MLS Seattle Sounders FC

Sounders FC News & Notes

Published on November 8, 2011 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Seattle Sounders FC News Release


Sounders FC Year Three: Stronger on All Fronts

After three seasons it just keeps getting better for Sounders FC and their supporters. Despite facing more than their share of adversity the Rave Green shone brighter than ever.

Overcoming some crushing injuries and taxing travel throughout North and Central America, Seattle made positive strides on all fronts and continues to close the gap on that next objective of claiming MLS Cup.

Sounders FC concluded the 2011 season last week by winning their first playoff match, 2-0 at home over Real Salt Lake, yet they were eliminated from the Western Conference Semifinals, 3-2 on aggregate.

Still, the offseason will be shorter than ever. Having advanced from the group phase of the CONCACAF Champions League, Seattle will play a quarterfinal game in early March, prior to the start of the 2012 MLS season. And the club is already entered in the 2012-13 Champions League by virtue of winning the 2011 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

Last month Sounders FC became the first team in 42 years and the fourth altogether to win the Open Cup for three consecutive years. In 2012 the mission will be to claim an unprecedented four straight. They also aim to retain the Cascadia Cup, wrested from rivals Portland and Vancouver.

In MLS Seattle made a significant improvement, overcoming injuries to contend for the Supporters' Shield until the final two weeks of the regular season. It did so by demonstrating an unrelenting competitive character; no other team had ever won more games or claimed more points after going behind.

Fredy Montero, Alvaro Fernandez and Mauro Rosales paced an entertaining attack which generated a league-high 56 goals, including eight matches of three or more. Doing so without the services of injured standout winger Steve Zakuani, striker O'Brian White and, late in the season, the mercurial Rosales made it all the more remarkable.

Of course it was also special season for the fans and one of their favorites, captain Kasey Keller. The iconic keeper was playing his 20th and final professional campaign and he went out in style. Keller led the league in wins and made a record 110 saves.

A crowd of 64,140-the third-largest single-game attendance in MLS history-came to see Keller's final regular season match. Earlier, a Pacific Northwest record of 67,052 came for the midsummer Manchester United friendly and the crowd of 35,615 for the Open Cup final obliterated the standard set a year earlier. For the third year in a row Seattle fans raised the bar by which all supporters will be measured, whether it was the imaginative giant tifo displays or their sheer numbers, averaging 38,496 this year.

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

Sunday, November 20, 6 p.m. - MLS Cup 2011, The Home Depot Center, Carson, Calif.

Monday, November 21 - Expansion Draft Protected Lists Submitted

Wednesday, November 23, 11 a.m. - Montreal Expansion Draft

Monday, December 5 - Re-Entry Draft, Stage 1

Monday, December 12 - Re-Entry Draft, Stage 2

Friday, December 16-Sunday, December 18 - Sounders FC College Combine, Las Vegas

Sounders FC Fast Facts

- Sounders FC finished with a mark of 27-11-10 in all competitions, 18-7-9 in MLS regular season (2nd overall)

- Over the past three seasons Sounders FC have totaled 158 points, surpassed only by L.A.

- The offense scored an MLS-best 56 goals, including eight matches with three or more goals

- Seattle went 13-3-2 during the final 18 matches of the regular season and had the best road record (9-3-5)

- The Rave Green became the first club in 42 years and the fourth altogether to win the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup three times in a row and broke the 98-year-old tournament's single game attendance record with 35,615 for the final, a 2-0 win over Chicago

- Sounders FC became the second club to win a competitive match on Mexican soil when they defeated reigning Champions League winners CF Monterrey, 1-0 on August 23

- Sounders FC claimed the Cascadia Cup for their supporters, winning two and drawing two against Portland and Vancouver

- Sounders FC shattered its own MLS regular season attendance record, averaging 38,496. It averaged 36,173 in 2010. There have been 50 consecutive sellouts for MLS regular season and playoff matches

- Fredy Montero earned the club's Golden Boot for the third successive season, finishing with 12 goals and nine assists (18 and 12, respectively, in all competitions). He ended the regular season by contributing either a goal or assist in a league-high eight consecutive matches

