve Zakuani.
+International call-in
*Invitee
Reserves Schedule (subject to change)
July 12 - vs. Kitsap Pumas, at Starfire Sports Complex, 10:30 a.m.
Note: All reserve team games are closed to the public
