Sounders FC News & Notes - Oct. 12, 2009

Three points away from securing a playoff berth, the Seattle Sounders FC faces the Kansas City Wizards in the penultimate regular season match on Saturday night. Seattle visits CommunityAmerica Ballpark for a 5:30 p.m. PT kickoff.

The Sounders FC (10-7-11, 41 points) is coming off a bye following a road win at Columbus, 1-0 on October 3. This will be the third straight MLS away match and eighth in the last 11.

Seattle has a winning record in its inaugural season and is bidding to become the first expansion team to qualify for the playoffs in 11 years. The victory over the Crew snapped an MLS record 22-game home unbeaten run and moved the Sounders FC into a tie for third place in the Western Conference.

Kansas City (8-12-8, 32 points) is coming off a 2-0 loss at Chivas USA, snapping a four-game unbeaten skein. The Wizards return home after a two-game road trip facing a must-win situation for their postseason hopes.

The two teams have met twice before. The Wizards dealt the Sounders FC its first MLS loss, 1-0, on April 11 on Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field. Seattle eliminated K.C. from the U.S. Open Cup, 1-0, in a July 7 quarterfinal game at Starfire Sports Stadium.

Saturday's match will be televised locally on KONG 6/16 and can be heard on News Talk 97.3 KIRO FM radio with Kevin Calabro and Greg Vanney calling the action. It will be available in Spanish on Ke Buena 1210 AM with Rene Aleman, Noe Menendez and Victor Hernandez calling the action.

To purchase tickets to future home games, call 1-877-MLS-GOAL, visit www.SoundersFC.com, any Ticketmaster outlet or the Qwest Field Box office.

Upcoming Competition Schedule (All times Pacific)

Saturday, October 17, 5:30 p.m. - at Kansas City Wizards, CommunityAmerica Ballpark, Kansas City, Kansas


Saturday, October 24, 7:30 p.m. - FC Dallas; Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field; Seattle, Washington

Upcoming Training Schedule, October 12-October 21 (subject to change):

Monday, October 12 - Training at Starfire Sports Complex, 10 a.m.


Tuesday, October 13 - Training at Starfire Sports Complex, 10 a.m.


Wednesday, October 14 - No Training


Thursday, October 15 - Training at Starfire Sports Complex, 10 a.m.


Friday, October 16 - Training at Starfire Sports Complex, 9 a.m.; Travel to Kansas City


Sunday, October 18 - No Training; Return from Kansas City


Monday, October 19 - Training at Starfire Sports Complex, 10 a.m.


Tuesday, October 20 - Training at Starfire Sports Complex, 10 a.m.


Wednesday, October 21 - No Training

Winning Season Clinched

Seattle is the first expansion team in 11 seasons and the second overall to clinch a winning record in its first season. The Sounders FC is three games over .500 with two matches remaining in the regular season.

The only other club to post a winning mark in its inaugural year was Chicago in 1998. Chivas USA finished above .500 and made the playoffs in its second year (2006). Miami (2001) and Real Salt Lake (2008) each needed four years to finish with winning records.

Seattle finished the regular season with an unbeaten record (3-0-3) in six matches against the first three teams to clinch playoff berths: Columbus (1-0-1), Houston (1-0-1) and Los Angeles (1-0-1). Chivas USA, the fourth team to clinch, won two home dates with the Sounders FC and earned a road draw.

Seattle is the third first-year franchise in the modern era to win the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, matching the achievement of D.C. United in 1996 and Chicago, an expansion MLS team in 1998.

Sigi Targets 45

Back in late August, Sounders FC head coach Sigi Schmid had set a target of 45 points for his club to make the playoffs. As it turns out, 44 will suffice for Seattle.

Only eight clubs can potentially meet that standard, including the Sounders FC. To date, four teams have secured playoff positions: Columbus, Houston, Los Angeles and Chivas USA.

Maximum point potentials are as follows: Columbus (55; clinched), Houston (50; clinched), Los Angeles (50; clinched), Chivas USA (53; clinched), Seattle (47), New England (44), Chicago (47), Colorado (46).