- Early-season signing Mauro Rosales assisted on a record 13 goals, finishing third in MLS

- Goalkeeper and captain Kasey Keller has played in 95 consecutive (and 99 of 100 overall) MLS regular season and playoff matches, dating to April 25, 2009

- Fredy Montero was named the U.S. Open Cup player of the tournament, scoring three goals, including the game-winners in the semifinal and final

- James Riley was named the team's Humanitarian of the Year for the second year in a row. The MLS W.O.R.K.S. March Humanitarian of the Month was Fredy Montero

- Sounders FC Academy completed a very successful first season of competition last week with the U16 boys clinching fifth place at the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Finals in Milwaukee. Both the U16 and U18s finished first in their respective Northwest Division, qualifying for the national playoffs

Records Broken: Seattle Sets New Marks for Club, League

Season three saw Sounders FC set a number of club and league records. With 27 wins across MLS, Open Cup and the CCL, Sounders FC surpassed the final sum of Chicago in 2000 for the most outright competitive wins in a single season. The Rave Green became only the 10th club in league history to win nine or more road games and Seattle also earned the most points (24) after allowing the first goal since tiebreakers were abolished in 2000. Seattle's six goals against the Columbus Crew ties for No. 4 on the MLS all-time list and the four first-half goals ties the all-time record.

Seattle set club records for points in a season (63), goals (56) and wins (18). The club scored more goals (15) in the final 15 minutes than any other club this season while allowing the fewest (four). The four-goal margin of victory over Columbus equals the club record and the three goals in 17 minutes against Columbus set a club record.

Sounders FC players also set a new standard this season. Fredy Montero set the club record for most points in a single season (33), his third year with at least 30 points, and also tied his record for most goals (12). Montero set club records for shots (108) and shots on goal (42) for the third straight season. Newcomer Mauro Rosales recorded the most assists (13) in club history, edging out Montero's 2010 output (10). Kasey Keller earned the most goalkeeper wins this season (18) and also set the club record with 110 saves. Lamar Neagle scored the second hat trick in club history, first at home.

Keller, Rosales & Schmid Among MLS Awards Finalists

Kasey Keller, Mauro Rosales and Sigi Schmid are among the finalists for the 2011 MLS postseason awards to be announced before MLS Cup on November 20.

This is the second time that Keller is a finalist for Goalkeeper of the Year. He finished first in wins (18), third in saves (110), tied for third in shutouts (9) and fifth in goals-against average (1.09). Keller started 89 straight matches since early in 2009. He was also a finalist in 2009

An early-season signing, Rosales is a finalist for Newcomer of the Year. The former Argentine international set a club record with 13 assists, ranking third in MLS. He also scored five goals.

Schmid, a two-time Coach of the Year winner, is a finalist for the second time in his three seasons with Seattle. Despite being hit hard by injuries to key players Sounders FC won the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup for a third consecutive year, advanced to the quarterfinal round of the CONCACAF Champions League and finished just four points behind the L.A. Galaxy (18-7-9, 63 points) in the Supporters' Shield race.

The finalists, listed in alphabetical order below for each award, earned the most votes in polling of three voting groups:

* Current MLS players * MLS Clubs (Coaches, Technical Directors, Presidents, and PR/Community Relations) * Media members who covered MLS regularly in 2011

Voting was based on performance in the 2011 MLS Regular Season.

This season's most outstanding individual plays will be honored on Wednesday, Nov. 16 when the AT&T Goal of the Year and the Save of the Year are announced. Voting for the AT&T Goal of the Year and the MLS Save of the Year is conducted on the League's official web site MLSsoccer.com CE3-vX1POn8o9S_279wOSW1kSEH0dAtRw].

The 2011 awards announcements conclude Friday, Nov. 18 with the unveiling of the 2011 MLS Volkswagen MVP and Commissioner's Award.

