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MLS Seattle Sounders FC

Sounders FC News & Notes

May 2, 2011 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Seattle Sounders FC News Release


Eastbound Sounders FC Faces Long-Distance Rivals D.C. & Columbus

A long road trip awaits Seattle Sounders FC this week as it continues the climb up the MLS ladder. The Rave Green finishes a stretch of four out of five away this week when they play D.C. United on Wednesday night at RFK Stadium and at the Columbus Crew on Saturday night. Both games start at 4:30 p.m. PT and will be televised live on KONG 6/16.

Although depleted by injury, Sounders FC (3-2-3) is growing in strength. Seattle, winners of two in a row and unbeaten in the last six, has recovered from a slow start by going undefeated and claiming nine points in the last five matches. The half-dozen games without a defeat matches the longest in MLS in 2011 and has lifted the club into a tie for second place in the Western Conference.

Once this week is complete, Sounders FC can settle in for a three-match home stand on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field, beginning with the first Cascadia Cup fixture on May 14 against the Portland Timbers. Seattle also hosts Sporting Kansas City on May 21 and FC Dallas on May 25. By the time that home stand ends, the season will nearly be one-third finished.

A spirited Sounders FC performance resulted in the biggest win margin in 12 games, dating back to late September. Alvaro Fernandez scored early and Brad Evans twice found the net in the second half for a 3-nil home victory over Toronto FC.

For the Rave Green, the upcoming destinations are rife with fond memories. They are a combined 5-0-0 in league and cup play in Washington, D.C. and Columbus.

DC. United (2-4-1) is struggling, having lost three in a row while allowing 11 goals. That includes a 4-1 defeat at Houston last Friday. Two of those losses came at home, where United is 1-2-2. The 16 goals conceded is the most in MLS.

Charlie Davies leads MLS with five goals, three of those coming from the penalty spot during the first three matches. Davies, on loan to United from Sochaux of France, is making his comeback following severe injuries sustained in an October 2009 car crash.

Sounders FC has taken all six points from its previous two trips to RFK and leads the series 2-1-1. Seattle also won a third meeting in the nation's capital, beating D.C. United, 2-1, in the 2009 U.S. Open Cup final.

A rebuilt Columbus (3-1-3) has also gone unbeaten in six matches following a 2-1 home win over Vancouver. The Crew have scored only seven goals this season yet have allowed only five. They are 3-0-1 at home. Seattle has not lost in five meetings with Columbus, going 3-0-2, including a triumph in the 2010 Open Cup final at home.

Arlo White will provide the play-by-play on both KONG 6/16. Wednesday's game can be seen live outside of Seattle on ROOT SPORTS and Saturday's game can also be heard on 97.3 KIRO FM. La Gran D 99.3 FM will broadcast each match and THIS-TV will broadcast Saturday's match.

Tickets for all Sounders FC home matches are available at www.SoundersFC.com or by calling 877-MLS-GOAL.

Evans Everlasting

A solid month was topped by a breakthrough performance by Brad Evans. April had begun with Evans tallying a much-needed early goal in a draw at San Jose. Since the Arizonan joined the starting XI Sounders FC has gone undefeated in six games. Against Toronto FC Evans moved out to the right side and flourished, bagging his first career multi-goal game and adding an assist. Evans also tied his career highs in shots (6) and shots on goal (3). He joins Fredy Montero (2), Steve Zakuani and Blaise Nkufo as the only players with two or more goals in a match.

Flaco en Fuego

A reinvigorated Alvaro Fernandez returned to the starting XI last week, operating on the left side of midfield and scoring the early marker for Sounders FC. After his bouncing header in the 9th minute he was unlucky not to score another, diving to meet another cross and force a save in the 35th minute. Fernandez energetically buzzed about, working 1-2s on countless occasions to keep the Reds chasing. Fernandez has scored twice in his last three games. Of those current Sounders FC players with three or more goals for the club, Fernandez's strike rate of goals per 90 minutes (0.436/four in 826) is the highest.