Those unable to reach 44: Real Salt Lake (43), Toronto (42), FC Dallas (42), D.C. United (42), Kansas City (38), San Jose (35; eliminated), New York (24; eliminated).

In the league's first 13 seasons, only twice has a club with 40 or more points missed the cut (41 by Miami in 2000 and 45 by Kansas City in 2005).

A minimum of 39 points was required to reach the postseason over the last four seasons, with a maximum of 45 needed by Los Angeles in 2005. In 2008, New York earned the eighth and final slot with 39 points, and the Red Bulls went on to reach the MLS Cup Final.

The Wild West

Three clubs are currently tied atop the Western Conference table and five teams, in all, have a mathematical chance of finishing first. Chivas USA, Los Angeles and Houston are level on 44 points, and Chivas USA has one game in hand over not only the Galaxy and Dynamo but the Sounders FC (41 points) and Colorado Rapids (40) as well.

The top two teams in each conference clinch playoff berths, followed by the next four teams with the highest point totals, regardless of division. Seattle holds season series tiebreakers over Houston and L.A.; Chivas USA has the tiebreaker over the Sounders FC.

The Galaxy plays at Houston on Sunday. The Dynamo visit Chivas USA on the final day of the regular season, October 25.

Gonzalez Called to Duty

The Costa Rica National Team called in defender Leo Gonzalez for its final two World Cup qualifiers.

Gonzalez did not see action in Costa Rica's 4-0 home win over Trinidad & Tobago last week. The Ticos play the United States in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, October 14. With a win they would clinch a berth in the 2010 World Cup.

Gonzalez, who has 60 international caps, was last called in by Costa Rica for the CONCACAF Gold Cup in July. He played the full 90 minutes for the Ticos against El Salvador on July 3.

Going into the final CONCACAF group qualifying games, Costa Rica (5-4-0) is third with 15 points. The U.S. (19) and Mexico (18) have clinched spots in the finals. Honduras (13) is chasing Costa Rica for the third and final automatic qualifying spot in the region. CONCACAF's fourth-place team will face South America's fifth-place team in a playoff to determine another berth.

Gonzalez has started the last eight MLS matches at left back for Seattle. He also was in the first XI for the U.S. Open Cup Final.

World Cup Watch

With 11 different countries of birth featured on the Seattle roster and coaching staff, there was lots of scoreboard watching of World Cup qualifying last weekend. The United States punched its ticket to a sixth straight finals by winning, 3-2, in Honduras. Among the Americans on the playing roster, Kasey Keller, Brad Evans, Nate Jaqua and Pete Vagenas have represented the U.S. in international play.

Sigi Schmid, a past USMNT assistant coach, watched his native Germany reach South Africa by beating Russia, 1-0, on the road.

Going into Wednesday's final group matches, Sweden (Freddie Ljungberg) and France (Sebastien Le Toux) remain in the running for European playoffs between second-place teams. Colombia (Fredy Montero, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado) was eliminated with a 4-2 loss to Chile.

Sigi's One Win Away

Seattle's Sigi Schmid is one career win away from tying Bob Bradley's MLS record total of 124. Schmid is the career leader with 284 games coached, having surpassed Bradley (272) earlier this season. Schmid has 123 wins. New England's Steve Nicol is No. 2 among active coaches (97) and No. 3 overall.

Schmid is 13-15-5 against the Kansas City Wizards (0-1-0 with Seattle; 3-6-1 with Columbus; 10-8-4 with L.A). This will be his third game at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. His Columbus Crew won a regular season meeting with the Wizards and tied a first round playoff game in 2008.

Back on Form

Seattle is 9-1-3 when scoring first and 10-1-7 when scoring a goal. Six of Seattle's seven losses have been by shutout. The Sounders FC are 9-1-1 when leading at halftime.

