MLS Seattle Sounders FC

Sounders FC News & Notes

Published on March 2, 2010 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Seattle Sounders FC News Release


Sounders FC Returns Home; Begins Final Phase of Preseason

There is less than a month to go, a roster to be finalized and three games left before the Sounders FC hosts expansion side Philadelphia Union in the opener on March 25. As it begins its third and final leg of preseason, Seattle returns to training at Starfire on Wednesday after posting a 2-1 record and a fifth place finish at the La Manga Cup II in La Manga, Spain.

Three games remain, two of which come against former and future rivals, both of which will challenge Seattle when they join MLS in 2011; the current USL Vancouver Whitecaps FC and Portland Timbers.

First up, Seattle plays at Vancouver in the second match against the Whitecaps FC this preseason. Seattle won, 3-2, on February 11 in Casa Grande, Arizona, getting a goal from Lamar Neagle and two from Sanna Nyassi, including the game winner in the 88th minute. The game Saturday begins at 4 p.m. at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby, B.C. with a live blog available on SoundersFC.com. Tickets are available online at ticketmaster.ca or by calling 604-280-4400.

The following Thursday, March 11, Seattle hosts Portland in the inaugural Sounders FC Community Shield match. Kickoff is at 6 p.m. on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field. Tickets are available at www.SoundersFC.com, by calling 800-745-3000, all Ticketmaster outlets and the Qwest Field Box office. General Admission tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for youth (6-17). Children under the age of six are free.

Proceeds from the match will benefit the team's four community partners: Boys and Girls Club of Washington State, Save the Children, Seattle SCORES and Washington Youth Soccer. Following the match the teams will sign autographs from the field.

Seattle will play its final preseason match versus the Colorado Rapids at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado on Friday, March 19.

The MLS regular season begins March 25 with Sounders FC hosting Philadelphia Union in the MLS First Kick 2010. The game will be televised live on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m.

Upcoming Training Schedule, March 3-7 (times are local & subject to change):

Wednesday, March 3 - Training at Starfire, 10:00 a.m.

Thursday, March 4 - Training at Starfire, 10:00 a.m.

Friday, March 5 - Training at Starfire, 10:00 a.m.

Sunday, March 7 - Training at Starfire, 11:00 a.m.

Upcoming Competition Schedule (All times Pacific)

Saturday, March 6, 4 p.m. - at Vancouver Whitecaps FC, Swangard Stadium, Burnaby, B.C.

Thursday, March 11, 6 p.m. - Portland Timbers, Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field, Seattle

Friday, March 19, 6 p.m. - at Colorado Rapids, Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, Colo.

Thursday, March 25, 6:30 p.m. - Philadelphia Union, Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field, Seattle

Union, Galaxy Games Sold Out

The home opener on March 25 against first-year side Philadelphia Union and the May 8 game against the MLS Cup runner-up Los Angeles Galaxy are sold out. Fewer than 1,000 tickets remain for all remaining home MLS matches. There are limited season tickets still available. To purchase tickets please visit www.soundersfc.com or call 1-877-MLS-GOAL.

Evans with National Team

Midfielder Brad Evans earned his fourth cap with the U.S. National Team against El Salvador on Wednesday, February 24 in Tampa. Evans started at right back and played the full 90 minutes in the 2-1 win.

La Manga Cup Recap

This past Saturday Sounders FC returned after posting a 2-1 record and a fifth place finish at the La Manga Cup II in La Manga, Spain. Lamar Neagle, nicknamed by teammates "Houdini," scored the game-winner in the 84th minute in a 1-0 win over SK Brann.

Seattle began the tournament on February 18, facing off against Norwegian champion Rosenborg BK, in the opening Group A match. Sounders FC fell 3-0 to the defending tournament champion.

Seattle rebounded with a 2-0 shutout against Norway's Stabaek IF. First-half goals from Fredy Montero and Roger Levesque, both set up by Freddie Ljungberg, were the difference.

Between its final consolation, Sounders played a 70-minute training match against FC Midtjylland, and the club from Denmark took control in the second half scoring twice in a three-minute span to turn back Seattle, 3-1. Steve Zakuani, playing his first competitive action since offseason shoulder surgery, scored the lone Seattle goal.