All's Well in April

It wasn't easy but Seattle emerged April unscathed, winning three and drawing two. It more than made up for a singe point in March. Never before has Sounders FC taken 11 points in a single month. The previous best was 10 (3-1-1) in July 2010.

With 12 points in the first eight matches, Sounders FC is now ahead of its 2010 pace (2-3-3) and only two behind 200 (4-2-2). That rates as remarkable, given the slow start and the injuries to key players.

Clean Sheets & More

Seattle's revamped back four has not only kept a clean score sheet for the past couple outings but also contributed on goals scored ledger. James Riley, Patrick Ianni, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado and Tyson Wahl were resolute against the Reds, allowing only six shots (two on goal). Furthermore, Wahl and Riley pressed up the flanks and served numerous crosses. Riley ripped a shot which sailed only inches over the bar and got an assist on the first goal. Hurtado, after winning the ball at midfield and quickly playing to Fredy Montero, got his first assist since July 2009 on the second Sounders FC goal.

Long-Distance Rivals

Make no mistake: the most historic and heated rivalries for Sounders FC will undoubtedly be the Cascadia Cup clashes with Portland and Vancouver. However, the meetings to date with both D.C. United and Columbus have established those as exceptionally spirited series in their own right. A lot of it has to do with high-stakes matches. D.C. United was the Rave Green's opposition in the franchise's first U.S. Open Cup final in 2009, and each of the five meetings have gone down to the final minutes and been decided by a single goal.

Columbus, of course, was the home of Sigi Schmid for three seasons before he took the reins in Seattle. Schmid's return in 2009 set the stage for a Sounders FC upset of the eventual Supporters' Shield winners, ending the Crew's record home unbeaten streak of 22 games. Finally, in the most recent meeting, Schmid & Co. lifted the Open Cup trophy for a second time with a 2-1 win in the final last October.

Zakuani Tribute

It was emotion-filled match, however there was one minute in particular that players, staff and supporters will remember long after Steve Zakuani returns to the lineup. With the fallen winger still hospitalized while recovering from a broken right leg, last Saturday's capacity crowd of 36,287 saluted Zakuani en masse. As the scoreboard clock clicked past 11:00 they held aloft '11' placards and chanted his name for a full minute (Zakuani wears the 11 shirt). Fans also signed oversized greeting cards for Zakuani at the stadium and the Royal Femmes of the Emerald city Supporters collected over $1400 in donations for Zakuani's non-profit organization, Kingdom Hope.

Last week Steve returned to Seattle from Denver, where he underwent surgery for a fractured right fibula and tibia on April 22, a few hours after suffering the injury in the third minute of a 1-nil win over Colorado. Fans cancontinue tosend their best wishes to Steve on twitter (@stevezakuani11 with the hash tag #forZakuani), on SoundersFC.com and via physical mail (Sounders FC Community Relations, 12 Seahawks Way, Renton, WA 98056).

White Out

Also missing last week was striker O'Brian White, out indefinitely after undergoing surgery to remove a blood clot in his left leg. A vascular specialist performed the surgery on April 27 at Virginia Mason Medical Center. White, 25, started the first seven matches this season, scoring two goals and two assists.

Rosales Held Out

A catalyst in the club's April resurgence, Mauro Rosales was a game day scratch for the Toronto FC match due to tightness in his hamstring. Rosales is expected to be available during the road trip. The Argentine midfielder had three assists in his last four games, including on the lone goal in the April 22 victory at Colorado.

Reunion Up Front

It was like old times for Sounders FC up front against the Reds as Nate Jaqua joined Fredy Montero in the attack. It was Jaqua's first start of 2011 and only his fourth since the end of 2009, the season in which he and Montero teamed for 21 goals. He came off in the 72nd minute to a large ovation after an active night in which he pulled the defense to the near post on the Alvaro Fernandez opening goal and then produced two near-misses in the second half. Jaqua's lunge for Mike Fucito's pass through the crease went just wide in the 67th minute and five minutes later his drive deflected off Fucito and was saved by Toronto's Stefan Frei.

