MLS Seattle Sounders FC

Sounders FC News & Notes

Published on February 14, 2011 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Seattle Sounders FC News Release


A timely return home for Valentine's Day will be welcome but brief for Seattle Sounders FC as the team trains just twice at Starfire before departing for Florida. Now four weeks from MLS First Kick 2011, the Rave Green are growing closer to match fitness and the time in the Sunshine State will provide the staff one final week to make determinations on who wins a roster spot.

Sounders FC concluded its two-week Arizona camp by beating Chivas USA, 1-0, to raise its training game record to 2-1-1. There will be three games in Florida, beginning with a February 21 encounter with FC Dallas at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando.

After three days off, Seattle resumes training on Wednesday with two sessions at Starfire, followed by a single session on Thursday. From Friday night, February 18, through February 27 the team will be based at the IMG Soccer Academy in Bradenton, Fla.

The regular season begins on March 15 when Sounders FC hosts the L.A. Galaxy on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field in a match televised nationally on ESPN. Kickoff is 6:30 p.m. PT.Sounders FC 3, Real Salt Lake 3

Four goals were scored in the final 20 minutes, including Fredy Montero's match-tying kick from the penalty spot, as Seattle earned a draw in its second training game. Invitee Lamar Neagle and newcomer O'Brian White got the goals for Sounders FC. Seattle jumped out to an early lead behind Neagle's goal in the 3rd minute. Neagle beat Nat Borchers to a backpass and slid a low shot past RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando.

Real Salt Lake answered in the 37th minute when Javier Morales found the net on a free kick from 25 yards out.

Terry Boss played in net for the first 45 minutes and made several saves on Real Salt Lake's starters. In the second period rookie goalkeeper Josh Ford turned away a handful of shots.

Seattle took the lead back in the third period with a goal by White. Osvaldo Alonso and Erik Friberg combined and played White into the box who popped a shot over goalkeeper Tim Melia.

Real Salt Lake equalized as Collen Warner beat keeper Bryan Meredith inside the far post in the 17th minute of the third period. Just two minutes later, Warner found the back of the net again when he sent a hard strike into the upper corner from outside the box. Down 3-2 with just minutes left, Steve Zakuani penetrated the box and defender Jamie Cunningham, attempting to cover, handled the ball on the ground. Montero stepped up and converted the penalty to bring Sounders FC level.

Columbus Crew 3, Sounders FC 0

Columbus broke open a tight game in Phoenix with two late goals to hand Seattle its first defeat in a match consisting of three periods of 45 minutes, 45 minutes and 30 minutes.

Andres Mendoza scored in the 19th minute of the first period and the Crew added an own goal followed by Jeff Cunningham strike in the third period.

Mendoza scored on a shot from the top of the box and Kasey Keller could only get his fingertips on the ball before it landed in the side netting.

Phoenix native Brad Evans nearly got his head on a James Riley cross in the 39th minute but it sailed just over his head for a goal kick. In the second period Roger Levesque nearly headed in an Erik Friberg corner kick and a few minutes later Osvaldo Alonso's corner kick bounced around in the box before Friberg passed it to Patrick Ianni but his left-footed attempt was deflected and William Hesmer made the save. Late in the period Mike Fucito put his low drive inches wide of the near post.

Seattle's rookie goalkeepers made a pair of difficult saves. Bryan Meredith dove to his right to save Emilio Renteria's header in the 16th minute of the second period and Josh Ford stopped Justin Meram's close-range strike and smothered the rebound in the 10th minute of the third frame.

The Crew extended its lead in the 17th minute of the final period as Zach Scott and Leone Cruz pressured Jeff Cunningham on a run in the middle of the box. Scott deflected the ball into the net for an own goal. A minute later Cunningham sealed the result, knocking in a corner kick at the far post.

Sounders FC 1, Chivas USA 0

A goal by David Estrada in the 75th minute proved to be the difference as Seattle broke camp with a getaway win over two 45-minute halves.

The scoring sequence began with invitee Jonathan Prieto beating the Chivas defense down the right and playing a ball to invitee Seedy Bah in the box. Bah pushed it back to Estrada in front of goal and he put the ball in the back of the net.

