Sounders

The second game of the 2013 Cascadia Cup was played Saturday, as 10-man Portland earned a 2-2 road tie against Vancouver at B.C. Place.

The Whitecaps have still never won a rivalry game in the MLS era at 0-6-5.

Remember, the reigning champion Timbers play four of six games on the road this season after getting four of six at home in 2012. They have done well through their first two away, earning come-from-behind ties.

The Sounders get four of six at CenturyLink Field.

Here is a look at the standings and results (past winners after the jump):

Portland Timbers — 0-0-2 (2 pts.) 0 GD
Seattle Sounders FC — 0-0-1 (1 pt.) 0 GD
Vancouver Whitecaps — 0-0-1 (1 pt.), 0 GD

* * *

(more…)

Three wins in a row for Sounders FC is the longest active winning streak in MLS. Six games without a loss is the second-longest active unbeaten streak in the league (Portland is at 10, New York can also get to six Sunday afternoon).

Here is a quick look at the best winning streaks and unbeaten streaks in team history within a single season:

*     *     *

Sounders FC’s longest unbeaten streaks

Nine games — May 28-July 16, 2011 (6-0-3)
Seven games — July 11-Aug. 28, 2010 (5-0-2)
Six games — April 13-current (4-0-2)
Six games — June 30-Aug. 5, 2012 (3-0-3)
Six games — April 7-May 9, 2012 (5-0-1)
Six games — March 25-April 30, 2011 (3-0-3)
Six games — Sept. 9-Oct. 15, 2010 (5-0-1)
Six games — June 13-July 25, 2009 (3-0-3)
Six games — April 25-May 30, 2009 (1-0-5)

Sounders FC’s longest winning streaks

Five games — April 14-May 9, 2012
Five games — Sept. 18-Oct. 15, 2010
Four games — July 15-Aug. 8, 2010
Three games — May 8-current
Three games — Sept. 17-Oct. 1, 2011
Three games — June 18-June 26, 2011
Three games — Oct. 3-Oct. 24, 2009
Three games — March 19-April 4, 2009

Photo credit: Dean Rutz, The Seattle Times (full gallery here)

Here are some team-provided quotes and stats from Sounders FC’s 4-2 home win Saturday against FC Dallas.

*     *     *

Sigi Schmid – Sounders FC Head Coach

(On the game…) “Obviously a good game for the fans-exciting game. You never want to squander a two-goal lead, but we knew they were dangerous on set pieces. We lost our mark on the first one and obviously Michel hits a great ball on the second and Michael [Gspurning] got tied up. The timeliness of our third goal was really vital and we continued to get opportunities. The red card I think was justified-if you saw Leo [Gonzalez]‘s eye, you would know it’s justified. Now it’s just a situation of us continuing to do what we’ve been doing over the last few games and carry it forward. The guys know what they have to do, they know how they have to play now to win games.”

(more…)

Photo credit: Dean Rutz, The Seattle Times

There were definitely a few talking points from CenturyLink Field on Saturday, as Sounders FC earned a 4-2 home win against FC Dallas. The most controversial play came in the 72nd minute, when Dallas forward Blas Perez caught Seattle defender Leo Gonzalez with an elbow as they battled for a header (available at the 6:25 of the video highlights).

Gonzalez was bloodied on the play, as you can see above, and after some discussion, referee Mark Geiger eventually issued Perez a red card.

The Twitter reaction from (presumably unbiased) national folk was a bit split from what I could tell; here are some posts from Real Salt Lake, Taylor Twellman and Alexi Lalas.

Here was Sounders FC coach Sigi Schmid‘s take: “The red card I think was justified. If you saw Leo’s eye, you would know it’s justified.”

And here was FC Dallas coach Schellas Hyndman: “You know what? The nice thing is technology today is wonderful. I would encourage each of you to take off your Sounders hat and go look at the video, and you can see that if anything, Gonzalez ran into him. I was just a little confused that the referees couldn’t get it right. I think what ended up happening is, it’s like a policeman shows up and a guy’s got a bloody face so somebody must have hit him. I think I wasn’t real pleased with it, but it’s the way the game goes. You’re counting on the right decisions being made by the linesmen and the referees and they really have the best position, so it is what it is.”

