MLS Seattle Sounders FC

Sounders FC News & Notes

Published on September 12, 2011 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Seattle Sounders FC News Release


Push for Prizes on All Fronts Only Just Beginning for Sounders FC

Six months and 35 competitive matches into the season, Seattle Sounders FC is only just beginning the final push for prizes on all fronts. Yet the next few games could go a long way toward securing the Rave Green's immediate future.

Beginning with the midweek resumption of CONCACAF Champions League play, Seattle plays three times in seven days and five over a fortnight. First off, on Wednesday night in Costa Rica, Sounders FC visits CS Herediano. Fox Soccer will televise it live beginning at 7 p.m. PT.

Saturday evening, back home on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field, Seattle hosts D.C. United. First kick is 6 p.m. PT and it will be shown live on KONG 6/16.

A result on the road at Herediano would keep the Rave Green (2-0-0, 6 points) atop Group D at the stage's halfway point, with two of the last three rounds to be played at home, beginning September 20 against Herediano (0-2-0). Rojiamarillos, outscored 7-0 in losing the first two rounds, are coming off a big win over Costa Rican Primera Division leaders Alajuelense last Saturday.

Meanwhile in MLS, Seattle (13-6-9, 48 points) is determined to get back on the winning track and take another step toward clinching a third straight postseason berth. Sounders FC stand second in the ever-tightening top of the Western Conference. Their 11-match home unbeaten streak across all competitions was snapped by a 2-1 loss to Real Salt Lake last week. It was only the second league defeat in the last 15. They had been unbeaten in four MLS games.

How the rest of the season plays out will depend greatly upon the Rave Green's home form. Beginning with United, six of the remaining nine competitive matches will be in the Emerald City.

D.C. (8-7-10, 34 points) has yet to lose in two trips to Seattle, drawing 3-3 in 2009 and winning 3-2 a year ago. United is coming on strong, going 3-1-2 in the last six, including a 3-0 victory at Chivas USA to climb into 10th overall in MLS. They are playing their fourth straight on the road where they are 5-4-4 this year.

Sounders FC are facing D.C. United for the sixth time in MLS with the series tied, 2-2-1 after the 2-1 loss in the nation's capital on May 4. A sixth meeting came in the 2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup final, won by Seattle, 2-1, in Washington, D.C.

Saturday's match will be broadcast on 97.3 KIRO FM and La Gran D 99.3 FM. Next week's Champions League home match versus Herediano begins at 7 p.m. PT and will be televised nationally on Fox Soccer and heard on 97.3 KIRO FM.

For tickets to future Sounders FC home MLS, Champions League and U.S. Open Cup matches go to www.SoundersFC.com or call 800-745-3000.

Support Means All the Difference

It's been an exceptionally strong on-field start for Sounders FC, yet the support in the stands has been phenomenal. On Saturday the Rave Green's fans will break their own record for MLS total season attendance, surpassing more than 550,000. Seattle's supporters first smashed the record in the inaugural season of 2009, totaling 464,145 and averaging 30,943 (LA Galaxy set the previous mark of 28,916 in 1996). In 2010 with added capacity the numbers swelled to 542,595 and 36,173, respectively.

So far in 2011, Sounders FC are averaging 36,982 for a total of 517,745. That average would rank among the top 40 in the world, including sixth in Spain's La Liga, seventh in the English Premier League and 13th in Germany's Bundesliga.

Each of the 46 MLS regular season and playoff matches have been sold out. There have been six international friendlies that have averaged over 54,000, topped by a record 67,052 for the Manchester United visit earlier this summer.

Next month, another standard set by Seattle's support for the beautiful game could be eclipsed. In 2010 Sounders FC drew 31,311 for the U.S. Open Cup final-the largest attendance in the tournament's 97-year history. Ticket sales for this year's October 4 final versus Chicago are running ahead of last year's pace.

In the Hunt

Sounders FC are the only club that has an opportunity to clinch a berth in the 2011 MLS Cup Playoffs this weekend. Seattle will clinch a berth if they defeat D.C. United on Saturday and Portland loses to New England and Houston loses to either Columbus or San Jose this week. If Seattle can clinch it will be the first time the club has clinched a playoff berth at home.

L.A. Galaxy became the first team to clinch a playoff berth with their win on Friday night over Colorado. No team can be mathematically eliminated from playoff contention based on results from games in the coming week.

Montero Heating Up

Goals seem to come in bunches for Fredy Montero so it would appear that he might be entering a rich vein of form. Montero scored in his second straight match over all competitions last week versus Real Salt Lake. That gives the young Colombian a total of nine, including seven in MLS.