Fredy Being Fredy

Whether through his playmaking or attacking directly, Fredy Montero certainly kept the TFC defense on its toes. Montero launched four shots, highlighted by a bending ball in the 46th minute that Stefan Frei could only bat away from the far post. Montero later assisted on the game's second goal. He now has either a goal or an assist in three straight games since returning from a two-game absence due to a fractured right wrist.

Montero has proven to be a primary nemesis for D.C United the past two seasons. He has three goals and two assists in the four previous MLS meeting, plus another goal in the 2009 Open Cup final.

The Long Way Home

The Rave Green get their fair share of frequent flyer miles, and while this week represents the longest trip of the MLS season in terms of consecutive days gone from home, the good news is that it's an efficient excursion. D.C. United (2341 miles from Seattle) and Columbus (2007) are two of the six games to be played in the Eastern Time Zone. After departing Ohio, Sounders FC will have played four of its first six away dates in the East. Later on Sounders FC will take its first bus trips since entering the league in 2009, driving 151 miles to Portland and 118 to Vancouver.

All told, Seattle will travel an estimated 50,582 miles during the regular season, ranking third behind Vancouver (52,656) and New England (52,010). Thousands of more miles will be logged once CONCACAF Champions League commences in late July.

Last Calls for Keller

This is Kasey Keller's 20th and final professional campaign, and so far both RFK and Crew Stadiums have proven fertile grounds for his glowing reputation as a goalkeeper extraordinaire. Keller is undefeated at RFK in 10 games, going 5-0-2 with the U.S. National Team and 3-0-0 for Sounders FC versus D.C. United, including both MLS and Open Cup.

There has been similar success in Columbus. He has posted six shutouts in seven games at Crew Stadium. That includes four clean sheets and a 3-0-2 mark for the national team and two shutout victories for Seattle.

Keller notched his second straight shutout and the 23rd of his MLS career last week versus Toronto. He has started 63 consecutive matches-the longest current streak in MLS. Keller's active scoreless stretch is 238 minutes.

Twice Weekly Good Times

Two-match road trips are relatively rare, yet Seattle has fared reasonably well on such sojourns in the past. Sounders FC have faced back-to-back away games on four occasions in 2010 and always returned home with some points. In April of last season the Rave Green earned a 2-2 draw at FC Dallas before falling three days later at Toronto, 2-0.

The other three ventures involved Champions League play. Seattle won at San Jose, 1-0, followed by a 1-1 draw at El Salvador's Metapan three days later. The last flight to Columbus was preceded by four days with a loss to Costa Rica's Saprissa, 2-0. Sounders FC rebounded by beating the Crew, 4-nil. And a week later came a 3-2 loss to eventual Champions League champion Monterrey, followed by a 1-0 win at Chicago.

Roger That

RFK and Crew Stadiums have served as the backdrops for perhaps the most memorable moments in the MLS career of Roger Levesque. It was Levesque who came off the bench and scored what proved to be the game-winner at D.C. United in the 2009 Open Cup final. Last year, he jump-started a four-game win streak with a diving header in the 89th minute. At Columbus in 2009, in just his second career start Levesque scored the lone goal to defeat the Crew.

Dark Night

Seattle is set to don its Cascade Shale strip for the first time on Saturday in Columbus. The new second kit replaces the blue worn successfully over the first two seasons. Sounders FC will continue to wear its third kit, Electricity, for special occasions. The team's record when wearing blue was 3-2-2, including a win in the 2009 U.S. Open Cup final.