So what do you think?

*     *     *

*     *     *

Check out the highlights of Sounders FC’s 4-2 home win Saturday against FC Dallas above, and I’ve collected some postgame notes below:

— FC Dallas lost for the first time since March 10, ending a nine-game unbeaten streak.
— Sounders FC has won three straight, four of five and is on a six-game unbeaten streak (3-0-3), which is tied for third best in team history.
— Sounders FC is on a 4-0-3 run in all competitions.
— Sounders FC improved to 5-1-4 head-to-head against Dallas (3-1-1 at home), with wins in four of the last five games.
— Sounders FC had a shutout streak end at 272 minutes in the second half. It was the fifth-longest in MLS this season, just behind Seattle’s 285-minute streak earlier this year.
— Sounders FC hasn’t been shut out in five games.
— The Sounders are 29-0-8 when scoring the game’s first goal (4-0-2 this year), the longest active unbeaten run in MLS dating to the end of 2010. The league record is 58 games set by New York.
— Eddie Johnson is up to 59 goals in his MLS career, 24th in league history (Mark Chung and Clint Mathis are tied for 22nd at 61 goals).
— Obafemi Martins has three goals in his last three games. Those have come in 205 minutes, giving him an MLS-best 1.32 goals-per-90 average (among those with multiple goals).
— Lamar Neagle is up to three goals in MLS, four in all competitions.
— 11 shots on goal set a new Sounders FC team record. Four goals in back-to-back is, too.
— Eight goals in back-to-back games matched a Sounders FC team record.
— Sounders FC had an 8-0 scoring streak against MLS teams at one point (one in Philadelphia, one in Kansas City, four vs. San Jose, and the first two vs. Dallas).
— Seattle’s two first-half goals were the earliest allowed this season by Dallas.
— This was the first time this season Dallas trailed at halftime.

Welcome to CenturyLink Field, where we’ll have a good one tonight.

Sounders FC, on a five-game unbeaten streak, hosts league-leading FC Dallas, on a nine-game unbeaten streak, in a 7:30 p.m. kickoff.

Seattle is closer to full strength, with Steve Zakuani (groin) and Mauro Rosales (shoulder) the main question marks coming into this one. The Sounders boast a 4-1-4 advantage head-to-head, having won three of the last four.

Dallas is expected to be without local product George John, a Shoreline native and University of Washington product, due to a knee injury. He’s close to being ready, but coach Schellas Hyndman was reportedly a bit wary of bringing him back on artificial turf.

Other notes to look out for, Seattle has a 219-minute shutout streak (longest active in MLS). FC Dallas hasn’t trailed at halftime all season.

Full lineups below when they’re available.

*     *     *

Sounders FC lineup: GK Michael Gspurning, D DeAndre Yedlin, D Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, D Djimi Traore, D Leo Gonzalez, M Brad Evans, M Osvaldo Alonso, M Servando Carrasco, M Mario Martinez, F Lamar Neagle, F Eddie Johnson

Sounders FC bench: GK Marcus Hahnemann, D Zach Scott, D Marc Burch, M Shalrie Joseph, M Alex Caskey, F David Estrada, F Obafemi Martins

FC Dallas lineup: GK Raul Fernandez, D Zach Loyd, D Matt Hedges, D London Woodberry, D Jair Benitez, M Michel, M Je-Vaughn Watson, M Jackson, F Eric Hassli, F Blas Perez, F Kenny Cooper

FC Dallas bench: GK Chris Seitz, D Walker Zimmerman, D Stephen Keel, M Andrew Jacobson, M David Ferreira, M Bobby Warshaw, F Fabian Castillo

Note: This is Seattle’s 14th lineup in 14 games in all competitions (10 MLS, 4 CCL). Servando Carrasco starts four league games in a row for the first time in his career. Mauro Rosales out with the sprained shoulder and Steve Zakuani out with the groin injury. Rosales was the only Sounder to have played every game in all competitions. Two DPs on the bench with Obafemi Martins and Shalrie Joseph. Marcus Hahnemann is back from his suspension.