2011 Major League Soccer Awards Finalists

(Listed in alphabetical order by last name within each award category)

Rookie of the Year

C.J. Sapong (Sporting Kansas City)

XBox 360 Individual Fair Play

Sebastien Le Toux (Philadelphia Union)

XBox 360 Team Fair Play

Portland Timbers

Visa Defender of the Year Finalists - Winner to be announced Nov. 9

Nat Borchers (Real Salt Lake)

Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy)

Jamison Olave (Real Salt Lake)

MLS W.O.R.K.S. Humanitarian of the Year Finalists - Winner to be announced Nov. 9

Zak Boggs (New England Revolution)

Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo)

Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)

Referee of the Year Finalists - Winner to be announced Nov. 9

Mark Geiger

Ricardo Salazar

Kevin Stott

Assistant Referee of the Year Finalists - Winner to be announced Nov. 9

Sean Hurd

Corey Rockwell

Adam Wienckowski

Coach of the Year Finalists - Winner to be announced Nov. 14

Bruce Arena (LA Galaxy)

Sigi Schmid (Seattle Sounders FC)

Peter Vermes (Sporting Kansas City)

Comeback Player of the Year Finalists - Winner to be announced Nov. 14

David Beckham (LA Galaxy)

Charlie Davies (D.C. United)

Dominic Oduro (Chicago Fire)

Goalkeeper of the Year Finalists - Winner to be announced Nov. 15

Kevin Hartman (FC Dallas)

Kasey Keller (Seattle Sounders FC)

Faryd Mondragon (Philadelphia Union)

Newcomer of the Year Finalists - Winner to be announced Nov. 15

Eric Hassli (Vancouver Whitecaps FC)

Luke Rodgers (New York Red Bulls)

Mauro Rosales (Seattle Sounders FC)

Volkswagen Most Valuable Player Finalists - Winner to be announced Nov. 18

Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo)

Dwayne De Rosario (D.C. United)

Brek Shea (FC Dallas)

Awards Announcements Schedule:

November 8: MLS Rookie of the Year, Xbox Fair Play Individual & Team of the Year

November 9: Defender of the Year, MLS W.O.R.K.S. Humanitarian of the Year, and Referee/Assistant Referee of the Year

November 10: 2011 MLS Best XI

November 14: MLSCoach of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year

November 15: Goalkeeper of the Year and Newcomer of the Year

November 16: AT&T Goal of the Year and MLS Save of the Year

November 18: Volkswagen MVP and Commissioner's Award

Sounders FC Supporters: Simply the Best

Another record-breaking season for Sounders FC fans was completed when the eighth-largest crowd in MLS Cup Playoffs history attended the second leg of the Western Conference Semifinal. Earlier Seattle supporters set new standards for MLS season attendance (654,431 total; 38,496 average) and single match records for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup (35,615) and Pacific Northwest soccer (67,052 vs. Manchester United). Soccer attendance-when adding the crowd for the Mexico-Ecuador international friendly to the total for Sounders FC home matches in all competitions-numbered over 910,000 in 2011.

The top 10 attendances for MLS Cup Playoffs are as follows:

61,316 10/20/2002 Final LA vs NE Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass.

57,431 10/26/1997 Final DC vs COL RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C.

51,350 10/25/1998 Final CHI vs DC Rose Bowl, Pasadena, Calif.

46,011 11/22/2009 Final LA vs RSL Qwest Field, Seattle, Wash.

44,910 11/21/1999 Final LA vs DC Foxboro Stadium, Foxborough, Mass.

39,859 11/18/2007 Final NE vs HOU RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C.

39,159 10/15/2000 Final KC vs CHI RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C.

36,021 11/2/2011 West Semifinal SEA vs RSL CenturyLink Field, Seattle, Wash.

35,807 10/29/2009 West Semifinal SEA vs HOU Qwest Field, Seattle, Wash.

35,521 10/31/2010 West Semifinal SEA vs LA Qwest Field, Seattle, Wash.

Sounders FC to Face Mexico's Santos Laguna in CONCACAF Champions League

Seattle Sounders FC will face Mexico's Santos Laguna in the Quarterfinal Round of the 2011-12 CONCACAF Champions League. The pairings were determined by a draw held Tuesday at the CONCACAF offices in New York.