Assorted Anniversary Dates

May 5, 2004 - Seattle native Michelle Akers, scorer of 105 goals for the U.S. National Team and winner of two World Cups, was voted into the U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame, receiving 70 of 73 possible votes

May 5, 1974 - The Seattle Sounders played their inaugural NASL match at Los Angeles, falling to the Aztecs, 2-1. John Rowlands scored the first goal for the franchise

May 7, 2008 - Sounders FC signed its first player, Sebastien Le Toux, the 2007 USL-1 MVP

Reserve League Home Opener on May 9

Sounders FC resumes MLS Reserve League play on Monday, May 9 at home against Chivas USA. First kick is 7 p.m. Seattle won its opening game on April 3, beating San Jose, 1-0.

All Reserve League home matches will be played at the Starfire Sports Stadium. There is no charge for admission however donations will be accepted at the gate with proceeds directed toward the Sounders FC community partners. Parking is $5 or free with a Starfire membership. Seattle will host another Reserve League match on May 15 against Portland. First kick is 1 p.m. PT.

Note: A Second Time Change

It was announced last week that first kick for Seattle's game at Portland on July 10 has been moved up to 1 p.m. PT at Jeld-Wen Field. The Sounders FC-Timbers match will be televised by ESPN.

Earlier, the kickoff for the June 11 home match versus Vancouver was changed to 7:30 on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field. The match will be nationally televised by Fox Soccer.

Match Recap: Sounders FC 3 vs Toronto FC 0 - April 30, Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field

Brad Evans scored twice and added an assist as Sounders FC picked up its second straight win while extending its unbeaten streak to six games with a 3-0 victory over Toronto FC.

Alvaro Fernandez scored Seattle's opening goal and it was the first multi-goal game in Evans' career. Both Evans goals came in the second half, including a penalty kick in the 75th minute.

The first half saw Seattle dominating possession and going in front early with a goal in the ninth minute. Evans served a long cross from the right wing over the head of Nate Jaqua to an unmarked Fernandez to head it past Stefan Frei. James Riley was also credited with an assist on the play.

Fernandez had a second scoring chance later in the period, heading a cross by Fredy Montero in the 35th minute that was denied by Frei. Toronto FC got a chance at goal in the final minute of play in the half but Patrick Ianni cleared the ball to end the period.

Evans and Montero had chances to double the lead in the opening minutes of the second half, with each forcing a Frei save. But in the 52nd minute Evans converted.

Jhon Kennedy Hurtado broke up a play at midfield and played to Montero, who sent Evans into the right side of the box. His 17-yard blast beat Frei to the far corner, making it 2-nil.

The Sounders would continue to pour shots on goal in the second half, racking up four more attempts, including a solid opportunity for Nate Jaqua in the 67th minute, off a pass by Mike Fucito. Fucito made his season debut just a minute earlier, replacing Montero.

In the 75th minute, the Sounders FC put the game out of reach. Toronto's Dicoy Williams was called for a handball in the box, setting up the penalty kick. Evans fired it into the lower right corner for this third goal of the year and the club's second penalty kick all-time.

Seattle goalkeeper Kasey Keller made a save in the 89th minute, tipping a shot by Javier Martina over the top of the goal to preserve his second straight shutout and 23rd of his career.

Sounders FC held a commanding advantage in shots, 18-6 (10-2 on goal). Osvaldo Alonso was issued a yellow card in the 44th minute, one of 13 fouls called against Sounders FC.

They Might be Champions: Man United Marches On, Due in Seattle July 20

Already one of the planet's most storied clubs, Manchester United just might arrive in Seattle later this summer as champions of Europe. The Red Devils won the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semifinal series, 2-0 over Germany's Schalke 04 last week.

Man United hosts the return leg on Wednesday. On Sunday they can take a giant step toward winning the English Premier League with a win over Chelsea.

The winner of the aggregate goal series advances to the May 28 Champions League final in London. There they will face Real Madrid or Barcelona, who played their second leg semi on Tuesday. Barca won the first leg, 2-0.

Sounders FC and Manchester United will play on July 20 on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. PT. The presenting partners for the friendly match are AT&T and Samsung Mobile.

Fans can guarantee seats for Manchester United by purchasing a three match ticket package for $99 prior to the public on-sale of individual tickets on June 1. The three match ticket packages are available by phone at 1-877-MLS-GOAL or online at www.SoundersFC.com.

