TUKWILA, Wash. — The Seattle Sounders will try to rebound from their current two-game losing streak at home Sunday night against the Houston Dynamo (10:30 pm ET; ESPN2), with the hopes that the return of some familiar faces can help the team get back on track.
Barring any setbacks, Seattle should be primed to regain the services of All-Star center back Chad Marshall, who has missed the club’s last two matches with back spasms after getting rear-ended in a car accident prior to the Sounders’ 3-0 loss to the LA Galaxy on July 28.
“Chad has gotten through everything through the end of this week, so we’ve stepped him up each day,” Seattle head coach Sigi Schmid told reporters after the team’s practice Saturday morning. “He’s had no setbacks, so that’s good.”
Seattle’s backline was exposed in Marshall’s absence, particularly against LA when the Sounders conceded three wide-open opportunities to the Galaxy offensive attack.
“It will be really good news to have [Marshall] back,’” forward Chad Barrett said. “He’s a commander back there, so hopefully he’ll be fit and ready to go.”
Seattle’s defense may also benefit from the return of center back Djimi Traore, who Schmid said had a full week of training and is progressing well as he continues to work his way back from a torn adductor.
Traore – who appeared in 27 games in his first year for the Sounders in 2013 – has only 10 appearances this year and has not played since May 24.
Seattle take on a Houston team that is coming off a win against D.C. United last weekend that snapped an eight-game winless skid. But the Dynamo have made a couple notable roster moves in the hopes of spearheading a midseason turn-around.
US national team veteran DaMarcus Beasley and Honduran center midfielder Luis Garrido each made debuts for the club in the win over United, with both putting in strong performances.
“Those guys are both good players,” Schmid said of Houston’s new acquisitions. “I know DaMarcus fairly well, and Garrido has been a player that’s been on our radar for a while as well. They’re a team right now that obviously needs to get results, get some points as they move forward so they’re a very dangerous team.”