D.C. United seems to bring out the best in Montero. He scored four goals and two assists in his first four encounters, including the 2009 U.S. Open Cup final.

Montero has scored or assisted in his last five appearances, including the lone goal in the Open Cup semifinal win over FC Dallas. Earlier this season he put together a three-match stretch covering both MLS and Open Cup in which he scored four times. In 2009 he once scored in four consecutive league matches and in 2010 he scored or assisted in an MLS-best nine straight games at one point. Montero now has 29 MLS career goals.

Mauro Ties Assist Record

Mauro Rosales has been the talk of MLS lately, with support building the Argentine to reap postseason awards. He tied Fredy Montero's season record for assists last week versus Real Salt Lake, earning his 10th of the regular season by setting up Montero's goal. Rosales now has four goals and seven assists in the last 10 league games, and he stands third in league assists. He missed a golden opportunity to score and salvage at least a point versus RSL, sending his penalty attempt wide left. Rosales had converted from the spot in the previous MLS match vs. Columbus on August 27.

Leo's Homecoming

Wednesday's match at CS Herediano will be a homecoming for Sounders FC defender Leo Gonzalez, who began his career there and went on to play nine seasons (154 appearances, three goals) in the red and yellow through 2008. He also was capped 60 times by the Costa Rica national team, including the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Gonzalez, 30, signed with Seattle in July 2009 and has played in 50 MLS matches, starting 48.

Breaks of the Game

For whatever reason Seattle seems to respond better to short breaks in competition rather than long ones. Last week's loss to Real Salt Lake came 11 days after the previous match, the Open Cup semifinal win over FC Dallas on August 30. When Sounders FC had breaks in competition of 17 days (June 10-27) in 2010 and 14 days earlier this summer (July 16-30 with a friendly on July 20), losses followed at Philadelphia and Houston, respectively. In 2009 there were two extended breaks from competition of nine or more days. Ten days after the Open Cup final the Rave Green returned with a 2-1 away win at D.C. United, and nine days following First Kick they came back to beat RSL at home, 2-0.

Shorter, the Better

Most players prefer playing games to training and if their club is coming off a loss, the faster the competition comes, the better. Sounders FC have proved their point. There has been only one three-match losing streak in the first three seasons and that occurred during a stretch in which Seattle played only three MLS games (four altogether) over 24 days in 2010. However, when an MLS regular season match is preceded by a competitive match four or fewer days prior, their record is 14-7-2 over the past two seasons and 15-7-8 all-time.

The Rave Green have gone 3-0-0 in their last three MLS matches on short rest and 6-1-0 since May. That bodes well for the remainder of the campaign with 11 matches (six in MLS) over 38 days beginning Wednesday in Costa Rica.

Oddity Out West

It's a puzzler, for sure. In the six matches Sounders FC played against the current top four teams in the West, the best results came on the road. Seattle is undefeated away against the L.A. Galaxy (draw), FC Dallas (win) and Real Salt Lake (win). Those teams are a combined 26-5-11 at home. Seattle is also strong at home (7-3-4), evidenced by the six-match MLS home unbeaten streak and 11 matches overall going into last week's visit by RSL. But all three MLS home losses have come to the West's best, LA, Dallas and Salt Lake.

The Galaxy leads all of MLS with 55 points. Seven points separate the next four teams-Seattle (48), Dallas (46), RSL (45) and Colorado (41)-in the West.

Depth Tests Again

The frequency of competition presents plenty of opportunities for players to prove themselves as Sigi Schmid constantly stirs the lineup. Schmid used 24 players (21 started) over the eight August matches. Comparatively there are only six fixtures in September but the residual minutes continue to mount. This week Schmid must take into account the 7,000-mile round trip to Costa Rica, the short turnarounds and suspensions to Servando Carrasco (yellow card accumulation) and Jhon Kennedy Hurtado (red card), both to be served against D.C. United.

Goalkeeper Kasey Keller started his 83rd straight regular season match versus Real Salt Lake and midfielder Osvaldo Alonso has played in 33 of 35 matches and 2935 minutes. Alvaro Fernandez has played in 15 straight games over all competitions, beginning July 4 at L.A. Defender Jeff Parke has started 17 consecutive MLS matches since May 21.

Champions League Magic Number: 11

It remains to be seen whether 1.5 points per Champions League game will be sufficient for advancement to next spring's knockout phase. However, 11 points or more has always done the job, and sometimes clubs have advanced with as few as eight. In the three years of the current tournament format, only twice have teams with 10 points been eliminated in the group stage (Saprissa of Costa Rica in 2009 and D.C. United in 2010). Seattle has already surpassed its 2010 CCL total of three points in the group phase.