Sounders FC will host the first leg of the Quarterfinal Round, between March 6-8, on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field. Santos will host the second leg, between March 13-15, at Estadio Corona in Torreon, Mexico. Competition dates and ticket information will be announced soon.

The Quarterfinal Round winners advance to the two-leg Semifinal Round, which will begin March 27-29 and conclude April 3-5. The final is set to begin April 17-19 and conclude April 24-26.

The Sounders FC-Santos winner will advance to the Semifinal Round to face the winner of L.A. Galaxy-Toronto FC, the only other MLS sides in the tournament.

"We are looking forward to the quarterfinal matchup," said Sounders FC head coach Sigi Schmid. "At this stage of the competition it's never going to be an easy draw. Santos will be a difficult opponent but we're looking forward to the challenge and excited we're in this round."

Seattle earned a berth in the Champions League Preliminary Round by virtue of winning the 2010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Seattle advanced to the Group Stage with a 2-1 aggregate win over Panama's San Francisco FC. Sounders FC (3-2-1) finished second in Group D behind reigning Champions League winner CF Monterrey.

Sounders FC have already qualified for the 2012-13 tournament by virtue of winning the 2011 U.S. Open Cup.

Santos is currently fourth in the Mexican Primera Division and advanced to the quarterfinals last year before losing to Cruz Azul, 5-1 on aggregate.

The CONCACAF Champions League is open to the leading teams from federations throughout North America, Central America and the Caribbean.

CONCACAF Champions League (Home teams listed first)

Quarterfinals First Leg March 6-8, 2012

Seattle Sounders (USA) vs. Santos (MEX) Isidro Metapan (SLV) vs. Pumas (MEX) Toronto FC (CAN) vs. LA Galaxy (USA) Morelia (MEX) vs. Monterrey (MEX)

Second Leg March 13-15, 2012 Santos (MEX) vs. Seattle Sounders (USA) Pumas (MEX) vs. Isidro Metapan (SLV)

LA Galaxy (USA) vs. Toronto FC (CAN) Monterrey (MEX) vs. Morelia (MEX)

Semifinals First Leg March 27-29, 2012 LA Galaxy-Toronto FC winner vs. Santos-Seattle Sounders winner Monterrey-Morelia winner vs. Pumas-Isidro Metapan winner

Second Leg April 3-5, 2012 Santos-Seattle Sounders winner vs. LA Galaxy-Toronto FC winner

Pumas-Isidro Metapan winner vs. Monterrey-Morelia winner

Finals First Leg April 17-19, 2012 Monterrey-Morelia/Pumas-Metapan winner vs. LA Galaxy-Toronto FC/Santos-Seattle Sounders winner

Second Leg

April 24-26, 2012

LA Galaxy-Toronto FC/Santos-Seattle Sounders winner vs. Monterrey-Morelia/Pumas-Metapan winner

Recap: Sounders FC 2, Real Salt Lake 0 - November 2, Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field

A second-half surge fueled by goals from Osvaldo Alonso and Lamar Neagle provided Sounders FC with a win over Real Salt Lake yet it wasn't enough to overcome a deficit from the first leg of their MLS Western Conference Semifinal series. Real Salt Lake won, 3-2, on aggregate and advanced to face the L.A. Galaxy.

Seattle's win, before 36,021 on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field, was its first in the MLS Cup Playoffs after also qualifying in 2009 and 2010. It was the eighth-largest crowd in MLS postseason history.

Kasey Keller was required to make only one save in posting a shutout in his final professional match. Keller, 41, retires following 20 professional seasons in Europe and, for the past three years, with Sounders FC.

Seattle needed to outscore RSL by four goals to win the series after falling, 3-0, in Utah on October 29.

Pressuring the visitors' goal from the outset Sounders FC was denied until the 56th minute when they earned at penalty kick.

RSL defender Tony Beltran was whistled for a foul and issued a yellow card after pulling down Mike Fucito from behind inside the box. Alonso's ensuing penalty kick went low and down the middle of the net, past keeper Nick Rimando.

