MLS Seattle Sounders FC

Sounders FC News & Notes

Published on May 28, 2012 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Seattle Sounders FC News Release


Sounders FC Hosts Atlanta in U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday

The quest to become the first club to win four successive Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup championships begins this Wednesday as Seattle Sounders FC hosts the Atlanta Silverbacks in a third-round match at Starfire Stadium in Tukwila, Wash. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. PT.

A live webcast will be available on SoundersFC.com with Ross Fletcher calling the action.

Sounders FC (7-3-3, 24 points) concluded a busy month of MLS play last weekend with its second straight comeback road draw. David Estrada netted his team-leading fifth goal of the season, and Fredy Montero and Alex Caskey each registered their team-high third assists. Montero now has four goals and three assists in his past seven outings.

With the draw, Seattle improved to 2-0-3 on the road this season and holds the league's longest road unbeaten streak at 10 games (7-0-3), two shy of tying the all-time MLS record. Sounders FC will play six of its next eight MLS matches away from home.

Seattle will look to extend another unbeaten streak on Wednesday as the club begins its Open Cup title defense. Last season, Sounders FC became the first MLS side, and first team in 42 years, to win three consecutive titles.

The third-round fixture features a matchup with the Atlanta Silverbacks of the North American Soccer League. Atlanta is still searching for its first league win of the season after going 0-5-4 through its first nine matches. The club earned a 1-1 draw against the Fort Lauderdale Strikers on Saturday, and will return to league play with a visit to FC Edmonton next Sunday.

Pending the results in Wednesday's Open Cup matches, Sounders FC could visit the Portland Timbers or host Cal FC in the fourth-round next Tuesday, June 5.

Sounders FC has a three-week break from league play as the next match is on June 16 at Montreal. Seattle will host the Vancouver Whitecaps FC in an MLS Reserve League game on Friday at Starfire Stadium.

Tickets to home MLS matches are available through www.SoundersFC.com, all Ticketmaster Outlets, CenturyLink Field Box Office or by calling 877-MLS-GOAL.

Sounders Fast Facts

* David Estrada is tied-seventh in MLS with five goals. Fredy Montero and Alex Caskey are tied-ninth with three assists. Montero leads the league with 65 shots and 23 shots on goal.

* Seattle continues to lead the league in goals against average (0.69). Only one other team, Sporting Kansas City, is under one goal per game.

* Seattle has scored 11 of its 16 goals in the second-half, including seven in the final half-hour. In 2011 Sounders FC scored 15 goals in the final 15 minutes - far and away the league leader - and 26 goals in the final half-hour.

* The result at Chivas also marked the second comeback result for Seattle this season. The Rave Green led MLS last season with a 7-7-3 record when conceding first.

* Sounders FC extended its unbeaten streak following a loss to 10 games (7-0-3) over all competitions, dating back to July 30, 2011. Overall, Seattle is 18-10-10 coming of a loss in all competitions. It has been 436 days since Seattle last lost back-to-back games (March 19, 2011), which is the longest current streak by any MLS team and second-longest in league history (San Jose - 1,302 total days from 2004-08).

* If Montero plays in Seattle's next MLS match at Montreal he will become the first Sounders FC player with 100 MLS regular-season appearances for the club.

Going for History

Since their inception in 2009, Sounders FC have sought to make history, both on the pitch and in the stands. The crowds have filled the stands for 58 consecutive sellouts, establishing season records for average attendance in each of the first three years. On the pitch, the Rave Green have proven the most successful expansion side since 1998, qualifying to the playoffs each season and winning three Open Cup titles.

Sounders FC will go for history again this season as the club attempts to become the first team in the tournament's 99-year history to win three successive Open Cup championships. In 2011 Seattle became the first club in 42 years and fourth altogether to win the Open Cup three consecutive years. Historically, MLS teams have dominated the Open Cup since beginning their involvement in 1996, winning 15 of the last 16 championships, and the only exception was second-tier Rochester's triumph 1999.

