TUKWILA, Wash. – Twelve games into the season, the Seattle Sounders are sitting pretty atop the Western Conference and Supporters’ Shield standings following their 1-0 triumph over the Colorado Rapids on Wednesday.
Now, as they wrap up their three-game homestand with a Sunday afternoon bout at CenturyLink Field against the New York Red Bulls, Seattle (7-3-2) will try to keep the good times rolling (5 pm ET, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, TSN2, WatchESPN).
Although the Sounders are rolling, they meet a New York side that has cooled following a hot start. The Red Bulls (4-2-5) have just one win in their last six matches after racking up 11 points in their first five, and they have been shut out in each of their last two games.
But Sounders head coach Sigi Schmid says those numbers aren’t necessarily reflective of how New York has been playing, particularly on the offensive side of the ball.
“They got shut out but they created chances in those games,” Schmid told reporters following Seattle’s Thursday training session. “I’m sure their mentality is ‘If we continue to create chances, we’ll eventually get goals from it.’ I’m sure that’s going to be approach as they come into this game.”
The Sounders should benefit from the return of All-Star center back Chad Marshall, who was held out of Wednesday’s win over the Rapids to rest. Midfielder Gonzalo Pineda, however, is still nursing a sore ankle and could miss a second straight game Sunday.
“I think [the rest] helps,” Marshall said. “Any time you have three games in a week and there are three on turf it takes a toll on the body. We’re a very deep team and guys step in and do the job. It’s nice when you have that luxury and you can rotate players and keep guys fresh.”
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With Pineda out, the Sounders may once again turn to rookie Cristian Roldan to shore up their depth in the midfield. The 19-year-old University of Washington product shined in his third start of the season against the Rapids, showcasing the dynamic skillset that made him one of last year’s top prospects in the MLS SuperDraft.
Roldan, who can also play as a defensive midfielder, says he’s growing progressively more comfortable with his role on the wing, where he’s been training for much of the season.
“I’ve been training [on the wing] for a lot of the time here,” Roldan said. “I’m starting to embrace that role. Hopefully the coaches have confidence in me going forward in that position. Step by step, I’ll make the transition fully.”