In anticipation of the high demand for tickets, seating at Qwest Field will be expanded to include the upper bowl for the three featured Premier Pack matches. The Man United match is part of the Sounders FC full 18-match season ticket package.

The three-match ticket package includes home matches versus Manchester United, the New York Red Bulls on June 23, and the regular season finale versus the San Jose Earthquakes on October 15. The October 15 match will be Kasey Keller's final regular season home match.

Drew Carey Named Seafair Torchlight Parade Grand Marshal

Sounders FC owner Drew Carey has been named Grand Marshal of the 2011 Alaska Airlines Seafair Torchlight Parade. The Torchlight Parade is July 30, and will be a celebration of the Season of Seafair.

Carey is a stand-up comic turned actor and producer and is now regarded as American soccer's most recognizable supporter. Carey also serves as chairman of Sounders FC Alliance, the club's member association. Carey served on the USA Bid Committee, a non-profit organization created to prepare a successful application to host the FIFA World Cup €žÂ¢ in 2018 or 2022 on behalf of the United States Soccer Federation.

Carey had the distinction of having two hit shows simultaneously: the long-running comedy "The Drew Carey Show," which ran from 1995-2004, and the improv/sketch show "Whose Line Is It Anyway'" on which he was host and a producer. The success of that show led to the creation of "Drew Carey's Improv All-Stars," an improv group that performs in showrooms across the country. In July 2007, Carey was named the host of THE PRICE IS RIGHT, America's longest running game show. He also stars in and co-produces DREW CAREY'S IMPROV-A-GANZA, a new original, improvised sketch comedy show for GSN this spring.

The Seafair Torchlight Parade is the largest in the Northwest, drawing over 300,000 on-site spectators and an additional 700,000 television viewers.

More Than 40,000 Tickets Sold for Mexico Match

More than 40,000 tickets have been sold for the upcoming international match on Saturday, May 28 at 4 p.m. ET between the national teams of Mexico and Ecuador on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field, presented by AT&T.

While a limited amount of tickets remain in the lower bowl of the stadium, the upper level is now open for the fans to enjoy the international match, with 300 level seats available for $30 and $40. Group offers and discounted ticket plans can be purchased by visiting the Qwest Field box office Monday- Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT or by contacting the Seattle Sounders FC at 877-MLS-GOAL. Tickets can also be purchased at www.Ticketmaster.com, by calling 1-800-745-3000 or at all usual Ticketmaster locations.

The match in Seattle is the fourth stop of the 2011 Mexican National Team U.S. Tour before they travel to Denver, Colorado to face New Zealand, an international match presented by Allstate at INVESCO Field at Mile High on June 1.

Media planning to cover the Mexican national team tour should apply for accreditation at the following link: https://sum.iwebreg.com/apply

D.C. Series Notes

Sounders FC is 2-1-1 against D.C. United and 3-0-0 in all competitions at RFK Stadium, with all three wins coming by way of late game-winners. Overall, four of Seattle's eight goals against D.C. United have come in the final 15 minutes. In Seattle's inaugural trip to the nation's capital, Fredy Montero scored the winner in the 84th minute and in its second visit Roger Levesque scored in the 89th minute, with Montero recording the assist. In its most memorable trip to RFK Stadium, Sounders FC won 2-1 in the 2009 U.S. Open Cup Final as Montero scored in the 67th minute and Levesque scored what proved to be the winner in the 86th minute.

About D.C. United

D.C. United sits in the middle of the East with seven points from seven matches. The team has been outscored 8-1 over the past 180 minutes, losing 4-0 to New York (4/21) and 4-1 to Houston (4/29). D.C. has allowed four goals in three of its past five contests and its last home win came on the opening weekend of the season. D.C. United has scored seven of its ten goals in the second half but has conceded a league-high 16 goals.