Earlier in the half Prieto swung a cross into the box following a corner kick and Lamar Neagle's header sailed just over the crossbar.Neagle had another scoring opportunity in the 71st minute when he shot from close-range, forcing a save from goalkeeper Sergio Arias. A firm shot from Servando Carrasco outside the box in the 59th minute was stopped by Zach Thornton.

In the first half, Fredy Montero played a ball to Mike Fucito in the 20th minute and Fucito turned quickly on the ball and struck a low shot from just outside the box that Thornton was able to save.Erik Friberg and Alvaro Fernandez combined in the midfield and played Montero into the box in the 41st minute but his chip shot was saved by Thornton.

Seattle earned its second clean sheet in four preseason games. Sounders FC goalkeepers were tested on a pair of dangerous shots. Kasey Keller dived to his right to stop Blair Gavin's hard shot in the 26th minute and Terry Boss made a diving save on Memo Torres' strike in the 73rd minute.

Tickets on Sale for Community Shield

Tickets are now on sale for the club's second annual Community Shield match on Wednesday, March 9 at 7 p.m. on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field. The reigning U.S. Open Cup champion Sounders FC will face the MLS Cup champion Colorado Rapids for the preseason match.

General Admission tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for youth (6-17). Children under the age of six are free. Tickets are available at www.SoundersFC.com BMIJ9SlQWplOwNTbTqUyYnBrKPnTKJxmA], by calling 877-MLS-GOAL, all Ticketmaster outlets and the Qwest Field Box office.

Proceeds from the match will benefit the team's community outreach programs. Sounders FC fans helped raise over $80,000 from the 2010 Community Shield match which was allocated to the team's charity partners.

2011 Schedule Announced;Portland Matches Among Those to be Nationally Televised

The complete 34-game schedules for Sounders FC and all MLS teams were announced last week, with five Seattle matches selected to be televised nationally.

Both of Seattle's Cascadia Cup matches against the expansion Portland Timbers will be broadcast nationally in high definition by ESPN, including the first meeting on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes on May 14 at 8 p.m. (PT) on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field. That game is the first of three in a row at home. Sounders FC visits the Timbers on July 10 at 2 p.m. (PT) on ESPN.

In the other two Cascadia Cup matches, the Rave Green faces Vancouver Whitecaps FC for the first time on June 11 at home. The two teams meet again in Vancouver on September 24, the final match to be played at Empire Field. Whitecaps FC moves into the renovated BC Place on October 2.

The complete Sounders FC schedule is available at www.SoundersFC.com.

All Sounders FC MLS league matches not aired nationally will be carried live in high definition on KING-5 or KONG-6/16 with Arlo White calling the action. All locally broadcast matches will also be aired either live outside of Seattle or on a delayed basis throughout Washington on FSN/ROOT SPORTS(TM)* (Comcast channels 627 & 30). Select Sounders FC Spanish language TV matches will be aired on KOMO2 TV, Comcast channel 114, a Univision sister station.

Each match will also be aired live on the radio home of Sounders FC, News Talk 97.3 KIRO FM. All Sounders FC Spanish language broadcasts will be aired on La Gran D 99.3 FM, except nationally aired broadcasts.

Sounders FC will play three of its first five games at home, beginning with MLS First Kick 2011 on March 15 against the L.A. Galaxy on ESPN at 6:30 p.m. (PT). The remaining ESPN2 matches are at home versus the New York Red Bulls on June 23 and on the road at Los Angeles on July 4.

Following the May 14 Portland game Seattle hosts Sporting Kansas City on May 21 and FC Dallas on May 25. Another three-game home stand begins on August 27 versus the Columbus Crew. Sounders FC plays Real Salt Lake on September 10 and D.C. United on September 17.

Five of the six trips to the Eastern Time Zone occur during the first half of the season, including back to back matches at D.C. United and Columbus on May 4 and May 7, respectively. Sounders FC visits the new Kansas City soccer stadium on August 6.

The final home game is on October 15 against the San Jose Earthquakes. The regular season concludes on October 22 at Chivas USA.