Defense Stands Firm

The Sounders FC has not allowed multiple goals in consecutive games this season. In five games in which it has given up more than one goal, Seattle has responded with a goals-against average of 0.60 in the next outing, going 2-1-2. The Sounders FC remains first in MLS scoring defense with a GAA of 0.93.

Jaqua's Back

Nate Jaqua will be available for the next match after missing the Columbus game for a one-game suspension for yellow card accumulation. Jaqua had picked up his fifth caution late in the loss at New England. He is the team's leader in assists (7) and No. 2 in goals (7). Jaqua has appeared in 26 games, starting 25.

Changes in the XI

There was very little change in Seattle's lineup for the Columbus match. The back four remained intact along with the frontrunner pairing of Freddie Ljungberg and Fredy Montero for the third game in a row. Roger Levesque was inserted into the lineup in right midfield against the Crew for the only alteration from the previous week at New England. Sebastien Le Toux, who missed the Revs match due to illness, returned to active duty and was substituted for Levesque.

First Is Foremost

Roger Levesque's first career MLS goal was worth the wait and will long be remembered. Six years after being drafted out of Stanford, Levesque levied the decisive blow in the historic road win at Columbus. It came in his second career start. Levesque has played four games, all as a substitute, during the 2003 and 2005 seasons in San Jose. From 2003-08 he was an attacking mainstay for the USL-1 Sounders, scoring 27 goals. Levesque had scored what proved to be the winning goal in this year's U.S. Open Cup Final.

Back on Their Feet

If the franchise's short history is any indication, Seattle players are a resilient bunch who respond to pressure situations. The Sounders FC has lost consecutive league games on only two occasions and some of the most punches to the gut have been met with resolve. The road win at Columbus was only the latest illustration.

First came a deflating road loss at Real Salt Lake which was followed by an unlikely road win at L.A. Next, after a home defeat to New England, Seattle came back to earn a road draw at Houston. Finally, in the wake of a home draw with Toronto FC, the Sounders FC rebounded four days later by beating D.C. United on the road to lift the U.S. Open Cup.

Fredy Going for Gold

Forward Fredy Montero remains in the running the MLS Golden Boot, but to win it will demand a deluge of goals in the final two games. Montero's total of 12 goals ties him for third in the league, and no other player for a first-year franchise has scored more than 10 goals.

Montero, a top contender for MLS Newcomer of the Year, scored three of the club's five September goals in MLS and Open Cup play. He has scored five goals on the road in MLS play.

Jeff Cunningham of FC Dallas leads MLS with 17 goals and Colorado's Conor Casey has 16.

Three Card Carriers

Three players, Osvaldo Alonso, Tyrone Marshall and James Riley are carrying four yellow cards into the next match on October 17, and their next caution would result in a one-game suspension. Alonso could have his total reduced if he goes without a card in Kansas City. Marshall has already made use of the one-time, good behavior incentive. Riley will be unable to exercise the good behavior incentive due to too few games remaining.

Seattle players have served suspensions in seven of the last 10 MLS games, and Jhon Kennedy Hurtado missed the Cup Final after receiving a red card in the semifinal win over Houston.

About the Wizards

Kansas City is in a must-win situation for its final two games. The Wizards must defeat Seattle and D.C. United on October 24 and hope that New England loses its final two games.

Since the first meeting with Sounders FC, Kansas City went into a summer tailspin which resulted in a coaching change. Curt Onalfo was fired and technical director Peter Vermes took over as interim head coach and has gone 3-5-2 since August 16. The Wizards were winless (0-6-2) from July 4-August 29, scoring just one goal.

Josh Wolff leads the team with 10 goals and Claudio Lopez has six goals and eight assists. Although 2nd in shots attempted, the Wizards are 14th in scoring (1.04). They have been shout out 11 times.

The Wizards have attracted capacity crowds to eight of their 13 home dates at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kansas.

Wizards/Seattle Connections

Sounders FC technical director Chris Henderson played for Kansas City from 1999-2000, winning the MLS Cup in 2000. He was a teammate of Wizards interim head coach Peter Vermes in 2000 and also while with Colorado from 1997-98. 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. Seattle 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. Defender Taylor Graham played for Kansas City from 2003-04.