Seattle made it 2-0 just five minutes later when Fredy Montero found Lamar Neagle going hard up the left side. Neagle caught Rimando leaning the wrong way and finished with a left-footed strike inside the right post from 15-yards in the 61st minute. Alonso was also credited with an assist.

The best opportunity for Sounders FC to tie the aggregate score came from Neagle in the 69th minute. He drove a curling shot from the top of the box that Rimando saved near the upper right corner.

The Rave Green finished with 26 shots-tying their regular season record set earlier in the season versus Houston. Nine of the attempts were on goal, led by Neagle's three. Real Salt Lake managed only four shots, one on goal.

Despite a scoreless first half, Seattle dominated. They out-shot RSL 15-1 (including 4-0 on goal), and set a franchise record for corner kicks in a half with 10.

Injuries plagued Sounders FC early on as No. 2 scorer Alvaro Fernandez left the game in the 14th minute with a left hamstring injury and Brad Evans was taken off in the 21st after injuring his right ankle. They were replaced by Neagle and Roger Levesque, respectively. Mauro Rosales, who led the team with 13 assists this season, missed the entire series with an MCL sprain.

Seattle almost got on the board in the seventh minute when Erik Friberg's free kick was headed by Fernandez to Montero behind the defense, but Montero's open shot went wide right.

A long, relentless attack at the end of the first half by Seattle started in the 35th minute and created multiple opportunities, the best of which came in the 39th when, with Rimando out of position, Jeff Parke volleyed toward an open net from 18-yards only to have Beltran clear the shot with a leaping header over the crossbar.

Keller kept Seattle in aggregate contention late. In the 79th minute, Fabian Espindola got behind the defense and had Keller one-on-one, but Keller made a point-blank save.

Academy Update: U18 & U16 Teams Return from California, Pre-Academy Continues to Roll

The Sounders FC Academy squads were in action this weekend in northern California as both teams played twice with each team earning one victory.

Sounders FC academy teams took on the San Jose Earthquakes academy at Nutrilite Field on Saturday. The Sounders FC U18 team took down the Earthquakes, 2-0, with two late goals. Dom Dismuke broke a scoreless tie in the 81st minute when he scored on a ball from Stefan Bangsund and Ian Lange made it 2-0 in the 93rd on an assist from Jimmy Oganga.

Sounders FC U16's lost to the Earthquakes in a close, physical match. Seattle went up 1-0 in the 25th minute when Duncan McCormick scored on a cross from Kyle Bjornethun. San Jose equalized in the 40th minute and took a 2-1 lead in the 50th minute. Ten minutes later, Seattle keeper Connor Adkisson was issued a red card after taking down a player in the box. Keeper Trevor Larson came off the bench and saved the ensuing penalty kick but the 2-1 score was the final.

The Sounders Academy teams then traveled to Fresno, CA, to take on Cal Odyssey on Sunday. The U18's played to a scoreless draw in a wet, muddy contest. The U16's rebounded well from their loss to San Jose with a dominating 3-0 win over Cal Odyssey. Bjornethun led the way with a brace and Isidro Prado-Huerta got the final goal in the 70th minute.

The Sounders FC pre-academy team powered past the NW Nationals U18 team, 5-3, on Thursday night at Starfire as five different Sounders scored. A week earlier, the pre-academy team beat the Blackhills U18 squad, 11-1.

Throw-ins

Osvaldo Alonso will be 26 on Friday, November 11...The Sounders FC Alliance will hold its year-end business meeting on December 13 at 7 p.m. at the WaMu Theater in Seattle. For more information on the meeting see the Alliance Council blog at SoundersFC.com...Sounders FC celebrates the fourth anniversary of its founding on Sunday, November 13...The first professional indoor soccer game was played on November 11, 1980. The NASL jamboree in the Kingdome featured the Sounders, Portland and San Jose in an exhibition...When an MLS regular season match is preceded by a competitive match four or fewer days prior, Seattle's record was 19-8-2 over the past two seasons and 11-2-0 since May.

Check out the Seattle Sounders FC Statistics

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Major League Soccer Stories from November 8, 2011


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