MLS Seattle Sounders FC

Game Notes: Sounders FC at Real Salt Lake

Published on October 27, 2011 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Seattle Sounders FC News Release


A season consisting of three very successful campaigns for Seattle Sounders FC funnels down to a focus upon a single purpose. This week Sounders FC begin the quest for MLS Cup 2011 when their Western Conference Semifinal series versus Real Salt Lake opens on Saturday night.

The first leg of the two-match, aggregate goals series will be played at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah. First kick is 7:00 p.m. PT and the match is being broadcast live on FOX Soccer.

Seattle (18-7-9, 63 points) hosts the second leg on Wednesday, November 2 on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field. Kickoff time is set for 7 p.m. PT. The match will be televised live on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and ESPN3.com.

Seeded second in the West, the Rave Green enter the postseason having won their final two regular season matches and five of the last six. This is the third straight trip to the playoffs for Sounders FC who have yet to advance beyond the first round.

The team that scores the most goals in the series advances to the single elimination Western Conference Championship. If the score is tied after 180 minutes, a 30-minute extra time period will be played, followed by kicks from the penalty spot, if necessary.

Supporters' Shield winner L.A Galaxy is the West's top seed and will meet either Colorado, New York or Houston in the other Conference Semifinal. The team with the higher seed between the two Conference finalists will host the Conference Championship game on November 6. The MLS Cup 2011 final is November 20 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.

Seattle has succeeded on three fronts in 2011, winning a third straight Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, finishing runner-up to the L.A. Galaxy in the Supporters' Shield race and advancing to the quarterfinal stage of the CONCACAF Champions League.

Real Salt Lake (15-11-8, 53 points) settled for draws in the last two outings and went winless in the last six yet still finished with the third-highest point total in MLS. RSL won MLS Cup 2009 in Seattle and returns to the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season. Last spring Real Salt Lake finished as runner-up in the 2010-11 Champions League.

Sounders FC and Real split the season series with each side winning on the road. Overall the series is tied, 2-2-2.

The Rave Green owned the best road record in MLS at 9-3-5 and snapped Salt Lake's MLS-record 29-match home unbeaten streak with 2-1 victory on May 28. Beginning with that win they went 8-1-2 in the final 11 away games, winning the last five in a row, punctuated by last week's 3-1 verdict at Chivas USA.

Arlo White will call the matches on 97.3 KIRO FM. The pregame show begins at 6:30 p.m. PT with Matt Johnson, Alan Hinton and Pete Fewing. La Gran D 99.3 FM will also air the games.

Tickets to Sounders FC home matches are available atwww.SoundersFC.com 8vmoSv2-scxSJSpuudmdS0kUwl_ZHV4nqejMA==] or by calling 800-745-3000. Seattle has sold out 49 consecutive MLS regular season and playoff matches.

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Major League Soccer Stories from October 27, 2011


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