At Home on the Road

The recent run of success on the road has boosted Seattle to the fourth-best away record in MLS, at 4-5-5. With home sides proving more adventurous than those visiting Qwest Field, the Sounders FC attack is exploiting the greater space by scoring goals. The offense has generated nine goals in the last five trips and 11 in the last six, counting the 2-1 Cup Final victory at D.C. United. Seattle's road run began on August 15 with a 2-0 result at L.A. It tied at Houston, 1-1 and defeated D.C., 2-1, in its last road contest on September 12. In the last five MLS away games the Sounders FC has taken more points (10) than the first nine road matches (0-4-4), combined.

Trips Interrupted

Seattle's string of eastbound trips was interrupted by a bye in the schedule last week. The Sounders FC trained four days, finishing with the starters and reserves each playing an abbreviated training game on October 9. Only four MLS matches were played last week.

Awards Candidates Galore

Several members of Sounders FC are figuring to be contenders for the top MLS postseason awards. Sigi Schmid is a two-time past Coach of the Year winner, and he has quickly fashioned Seattle into a playoff contender, already winning more games than any expansion team in the last 10 years.

All-Star selections Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Kasey Keller, Fredy Montero and Freddie Ljungberg are in the running for various player awards. Steve Zakuani, the No. 1 selection in the MLS SuperDraft, is a candidate for Rookie of the Year with four goals and four assists.

Leaders of the Pack

Kasey Keller is No. 2 among MLS goalkeepers with a GAA of 0.87 and shutouts (10). Keller is tied for 3rd in wins (10). Forward Fredy Montero is tied for 3rd in goals (12) and game-winning goals (4). Montero is tied for 2nd in shots (76). He and Freddie Ljungberg are the co-leaders in fouls suffered (61). Nate Jaqua is tied for 8th in assists (7). He is 5th in fouls committed (45). Ljungberg is tied for 2nd in game-winning assists (3).

The Sounders FC ranks 2nd in goals allowed per game (0.93) and 1st in fouls suffered (350). It is 2nd in corner kicks (155) and 3rd in assists (40). The offensive scoring average (1.18) ranks 11th. Seattle is 4th in fouls committed (334) and the 56 cautions ranks 4th.

Back Four Stabilized

Seattle's back four could remain intact for the fourth successive game next week. The group of Leo Gonzalez, Tyrone Marshall, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado and James Riley played together in consecutive games against Chivas USA, New England and Columbus the past three weeks. Prior to that, from late June through mid-September, the back four alignment was shuffled 16 times in 18 games due to injuries, suspensions, and the unexpected. The duo of Marshall and Hurtado, after starting and playing the entire 90 minutes of the first 11 games, has played together only eight times in the 17 games since. Right back James Riley has the most starts (26), followed by Hurtado (24). Leo Gonzalez has started the last nine on the left. Patrick Ianni has appeared in 16 of the last 18 games, starting 10.

Soldiering On

Seattle is off to the second-best start in MLS expansion history, and has done so while facing its fair share of adversity. The Sounders FC has stayed above .500 since the outset despite finishing seven games shorthanded, going 0-3-4 in those contests. Resulting suspensions, injuries, national team call-ins and the unexpected have allowed Sigi Schmid to pick his starting lineup from his top players on only seven occasions to date.

Chasing History

With a record of 10-7-11 through the first 28 league games, Seattle is off to the best start for an MLS expansion franchise since the Chicago Fire (17-11-0) 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

Note: Real Salt Lake (5-22-5) and Chivas USA (4-22-6) each played 32 matches in their first season.

Up in the Air

Seattle will be wrapping up a demanding stretch of travel in Kansas City. It will be the fourth road game in the last five and eighth in 11 MLS games since July. In September and October, the Sounders FC will have flown more than 25,000 miles, including the trip to Washington, D.C. for the U.S. Open Cup Final.