The team will later announce an additional friendly to be included in the season ticket package. Season tickets can be purchased by visiting www.SoundersFC.com or phoning 1-877-MLS-GOAL.

Academy: Presidents' Day in Orange County, Followed by Three-Month Break

After an idle week, the Sounders FC Academy teams will spend the Presidents' Day Holiday weekend in the neighborhood of Disneyland. Seattle faces the Irvine Strikers on Saturday and Pateadores on Sunday in Costa Mesa, Calif. The U18s play at 10 a.m. each day, followed at 12:30 p.m. by the U16s.

Sounders FC U16s (13-2-3) have won four consecutive matches and is unbeaten in nine games The U18s (11-3-4) will be trying to rebound from a home loss in their last outing on February 6.

Following this week's action, the Academy teams take a three-month break from competition, resuming May 28 at home against California.

Kovar Called in to U18 National Team Camp

While the Sounders FC senior team was departing Arizona, a member of the U18 Academy squad was just arriving in the desert. Midfielder Aaron Kovar (Seattle, Wash./Garfield HS) is among the 36 players called in to a training camp for the U.S. U18 Men's National Team from Feb. 12-20, in Phoenix.

Head coach Mike Matkovich has called in 36 players, including 26 current Development Academy players and four Development Academy alumni.

The U.S. will play friendlies against MLS teams that are in the midst of preseason training in Phoenix. There are scrimmages set up against Sporting Kansas City and Colorado Rapids on Tuesday and Vancouver Whitecaps and Portland Timbers on Saturday. It will be the first training camp of 2011 for the U18 MNT, which is made up of players born in 1993. Kovar is the second Sounders FC Academy player called in. Sean Okoli played for the U.S. during a tournament in Israel last December.

Academy Open House Set for Wednesday Night

The Sounders FC Academy will host an Open House on Wednesday night, February 16, from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. at the Foster High School Performing Arts Center in Tukwila, Wash. It provides an opportunity to learn more about the Sounders FC Academy U15/16 and U17/18 teams as well as other programs offered to enhance the 2011-2012 Youth System for Sounders FC.

Upcoming Key Dates (times are Pacific & subject to change)

Wednesday, February 16 - Thursday, February 17 - Preseason Training, Starfire Sports Complex, Tukwila, Wash.

Saturday, February 19-Saturday, February 26 - Preseason Training, IMG Soccer Academy, Bradenton, Florida

Monday, February 21, 12:30 p.m. - Sounders FC at FC Dallas, Orlando, Fla.

Tuesday, February 22, 8 a.m. - Sounders FC at Houston Dynamo, Orlando, Fla.

Saturday, February 26, 11 a.m. - Sounders FC vs. Chicago Fire, Bradenton, Fla.

Friday, March 4-Sunday, March 6 - Cascadia Summit, Starfire Sports Stadium, Tukwila, Wash.

Wednesday, March 9, 7:00 p.m. - Community Shield Match, Sounders FC vs. Colorado Rapids, Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field

Tuesday, March 15, 6:30 p.m. - MLS First Kick 2011, Sounders FC vs. L.A. Galaxy, Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field

Saturday, March 19, 4:30 p.m. - Sounders FC at New York Red Bulls, Red Bull Arena, Harrison, NJ

Throw-ins

Single game tickets for the 2011 MLS season will go on sale on March 1... Invitee Seedy Bah is no longer training with the club...A reminder that the Cascadia Summit match on March 5 between the Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps FC start time has now been moved to 4 p.m. at Starfire...Twenty-three years ago, on February 17, 1988, the Major Indoor Soccer League held its All-Star Game at the Tacoma Dome before a record crowd of 17,251. Preki, a member of the hometown Tacoma Stars, was voted MVP after scoring three goals in the West's 9-3 win over the East...Richland, Wash., native and former University of Washington goalkeeper Hope Solo has been named to the U.S. Women's National Team preliminary roster for the Algarve Cup in Portugal. Solo is not yet cleared for game competition, but will come to train as she enters the final stages of her rehabilitation from major shoulder surgery. This would be her ninth Algarve Cup, which begins March 2 in Portugal.

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Major League Soccer Stories from February 14, 2011


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