A Look Back at Championship Runs

The past three years have supplied countless memories for the Sounders FC faithful, and perhaps the greatest times have been had in the Open Cup tournament. Overall, Seattle has won 13 games with a lone draw in 2010 (advancing past Portland in the penalty shootout, 4-3), and has outscored its opponents 28-8.

2009 U.S. Open Cup

4/28/09RSL W 4-1 SEA: Le Toux (24, 55), Nyassi (26), King (53); RSL: Johnson (32)

5/26/09COL W 1-0 SEA: Forrest (61)

7/01/09at POR W 2-1 SEA: Levesque (1), King 27; POR: Keita (43)

7/07/09KC W 1-0 SEA: Le Toux (89)

7/21/09HOU W 2-1 SEA: Jaqua (89), King (94); HOU: Akinbiyi (32)

9/02/09at DC W 2-1 SEA: Montero (67), Levesque (86); DC: Simms (89)

2010 U.S. Open Cup

6/30/10at POR D 1-1 (4-3) SEA: Jaqua (13); POR: Dike (38)

7/07/10LA W 2-0 SEA: Jaqua (50, 62)

9/01/10CHV W 3-1 SEA: Jaqua (10, 92+), Montero (58); CHV: Padilla (68)

10/5/10CLB W 2-1 SEA: Nyassi (38, 66); CLB: Burns (24)

2011 U.S. Open Cup

6/28/11KIT W 2-1 SEA: Fucito (39, 62); KIT: Besagno (71)

7/13/11LA W 3-1 SEA: Jaqua (3), Montero (25), Neagle (74); LA: Cristman (40)

8/30/11DAL W 1-0 SEA: Montero (40)

10/4/11CHI W 2-0 SEA: Montero (78), Alonso (96+)

Open Cup History in Seattle

A Seattle team has advanced to the Open Cup semifinals each of the last five years. Sounders FC won the title in 2009, 2010 and 2011. The USL-1 Sounders reached that stage in both 2007 (against FC Dallas) and 2008 (Charleston). Prior to the Sounders FC victory over D.C. United in 2009, the only Seattle club to qualify for an Open Cup final was the amateur Mitre Eagles in 1987. The Eagles fell to Club Espana of Washington, D.C., on penalties following a 0-0 draw. While the NASL Sounders did not participate in the Open Cup, the A-League Sounders competed on an annual basis, beginning in 1995. They lost to El Paso in the semifinals that season, and also advanced to the final four in 1996.

Cup Notes

If any U.S. Open Cup game is tied at the end of regulation, a 30-minute extra time period (consisting of two 15-minute halves) shall be played in its entirety. If the score is still tied at the end of the 30-minute extra time period, the game shall be decided by a penalty kick tiebreaker. Teams are limited to five foreign players on the 18-player match roster and only one assist is counted in the official records.

The 99th edition of the U.S. Open Cup includes a 64-team field, which represents the largest pool in the modern era (1995-present). All Division I, II and III professional clubs participated in the tournament proper for the first time ever. The Division I field includes all 16 U.S.-based MLS teams, which is double the representation from the past five years.

The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, the U.S. Soccer Federation's National Championship, is an annual competition open to all amateur and professional soccer teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer. It is the oldest annual team tournament in U.S. sports history and among the oldest soccer tournaments of its type in the world.

The quarterfinals are set for June 26, the semifinals for July 10, and the final for August 7 or 8.

Road to Champions League

Seattle has used the U.S. Open Cup as a path to the CONCACAF Champions League the past three seasons, securing one of the four U.S. seeds in the international tournament. Sounders FC advanced to the quarterfinals in 2011, and has already qualified for the 2012/13 tournament by winning the last year's Open Cup.

Seattle will learn its CCL opponents and dates following the conclusion of the CFU Club Champions Cup, which will determine the three Caribbean berths. So far, 21 of the 24 spots have been filled, and four other MLS teams have qualified, including L.A. Galaxy, Houston Dynamo, Real Salt Lake and Toronto FC.