Two years from now MLS will have three teams in the Pacific Northwest. Portland and Vancouver join the league in 2011. Projected mileage round trip to Portland (290 miles) and Vancouver (238) will level Seattle's average flight travel with the other MLS clubs. But for now, Sounders FC remains the only team, which means inevitably traveling greater distances than the other clubs.

Based on last season, MLS clubs averaged 31,764 miles per team with New England traveling the farthest (44,940) and Kansas City the shortest (26,790). Sounders FC will travel 46,898 miles this season.

Breaking Down Sounders FC Mileage:

Trends to Date

Of Seattle's 32 goals in the first 27 games, 20 have come in the first half and 25 in the first 60 minutes. Five have come from set pieces, all from corner kicks; four by Freddie Ljungberg and one by Peter Vagenas. A goal has yet to be scored from either the penalty spot or free kick. Of the 11 games in which Sounders FC has scored multiple goals, seven have been at home. The defense has not allowed more than one goal in 13 of 14 home games on Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field. Seven of the nine shutouts have been at home.

First Meeting Recap (MLS)

Seattle Sounders FC 0, Kansas City Wizards 1 - April 11, 2009

Davy Arnaud scored in the 80th minute to lift the Kansas City Wizards to a 1-0 victory over the shorthanded Seattle Sounders FC, 1-0, on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field.

Arnaud's goal was the first in 350 minutes against the Sounders FC defense. Finding time in the midfield to set up a touch and shot, Arnaud beat substitute goalkeeper Ben Dragavon to the lower right off a square pass from Jack Jewsbury 20 yards out.

It was the first defeat in four games for Seattle while Kansas City won its second game in a row.

The Sounders FC played a man down for the final hour after starting keeper Kasey Keller was sent off in the 30th minute of the match. Keller was called for a handball outside the penalty area on a shot by the Wizards' Herculez Gomez.

Forward Freddy Montero nearly put Seattle on board in the 60th minute but his indirect free kick, set up by midfielder Freddie Ljungberg, skimmed off the crossbar.

Kansas City's Kevin Hartman denied Brad Evans at close range in the 58th minute. Hartman made two saves to earn the shutout.

In the 88th minute, a near-post cross by Steve Zakuani to Nate Jaqua resulted in a header flashing just wide left.

The teams finished even with nine shots apiece. Seattle had a 7-5 edge in corners.

Second Meeting Recap (U.S. Open Cup)

Seattle Sounders FC 1, Kansas City Wizards 0 - July 7, 2009

Sebastien Le Toux scored on a penalty kick in the 89th minute to send the Sounders FC into the semifinal round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup with a 1-0 win over the Wizards before a capacity crowd of 4,352 at Starfire Sports Stadium.

Le Toux scored his 11th career Open Cup goal by beating Kansas City keeper Kevin Hartman to the lower left corner. Le Toux had entered the match in the 71st minute as a substitute.

The penalty was called by referee Abiodun Okulaja after Sounders FC forward Fredy Montero was taken down in the box by a Wizards defender. Before being fouled, Montero had latched onto a pass by Stephen King on the left side of the box.

Seattle finished with a 12-6 advantage in shots and keeper Kasey Keller made only one save in posting the shutout. The Wizards owned a 7-3 edge in corner kicks.

The Wizards finished with 10 men after Santiago Hirsig received his second yellow card during added time of the second half.

Last Game Recap:

Seattle Sounders FC 1, at Columbus Crew - October 3, 2009

A first-half goal from Roger Levesque and relentless effort at the defensive end proved the difference as the Sounders FC snapped the Columbus Crew's MLS record 22-game home unbeaten streak with a 1-0 victory at Crew Stadium.

Making only his second start of regular season, Levesque staked Seattle to a lead in the 36th minute, scoring his first MLS goal. Brad Evans played a ball into the box for Fredy Montero and Columbus keeper William Hesmer came off his line to deflect the pass but was unable to secure it. The loose ball fell to Levesque who slotted his shot into the net from 15 yards.