La Manga marked the club's second overseas excursion. Prior to the inaugural 2009 season, Sounders FC played and trained in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

La Manga Cup Results

The eight-team field for the La Manga Cup II was split into two groups. Joining the Sounders FC in Group A is first-round opponent Rosenborg BK (Norway), FC Nordsjaelland (Denmark) and Stabaek IF (Norway). Group B consisted of Molde FK (Norway), SonderjyskE (Denmark), FC Midtjylland (Denmark) and SK Brann (Norway).

Tournament Results

Quarterfinals:

FC Nordsjaelland 1, Stabaek IF 0

Rosenborg BK 3, Seattle Sounders FC 0

FC Midtjylland 1, SK Brann 1 (Midtjylland advanced on penalties, 6-5)

Molde FK 2, SonderjyskE 0

Places 5-8:

Seattle Sounders FC 2, Stabaek IF 0

SK Brann 3, SonderjyskE 1

5th place - Seattle Sounders FC 1, SK Brann 0

7th place - Stabaek IF 2, SonderjyskE 0

Places 1-4:

3rd place - Rosenborg BK 3, FC Nordsjaelland 3 (Nordsjaelland advanced on penalties, 8-6)

Molde FK 2, FC Midtjylland 0

1st place - Molde FK 2, FC Nordsjaelland 1

3rd place - Rosenborg BK 2-0 FC Midtjylland

Seattle Sounders FC 1, SK Brann 0

Getting a late goal from Lamar Neagle off a Peter Vagenas corner kick, the Sounders FC finished its trip to Spain with a 1-0 win over Norway's SK Brann to take fifth place in the La Manga Cup. Seattle won its final two tournament matches without allowing a goal and is now 3-1-0 in preseason.

Once again, Seattle's match was made challenging by steady winds across and in its attacking face for the first half. Both teams struggled to create much in the first period. Brann earned six corners and three free kicks in the attacking third, but was unable to launch a shot on frame. Sounders FC produced its best opportunities in the final five minutes.

The sole goal came in the 84th minute. Vagenas drove a low ball through a tangle of legs in the goalmouth. Zach Scott, running from the near post, let the ball run through his feet. It next evaded Tyson Wahl's outstretched leg and Neagle, waiting at the far stick, put it home from 4 yards. Neagle had also scored in the February 11 win over Vancouver in Casa Grande, Ariz.

Scoring Summary

SEA-Neagle (Vagenas) 84'

Seattle Sounders FC Lineup (4-4-2): Kasey Keller (Chris Eylander 46); James Riley (Zach Scott 67), Tyrone Marshall (Jeff Parke 62), Jhon Kennedy Hurtado (Taylor Graham 67, Jamel Wallace 75), Leo Gonzalez (Tyson Wahl 46); Sanna Nyassi (David Estrada 56), Osvaldo Alonso (Stephen King 67), Nathan Sturgis (Peter Vagenas 62), Steve Zakuani (Michael Fucito 46); Freddie Ljungberg (Lamar Neagle 72) , Fredy Montero (Tye Perdido 67).

SK Brann Lineup (4-4-2): Hakon Opdal; Birkir Sevarsson, Rodolph Austin, Yaw Amankwah, Bjarte Haugsdal; Erik Mjelde, Eirik Bakke (Gylfi Einarsson 53), Tijan Jaiteh, Jan Gunnar Solli; Erik Huseklepp, Diego Guastavino (David Nielsen 59)

Preseason Training List

The following players are currently training with Sounders FC: Goalkeepers (4): Terry Boss, Derby Carillo*; Chris Eylander, Kasey Keller; Defenders (10): Taylor Graham, Leo Gonzalez, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Patrick Ianni, Tyrone Marshall, Jeff Parke*, James Riley, Zach Scott, Tyson Wahl, Jamel Wallace#; Midfielders (11): Osvaldo Alonso, David Estrada#, Brad Evans, Stephen King, Freddie Ljungberg, Sanna Nyassi, Lamar Neagle*, Michael Seamon, Kevin Souter, Nathan Sturgis, Peter Vagenas; Forwards (7): Michael Fucito*, Nate Jaqua, Roger Levesque, Ellis McLoughlin, Fredy Montero, Tye Perdido*, Steve Zakuani.

#SuperDraft selection

*invitee

Throw-Ins

Michael Seamon, the team's second round MLS SuperDraft selection, returns to training this week while on spring break from Villanova...Tye Perdido is attending classes at Gonzaga this week but is expected to resume training next week...Stephen King celebrates his 24th birthday in Vancouver on Saturday.

Check out the Seattle Sounders FC Statistics

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Major League Soccer Stories from March 2, 2010


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