QUALIFIERS

North America (9)

United States (4): Los Angeles Galaxy, Seattle Sounders, Real Salt Lake, Houston Dynamo

Mexico (4): Tigres UANL, Santos Laguna, Monterrey, Chivas de Guadalajara

Canada (1): Toronto FC

Caribbean (3)

CFU Club Champions Cup (3): Yet to be determined

Central America (12)

Costa Rica (2): Alajuelense, Herediano

El Salvador (2): Isidro Metapan, CD FAS, Aguila

Guatemala (2): Municipal, Xelaju

Honduras (2): Olimpia, Marathon

Nicaragua (1): Real Esteli

Panama (2): Chorillo FC, Tauro FC

About Atlanta

The Silverbacks are members of the North American Soccer League - the second-tier of American soccer. The Atlanta side defeated the Georgia Revolution (NPSL), 1-0, last Tuesday in Conyers, Ga.

Tacoma-native and University of Washington graduate Raphael Cox scored the winner in the second-round match. The midfielder played for the Tacoma Tide in 2007-08 and played six games in 2009 for the MLS Cup Champion Real Salt Lake team. Cox's younger brother, Jamael, plays for the Sounders U23 team. Midfielder Ciaran O'Brien is a Federal Way native who played collegiately for San Diego and UCSB before signing a Generation adidas contract in MLS in 2008. He was drafted by the Colorado Rapids and loaned to the USL Sounders in 2008. He signed with the Silverbacks in 2011.

Others with MLS experience include midfielder Nico Colaluca (Colorado Rapids, 2007-2009; New England Revolution, 2009-2010), defender Jose Burciaga, Jr. (Kansas City Wizards, 2001-2007; Colorado Rapids, 2008) and midfielder Tony McManus (Chicago Fire, 2004; FC Dallas, 2005). Burciaga was an MLS Best XI defender in 2006 and was the MLS Humanitarian of the Year in 2008. Forward Reinaldo Navia has 10 goals in 40 appearances for Chile from 1999-2007. He leads the league with five goals this season. Midfielder/defender Danilo Turcios has 85 caps and seven goals for Honduras from 1999-2010. He is in his first season in the NASL, too.

Head Coach Alex Pineda Chacon was the 2001 MLS MVP with the Miami Fusion where he scored 19 goals in 25 matches on a team that also featured Sounders FC technical director Chris Henderson. He would only play three seasons in MLS, though, including one with Sigi Schmid's LA Galaxy in 2003. He is in his second season at the helm of the Silverbacks after four years as an assistant coach.

Recap: Seattle Sounders FC 1 at Chivas USA 1 - May 26, 2012

David Estrada scored his fifth goal of the season as Sounders FC and Chivas USA played to a 1-1 draw Saturday night at the Home Depot Center. Fredy Montero and Alex Caskey assisted on the equalizer after surrendering a Chivas goal three minutes earlier.

Sounders FC extended its road unbeaten streak to 10 games (7-0-3), two shy of tying the MLS record.

Chivas USA picked up its second straight draw and is unbeaten (1-0-3) in its last four games.

After a Chivas goal in the 58th minute, Seattle responded quickly in the 61st. Montero found Caskey just outside the box on the left side, who then sent a cross to a streaking Estrada. The 24-year-old got behind the defense to find the cross and flicked it inside the far post. It was Estrada's team-high fifth goal of the season and his first since March 23rd.

Caskey had come on for Alvaro Fernandez less than a minute earlier. He and Montero are tied for the team lead with three assists in 2012.

Montero has scored or assisted in five of his last seven games. The Colombian striker nearly scored minutes earlier when he and Estrada combined to create an open shot at the top of the box, but the hard shot went wide.

Former Sounders James Riley and Peter Vagenas helped set up the Chivas USA score in the 58th minute. Vagenas played to a wide-open to Riley on the right side, who sent a cross into the box, and Juan Agudelo rose above the crowd and put a strong header inside the far post. It was 19-year-old's first goal of 2012.