The Crew's best chance to score came in the 81st minute. Guillermo Barros Schelotto sent his penalty kick wide of the left post after Jhon Kennedy Hurtado was called for shoving Gaven in the box.

Seattle's Osvaldo Alonso sent a curling shot around Hesmer and off the right post in the 75th minute.

Tyrone Marshall figured in three pivotal defensive plays for Sounders FC. A glancing header by Marshall redirected Eddie Gaven's shot off the crossbar in the 24th minute.

In the 71st minute, an overhead kick by Marshall saved a header from the Crew's Steven Lenhart on the goal line. On the rebound, Marshall steered a Kevin Burns shot past the post for a corner kick.

Kasey Keller made two saves, including a diving stop of Brian Carroll's 16-yard blast at the right post in the 80th minute. It was his 10th shutout.

Columbus had a 17-7 advantage in shots and 6-3 in corner kicks.

The match marked the return of Sigi Schmid to Columbus, a team he coached for three seasons, culminating with a Supporters' Shield and MLS Cup victory in 2008.

The win earned Seattle its eighth season series. The Sounders FC improved to 9-1-3 when scoring first. Forward Nate Jaqua missed the match due to caution accumulation.

October: Good Vibrations

Seattle's past Sounders never lost in six October matches over the years. In fact, it's month the franchise won three of its four league championships. While the NASL originals were never required to play in October, the A-League/USL club was extended into the tenth page of the calendar for postseason play in three different seasons, going a combined 2-0-4 and winning league championships each time.

Seattle won its first A-League title over Atlanta on October 12, 1995. The Sounders repeated that feat the following year, defeating Rochester, 2-0, on October 6, 1996. They went 2-0-4. Seattle won the 2005 USL-1 crown on October 1 (a shootout victory following a 1-1 draw).

America SCORES Fundraiser on Wednesday

America SCORES Seattle will be hosting a fundraiser event on Wednesday evening, from 5 -7 p.m., at The George & Dragon Pub. Fans will be watching the USA-Costa Rica World Cup qualifier. The George & Dragon is located in Seattle's Fremont neighborhood at 206 North 36th Street. Seattle SCORES (
www.americascores.org/#/Seattle
), one of four Sounders FC charity partners, is an after-school program serving 400 youth in ethnically diverse areas of Burien, White Center, Tukwila and South Seattle.

Shirt Off Kasey's Back

Two of Kasey Keller's most special game-worn jerseys are being auctioned online to benefit the Life Rolls On Foundation (
www.liferollson.org
). The auction runs through October 26 on MLSnet.com. The one-of-a-kind jerseys include the shirt worn by Keller in earning his 100th cap for the U.S. National Team and also the one donned for the inaugural Sounders FC match against New York on March 19, 2009. Both jerseys are autographed.

Life Rolls On exists to be a resource that provides hope and advocacy for young people whose lives have been affected by spinal cord injury.

MLS Cup Tickets On Sale

Tickets for MLS Cup 2009 are now on sale to the public. Major League Soccer's premier event, MLS Cup, will be played November 22 on Seattle's Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field. Fans can purchase tickets www.ticketmaster.com or by calling Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000. MLS Cup tickets are included in the Seattle Sounders FC 18-game season ticket package.

Penalties Not a Given

While penalty kicks have converted at a 76 percent clip in the league this season (45 of 59), Sounders FC games are another matter. Seattle and opposing players have combined to score on one of five penalties, with the four misses (two by Sounders FC players, two by opponents) either going wide or off the crossbar.

Blue Means Business

Seattle is unbeaten (2-0-1) when wearing its blue kit, which it wore in Columbus. The Sounders FC first donned those colors was August 23 in Houston for a 1-1 draw. The club made its blue debut with a 2-0 win at Los Angeles on August 15. The team had worn all rave green in its first 10 road matches.

