The Seattle Sounders may have one 2014 title in hand, but attention now turns to how to deal with the rest of the MLS slate.
Fresh off the franchise’s fourth US Open Cup championship in six years, the streaking Sounders return to MLS play Saturday evening with a road tilt against the New York Red Bulls (7:30 pm ET, NBCSN, stream on NBCSports.com).
The Sounders come into the game riding high, having won four straight MLS matches in addition to grabbing the USOC title. For the season, Seattle lead the Western Conference and Supporters’ Shield races with 54 points in 27 matches and a 17-7-3 overall record.
But does the midweek triumph mean a letdown is coming against the Red Bulls?
“We enjoyed the Open Cup, we enjoyed the victory,” Seattle head coach Sigi Schmid told the team's website this week. “I wanted the team to feel good about it and enjoy it and celebrate. But now it’s back to business.”
The recent success hasn’t all come easy. Seattle’s last MLS match, against Real Salt Lake, required a dramatic last-minute stoppage time goal from midfielder Andy Rose. Then, extra time was needed to decide Tuesday’s 3-1 Open Cup final victory against Philadelphia.
“I think it’s a credit to what we did in the offseason,” midfielder Brad Evans told reporters following the Open Cup victory. “To be able to bring in guys like [forwards] Chad Barrett, Kenny Cooper and to bring [them] and [midfielder Marco] Pappa on, it’s big pieces to the puzzle.”
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After making his return to the club as a substitute on Tuesday, Pappa figures to slide into his regular starting spot, allowing Seattle to return to its first-choice midfield. But Schmid isn't as concerned with fielding a regular starting XI. With a playoff spot already in the bag -- the Sounders became the first MLS team to clinch a playoff spot with the victory over RSL -- he may be inclined to manage players' minutes.
“I think obviously with this stretch of games facing us right now we’ve got to be a little bit smart, a little bit careful with some of our players,” Schmid said. “It was a 120-minute game on Tuesday so 90 minutes on Saturday should be easier. But it’s just a matter of us making the right decisions in terms of the health of our guys.”
Ari Liljenwall covers the Seattle Sounders for MLSsoccer.com.