Seattle extended their unbeaten streak (7-0-3) following a loss to 10 games across all competitions. All three of Seattle's draws have come on the road this season.

The Rave Green were close on a couple of chances at the end of each half. In the 42nd minute, Alvaro Fernandez headed the ball to a streaking Burch on the left side of the box, but Burch's cross near the end line was blocked by goalkeeper Dan Kennedy.

In first half stoppage time, Mauro Rosales tried to redirect a clearance in the box, but the shot bounced wide.

Andy Rose came close on a couple chances towards the end of the game. In the 82nd minute, he leapt above the crowd to head a Rosales corner kick, but the attempt went over the crossbar. In the 90th minute, Eddie Johnson made a run up the left side, barely missed Cordell Cato with a cross, but Rose collected the ball at the top of the box for a hard strike that was blocked by a defender.

Recap: Seattle Sounders FC 0 vs. Columbus Crew 2 - May 23, 2012

Goals by Justin Meram and Emilio Renteria were the difference as Sounders FC lost to the Columbus Crew 2-0 in front of 38,311 on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field. Columbus (1-3-3 vs. Seattle) beat Sounders FC for the first time in club history.

Columbus got on the board in the 15th minute when Meram scored in his third consecutive game. Dilly Duka sent a left-footed cross from the right side as Meram got behind the defense and connected with a strong header.

Renteria made it 2-0 in the 76th minute with his first goal of the season. He controlled a loose ball and sent a half-volley from 30 yards out, just out of the reach of a leaping Bryan Meredith.

Despite finishing scoreless, the Rave Green outshot the Crew 21-5 and had 12 corners to Columbus' one.

Sounders FC almost equalized right before the half on a near miss by Alvaro Fernandez. Adam Johansson sent a ball to David Estrada in the box, who chipped a high cross to Fernandez for a strong header, but the ball bounced wide.

Seattle forward Fredy Montero, the MLS leader in shots coming in to the game, was close on numerous occasions in the second half and finished with nine shots, three of which were on goal. Montero finished with nine shots, breaking his previous franchise record of eight shots at Portland on July 10, 2011.

In the 51st minute, Montero controlled a Johansson cross and sent a hard shot, but Columbus keeper Andy Gruenebaum made a diving save. In the 55th minute, he got behind the defense and sent a low, hard shot, but Gruenebaum again dove and smothered the save.

Sounders U23's Earn Draw in PDL Home Opener

Sounders FC U23 (1-1-2, 5 points) drew 0-0 against the Victoria Highlanders Friday night their PDL home opener at Franklin Pierce High School. This marks the second draw against the Highlanders this season as the sides met just two weeks ago in Victoria and played to a 1-1 result.

Sounders FC Academy products Darwin Jones, Sean Okoli, and DeAndre Yedlin all started for the U23's. Jones almost scored in the 6th minute when his one-on-one with the keeper was saved. In the 26th, Yedlin crossed to a rising Okoli, but the striker's header went over the crossbar. Okoli also nearly scored at the end of the first half, and had another strong opportunity at the start of the second half.

Sounders FC U23 returns to action Sunday night when they play at Fraser Valley Mariners FC.

Date Change: Sounders FC to Host San Jose on September 22

The Seattle Sounders FC announced that the match versus the San Jose Earthquakes scheduled for September 23 at CenturyLink Field has been moved to Saturday, September 22. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. PT on KONG 6/16.

The kickoff time for the match against the L.A. Galaxy on Sunday, August 5 has been changed to 6 p.m. PT on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field. The match will be nationally televised on ESPN2.

Throw-ins

The referee for Wednesday's Open Cup match is Josh Wilkens, The assistants are Baboucarr Jallow and William Niccolls, and the fourth official is Chipalo Street...A Sounders FC player has earned Player of the Tournament honors the past three seasons: Kasey Keller (2009), Nate Jaqua (2010) and Fredy Montero (2011).

Check out the Seattle Sounders FC Statistics

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Major League Soccer Stories from May 28, 2012


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