Seattle Hosts Union, 2010 First Kick

The Sounders FC will again host Major League Soccer's opening game in 2010. The Sounders FC will face Philadelphia Union on March 25 on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field. The match will be nationally televised by ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. PT.

Philadelphia will be making its debut as the 16th team in MLS. Seattle joined the league this season, and is on pace to break the regular season attendance record. All 14 home matches to date have been sold out.

In First Kick 2009, the Sounders FC hosted the New York Red Bulls on March 19, attracting a capacity crowd of 32,523. Seattle won, 3-0.

The complete MLS schedule will be released in February, 2010. Each team will play 30 games, facing each team twice (home and away).

Twelve other teams will begin their 2010 season on March 27. It was also announced that Real Salt Lake will host Seattle in its home opener on April 10 at Rio Tinto Stadium.

Drew Carey Joins World Cup Hosting Effort

Sounders FC part owner Drew Carey has joined the board of the U.S. committee bidding to host the 2018 or 2022 FIFA World Cup. A comedian, actor and host of The Price Is Right on CBS, Carey is recognized as American soccer's most visible supporter.

Seattle is one of 27 cities under consideration as a host city, with both Qwest Field and Husky Stadium listed as possible venues. In December 2010, FIFA will award the host nation for the 2018 and 2022. Next year's World Cup will be in South Africa and the 2014 host is Brazil.

Attendance Record

With one home game remaining Seattle leads MLS with an average of 30,739. The MLS record for a season attendance average is 28,916, set by the L.A. Galaxy in 1996. Sounders FC is the first franchise in MLS history to have 28,000 or more fans at 14 consecutive regular season or postseason home games. Each of the first 14 games on Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field has sold out.

1996 Los Angeles Galaxy - 28,916

2008 Los Angeles Galaxy - 26,009

2007 Los Angeles Galaxy - 24,252

2005 Los Angeles Galaxy - 24,204

1996 MetroStars - 23,898

2004 Los Angeles Galaxy - 23,809

1997 New England Revolution - 21,423*

1998 Los Angeles Galaxy - 21,784

2001 D.C. United - 21,518

2006 Los Angeles Galaxy - 20,814

Crowds Swell

Due to the demand for Sounders FC tickets, stadium capacity has been expanded to 32,400 for the final seven MLS home games. Capacity was 27,700 for home dates between March 28 and June 17. The team utilized the full stadium capacity for Chelsea and FC Barcelona. A record crowd of 66,848 watched the Barcelona friendly and the throng of 65,289 was on hand for Chelsea on July 18. It was the fourth largest attendance ever to watch soccer in Seattle. The highest attendance for a league game this season was the 32,719 for the September 19 Sounders FC draw with Chivas USA.

Records Watch

The crowd of 66,848 for the Sounders FC-FC Barcelona friendly on August 5 was the largest for a soccer match played in Seattle.

The top 10 attendances are as follows:

Throw-Ins

Kasey Keller played one match for the U.S. National Team in Kansas City, blanking Costa Rica, 1-0, in a World Cup qualifying game in 2001 at Arrowhead Stadium...Assistant coach/scout Kurt Schmid has returned from Egypt where he scouted the FIFA U-20 World Cup's opening round...Seattle finished 4-1-1 in the Eastern Time Zone this season, including the U.S. Open Cup Final played September 2 in Washington, D.C...Against Columbus, Roger Levesque became the 11th player to score a goal...With the win at Columbus, Seattle became the third expansion team in as many years to defeat a reigning MLS Cup champion. Toronto FC and San Jose posted home wins over Houston in 2007 and 2008, respectively. Miami was the first to accomplish the feat, beating D.C. United in 1998.

Current Training Squad

The following players begin the week training in Seattle: Goalkeepers (4): Terry Boss, Ben Dragavon, Chris Eylander, Kasey Keller; Defenders (10): Evan Brown, Taylor Graham, Leo Gonzalez, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Patrick Ianni, Tyrone Marshall, James Riley, 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 (4): Nate Jaqua, Roger Levesque, Fredy Montero, Steve Zakuani.

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