United Notables

In his first MLS season, Charlie Davies leads the league with five goals in his first six appearances, three of which came from the penalty spot. Dax McCarty also arrived over the offseason via a trade with Portland following the expansion draft. McCarty has one assist in his seven starts. Chris Pontius is the club's second leading scorer with two goals while Andy Najar, 18, has yet to open his 2011 account. Rookie Perry Kitchen, the third overall selection in the 2011 SuperDraft, has started the past two games. Branko Boskovic, a 30-year-old starter for Montenegro's national team, suffered a torn ACL in his left knee in the 85th minute of last week's U.S. Open Cup qualifier against the New England Revolution. Bill Hamid, 20, has started the past four games in net, allowing nine goals on 18 shots for a goals-against average of 2.25. Veteran Pat Onstad started the first three matches and allowed seven goals while making eight saves.

D.C. Connections

Midfielder Stephen King was traded to D.C. on April 30, 2010 but has yet to see action this season. Sigi Schmid coached defender Marc Burch in Columbus in 2006.

Crew Series Notes

Sounders FC is undefeated at Crew Stadium (2-0-0) and its biggest win in club history came in its last visit, a 4-0 victory on September 18. Seattle's 2009 trip to Crew Stadium featured a first-half winner from Roger Levesque for a 1-0 result. Nate Jaqua is the only other current active Sounder to have scored against Columbus while in Rave Green. In its last two games against the Crew, Seattle has started quick with club-record 4th minute goals in each contest.

About Columbus

Tied third in the East with 12 points, Columbus has not lost (3-0-3) since the opening weekend of the season, and is tied with Seattle and Houston for the longest undefeated streak (six games). Last Saturday, Emilio Renteria scored a brace to lead Columbus to a 2-1 home win over the Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Columbus is 3-0-1 at home this season with a goals-against average of 0.25, earning three clean sheets in four home matches.

Crew Notables

Emilio Renteria is Columbus' top scorer with three goals in his last two games, including a brace in last Saturday's win. Robbie Rogers adds to the attack with two goals and one assist, already surpassing his 2010 totals. Jeff Cunningham, scorer of 77 MLS goals, joined the Crew from FC Dallas over the offseason but has yet to score in limited action, and midfielder Eddie Gaven has scored once in seven starts. Goalkeeper William Hesmer has allowed five goals for a 0.71 goals against average (6th in MLS) and leads the league with four shutouts.

Crew Connections

Head coach Sigi Schmid served three seasons at the helm of the Crew, guiding Columbus to its first MLS Cup in November 2008. Schmid's Columbus teams were 34-33-25 and he was named MLS Coach of the year in 2008. Alongside Schmid, Seattle midfielder Brad Evans, forward Pat Noonan and assistant coach Ezra Hendrickson were on the 2008 Crew squad. Evans scored the game-winning goal for the Crew in a playoff semifinal win. After two years in Columbus he was selected in the expansion draft. Noonan joined Columbus in 2008 and recorded an assist for the Crew against Seattle in 2009. Hendrickson played his final three seasons for the Crew.

Sounders FC defender James Riley played with Crew goalkeeper William Hesmer at Wake Forest (2001-03). Taylor Graham and Roger Levesque played with defender Chad Marshall at Stanford for one season (2002).

Throw-ins

Nate Jaqua became the 18th player to start a game this season and Mike Fucito is the 23rd player to make an appearance...Forward Lamar Neagle, who was in the 18 against Toronto FC, turns 24 on Saturday, May 7...The nine shots on goal versus Toronto FC tie for No. 2 all-time, behind the 10 against D.C. United in 2009...The three goals was the most scored since a 3-2 win over Toronto FC on October 2, 2010...The converted penalty kick by Brad Evans was the first ever scored by Seattle at home. Nathan Sturgis made the first PK for the franchise at Columbus last season...Seattle holds a record of 6-5-2 playing in the Eastern Time Zone...The defense has only allowed one second-half goal in the last six matches...The Rave Green are now 24-4-7 all-time when scoring first.

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