Each of the four U.S. teams-L.A., Colorado, FC Dallas and Sounders FC-enter Round Three as group leaders. In Group D's other match this week, Guatemala's Comunicaciones hosts Mexico's Monterrey on Wednesday night. Both teams have three points.

Midfielder Michael Seamon Placed on Disabled List

Seattle Sounders FC announced today that midfielder Michael Seamon has been placed on the disabled list due to a lateral ankle tendon injury.

As a result, Seamon, 23, will miss the remainder of the season. In his only competitive appearance this season, he started and played 85 minutes in the third round of the U.S. Open Cup. He also started all eight Major League Soccer Reserve League games, logging 719 minutes, the most of any field player.

Seamon made eight appearances with three starts in MLS last season. His last league appearance was September 9, 2010. This is Seamon's second MLS season with Sounders FC.

Sounders FC Signs Goalkeeper Bryan Meredith

Seattle Sounders FC has signed goalkeeper Bryan Meredith, the club announced today. Meredith was Seattle's fourth pick and 29th overall in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft. Per Major League Soccer and club policy, terms were not disclosed.

A native of New Jersey, Meredith, 22, was a three-year starter at Monmouth University. He trained with Seattle throughout the 2011 preseason and started in net for the nearby USL Premier Development League champions Kitsap Pumas. Meredith started Kitsap's 2-1 loss to Sounders FC in the U.S. Open Cup third round on June 28.

"We are excited to add Bryan Meredith to our roster," said Sounders FC technical director Chris Henderson. "He will join Kasey Keller and Josh Ford in the nets for us. Bryan had a solid season this year in the USL and had some fantastic games. We expect he will continue to progress under goalkeeper coach Tom Dutra."

Meredith was named to the 2010 All-Northeast Conference first team and NEC Tournament MVP as a senior at Monmouth. As a junior, Meredith led the nation in goals against average (0.306) and also led all NEC keepers with 12 shutouts.

Date Change: Sounders FC to Host Philadelphia on October 8

The date for the home match versus the Philadelphia Union has been moved to Saturday, October 8. The game will start at 7:00 p.m. PT on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field.

At the request of Major League Soccer the match was moved from its original July 23 date to accommodate the Union's involvement in the Herbalife World Football Challenge. All tickets issue for the original date will be honored on October 8.

About CS Herediano (provided by CONCACAF)

Founded: 1921 City: Heredia, Costa Rica Stadium: Estadio Eladio Rosabal Cordero (match to be played at Estadio Alejandro Morerra Soto in Alajuela) Manager: Alejandro Giuntini Qualification method: Costa Rican Invierno runner-up Previous CONCACAF Champions League appearances: 1 (2009-2010) Honors: Costa Rican league - 21 (1921, 1922, 1924, 1927, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1935, 1937, 1947, 1948, 1951, 1955, 1961, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1985, 1987, 1992-93). Official website: http://www.herediano.com/

One of the oldest soccer teams in Costa Rica, Herediano returns for a second try in the CONCACAF Champions League. It qualified for this season's tournament by finishing runner-up in the Invierno season and having a better record than Verano runner-up San Carlos over both seasons. It has won the third most league titles in Costa Rican history (21) behind Saprissa (29) and fellow qualifier Alajuelense (26). It was eliminated in the Preliminary Round last time out by two-time CCL runner-up Cruz Azul, but advanced to the 2011 Group Stage by defeating Alpha United of Guyana, 10-2 on aggregate. The club was formed when three Heredian provincial clubs, Club Sport Renacimiento, Club Sport Juan J. Flores and Club Sports Cristobal Colon merged to form Herediano. The club qualified for the old CONCACAF Champions Cup six times, advancing as far as one step from the final in 1989, when it lost to eventual champion Pumas UNAM 6-2 on aggregate. Rojiamarillos overwhelmed Guayana's Alpha United in the preliminary stage by an aggregate of 10-2. Jorge Barbosa scored four of those goals but Herediano has yet to hit the mark in the group stage, losing 5-0 at home to Monterrey and 2-0 away to Comunicaciones. However in domestic play Herediano is on the rise, last week winning twice, including 4-nil at home over leader Alajuelense on Saturday. Rojiamarillos are now 5-2-2 and stand second in the table. Olman Vargas Lopez has scored four goals.

Recap: Sounders FC 1, Real Salt Lake 2 - September 10, Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field

Sounders FC could not overcome a go-ahead, second-half strike by forward Alvaro Saborio as they fell to RSL in front of 35,940 fans.

It was Seattle's first loss in the last six contests in league in the Emerald City and snapped a four-game league unbeaten streak. Real Salt Lake won its third in a row.

Saborio's game-winner came early in the second half-a half that had both sides playing with 10 men due to red cards issued in the first half.

In the 56th minute, Seattle defender Tyson Wahl knocked down a shot from Saborio, but the Costa Rican forward was able to recover, collecting the ball and firing from 15 yards inside the far post for the 2-1 lead.

Saborio's goal was his eighth of the season and he surpassed fellow forward Fabian Espindola (7) for the team lead.

Real Salt Lake got on the scoreboard first as a result of an own goal by Seattle.

In the 13th minute, Real Salt Lake's Espindola played a ball into the box from the left side. When Seattle goalkeeper Kasey Keller went to grab it away from an oncoming Saborio he instead deflected the ball into his own net, giving RSL the early lead, 1-0.

Sounders FC had a chance to equalize just four minutes later, when they were awarded a penalty kick after Mike Fucito was taken down in the box by Robbie Russell. Sounders FC midfielder Mauro Rosales stepped to the spot but missed wide left.

However Seattle was able to come up with an equalizer in first-half stoppage time. Rosales maneuvered into the left side of box and centered the ball into the middle, where Servando Carrasco dove to head the ball, but it skipped through to Fredy Montero, who smashed it past Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando for his seventh goal of the season, evening the contest, 1-1.

The Rave Green's best chance to pull even came in the 69th minute. Following a Rosales corner kick, Wahl sent a point-blank shot at goal that was blocked by the shoulder of Rimando. In stoppage time Lamar Neagle fired inches wide of the left post.

Seattle recorded 19 total shots with five on goal, while Salt Lake had 10 with four on goal.

In the 35th minute, Real Salt Lake's Tony Beltran was issued his second yellow card after a hard foul on Seattle's Rosales, resulting in a red card ejection for Beltran.

Salt Lake played a man-down for just four minutes, when in the 39th minute, Sounders FC defender Jhon Kennedy Hurtado was issued a straight red card after the referee ruled Hurtado elbowed Saborio.

Sounders FC's Erik Friberg left the match in the 31st minute with an injury to his right hip. He was replaced by Carrasco.

The match included a number of tributes to the 10th anniversary to the tragic events of September 11, 2001. Thirty-five thousand miniature U.S. flags were distributed. A moment of silence was observed and an oversize U.S. flag presented on-field prior to the National Anthem. Player, coaches and match officials wore armbands with a 9/11 Memorial graphic, and from the 9:00 to 11:00 minute marks on the stadium scoreboard clock fans were invited to raised their flags.

Pre-Academy Team Splits

An Elliot Havens goal in the 32nd minute was all the Sounders FC Pre-Academy U15 needed to defeat the HPFC U18 Thursday night at Starfire Sports Complex. Despite the narrow 1-0 final score, the game was dominated by the Sounders as they outshot HPFC 21-8, including an 8-3 shot on goal advantage.

After a number of solid opportunities that missed, the game's lone scoring play came when Gomez found Havens, a native of Olympia, amidst a group of defenders right in front of the goal, and Havens was able to squeak it into the corner of the goal.

The shutout for the Sounders defense was highlighted by a spectacular save in the 70th minute by second-half keeper Evan Munn, where he fully extended upwards to pop what would have been a sure-goal over the top of crossbar.

HPFC U18 is a team based locally in Highline and also trains at Starfire.

The win continues what has been a good run for the Sounders Pre-Academy. After going 4-0 in Dallas at the Generation Adidas Cup from July 25-31, they've come home and won 3 of their last 4 games at Starfire.

Academy: Season Starts in Southern California This Weekend

The U.S. Soccer Development Academy season begins this weekend for Sounders FC with a pair of non-division matches in southern California. Seattle won the Northwest Division at both the U18 and U16 levels in 2010-11, with the U16s going to take fifth at the national finals in July.

Sounders FC travel to Real SoCal in Woodland Hills on Saturday with a first kick of 11 a.m. PT for the U18s and 1:30 p.m. PT for the U16s. On Sunday in Walnut, Calif. Seattle faces Arsenal FC beginning at 11:30 a.m. PT for the U18s and followed by the U16s at 2 p.m. PT. Arsenal won the U18 SoCal Division last year.

Last week the U18s defeated Shoreline Community College, 4-0, in a friendly while the U16s played an intrasquad game.

Series Notes

Sounders FC are yet to beat D.C. United at home, but it's not for lack of scoring. The Rave Green have scored five goals in the previous two meetings in the Emerald City, including a 3-3 draw in 2009 and a 2-3 loss in 2010. Like D.C., Seattle has seen more success on the road than at home in the series with their only two wins coming at RFK Stadium, and a third in the Open Cup final in 2009. Sounders FC will look to reverse the trend much like D.C. did in the first meeting this year when they earned their first home victory of the series.

Overall, the sides are level with nine goals, though Seattle has taken 33 more shots and 20 more corner kicks. The bulk of the scoring has come in the final 15 minutes of each half as both teams have registered six of their nine goals in that time frame. Fredy Montero leads Sounders FC with three goals in the all-time series and is tied with James Riley for the lead in assists (two).

About D.C. United

D.C. United has played the fewest games (25) in MLS but currently sit fifth in the East and 10th overall. They have lost just once in the past six (3-1-2) and have earned points in all but three matches since the sides last met on May 4. They have been shutout just once in the past six contests, a stretch that included 13 goals scored (2.17 goals per game) and four multiple-goal games. They lead the league with six three-goal games and have scored 37 goals (T-6th in MLS) for a goals per game average of 1.48 (4th). They have become one of the league's top attacks despite taking the fewest shots (284), third fewest shots on goal (108) and fewest corner kicks (102). Thus, they have the best scoring percentage (13.0) and best shots on goal percentage (38.0). The club has also received the fewest yellow card cautions (30) and have been whistled for a foul just 277 times (17th).

United Notables

United's attack features two of the league's top 10 goal scorers. Newcomer Charlie Davies is third with 11 goals, one goal behind leaders Landon Donovan and Thierry Henry. He was named Player of the Week after netting his first hat trick against Chivas USA on Saturday. Davies had previously gone six matches without a tally but he has scored in bunches this season (five goals in first four games, back-to-back goals on June 18 and June 25) and he has also converted four of five penalty attempts. Dwayne De Rosario is tied seventh in the golden boot race with nine goals, including six for D.C. United, and he also has eight assists (tied fourth in MLS). Chris Pontius has added seven goals and five assists, including three assists on Saturday, but suffered a fractured right tibia on a challenge in the 73rd minute. Youngster Andy Najar, an 18-year-old Honduran, has recorded three goals and a career-high four assists. Two other youngsters have figured prominently but on the defensive side. Rookie Perry Kitchen, 19, has started 21 of 22 appearances, logging 1916 minutes. Goalkeeper Bill Hamid, 20, has started 20 matches, making 47 saves and allowing 23 goals for a goals against average of 1.24.

D.C. Connections

Midfielder Stephen King was traded to D.C. on April 30, 2010 after making 10 appearances for Seattle in 2009. Charlie Davies and Mike Fucito played youth soccer together. Nate Jaqua and Patrick Ianni played with Dwayne De Rosario in Houston in 2007 and 2008. Sigi Schmid coached defender Marc Burch in Columbus in 2006.

Sounders FC Weekly on 710 ESPN

Arlo White, Peter Fewing and Matt Johnson bring fans an update on all things Sounders on Sounders FC Weekly every Saturday morning from 8-9 a.m. PT on 710 ESPN. Tune-in for updates on the club, previews of the upcoming matches and featured guests. Fans can download all of the podcasts on MyNorthwest.com.

Throw-ins

Seattle now shares the MLS lead in goals scored (43) with Sporting Kansas City, and averages 1.93 goals per game at home...Sounders FC have only lost two consecutive home MLS matches on one occasion, in 2010...The 19 total shots vs. Real Salt Lake was the most since a 1-0 home loss to FC Dallas on May 25...Jhon Kennedy Hurtado's ejection was the first since he saw red at Toronto on June 18...After 28 matches in 2010 Seattle was 13-9-6 and in 2009 they were 10-7-11...Sounders FC are one of three teams undefeated (9-0-3) when scoring first this season. D.C. United is 0-6-4 when allowing the first goal...If Seattle wins Saturday it would become the 26th team since 2000 (when tiebreakers were abolished) to reach 50 or more points in 30 or fewer matches...The own goal by Kasey Keller vs. RSL was Seattle's third this season, the most in MLS...The Rave Green are now 0-3-3 when missing a penalty kick. They are 6 for 12 all-time, including 5 of 8 this season...On September 16, 1980, Sounders striker Roger Davies was named NASL MVP after scoring 25 goals and leading Seattle to league-record 25 regular season wins.

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