Sounders FC (3-3-3) vs. FC Dallas (7-1-3)
Saturday, May 18, 7:30 p.m., CenturyLink Field, Seattle, Wash.
TV/radio: KING 5, 97.3 FM (Ross Fletcher, Kasey Keller)
Spanish TV/radio: THIS-TV (KOMO 4.2), La Gran D 99.3 FM
Referee: Mark Geiger

KEY DALLAS PLAYERS

M David Ferreira — The league’s MVP in 2010 missed last week with a leg injury, but it sounds like he should be back in the lineup. He, of course, scored here in 2010, an 87th-minute equalizer to sent the Sounders to 4-8-4 on the season (Seattle went on to close the season on a 10-2-2 run). He’s the engine in the attack, so much so the team runs more of a 4-2-3-1 formation around him when he’s playing and more of a 4-4-2 when he’s not.

M Michel — The Brazilian newcomer has three assists this season, tied with Ferreira for the team lead, and is a bit of a set-piece specialist. In the run of play, he’s played in the defensive midfield spot vacated by Daniel Hernandez. It’s a position that isn’t easy to quantify in stats, but coach Schellas Hyndman said the 31-year-old is leading the discussion for team MVP this year. Definitely someone the league is coming to know quickly.

D Matt Hedges — If local product George John (a Shoreline native and University of Washington product) isn’t able to return from his knee injury, a lot of defensive responsibility will fall on the second-year center back who was in the mix for MLS Rookie of the Year in 2012. At 6-foot-4, he’s a dangerous target on set pieces, as well, having scored a few weeks ago against Vancouver. He also had three goals his rookie season.

(more…)

Zach Scott called it “unavoidable.”

When the U.S. Open Cup third-round draw came out Wednesday, it was impossible for the Sounders FC defender not to notice a possible matchup with his younger brother Dan, who plays for the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the second-tier North American Soccer League.

The Rowdies face VSI Tampa Bay in a second-round game Tuesday and the winner faces three-time champion Seattle on May 29.

Zach sent Dan a text message after the draw.

“His first response, which was the correct one, was, ‘Hey, we’ve got a game against VSI on Tuesday, so we definitely have to win that one before we can even look ahead,’” said Zach Scott of his brother. “I know he loves their coach, and their coach is a real professional. He’s going to have them completely grounded. Obviously that’s unavoidable to look into the future, it’s what we did when we were playing MLS clubs as a lower-division team, but they’re going to be ready. I’m certain they’ll win that game on Tuesday and we’ll see them in a couple weeks.”

You might remember Zach and Dan faced off in the 2011 Open Cup, when Dan played for the Kitsap Pumas.

But is there any way Zach will be rooting against his brother Tuesday? If the Rowdies win, the third-round game will be in Florida, forcing the Sounders into some crazy travel in between league trips to Los Angeles on May 26 and June 1.

If the Rowdies lose, Seattle will host VSI at Starfire Stadium in Tukwila.

Zach’s answer?

“100 percent,” he said. “As a soccer fan, I want to play my brother. As a guy that would hopefully be recovering between games, I’d rather not have to take a cross-country trip. I know everybody on this team is the same way.”

Preliminary design of a Sounders FC license plate available for order in January. Photo credit: Courtesy of Seahawks/Sounders FC

*     *     *

Washington State Governor Jay Inslee signed a bill Friday that will make Sounders FC and Seahawks license plates available to order in January. The ceremony was held at the VMAC and proceeds will benefit three non-profits.

Take a look at the preliminary design of the Sounders plate above, as the idea was the celebrate the fans. The Department of Licensing will work with law enforcement to ensure readability, according to a news release, and the designs will be finalized sometime this summer or early fall.

“The license plates are a distinctive way Seahawks and Sounders FC fans can display their passion and support local non-profits,” said Peter McLoughlin, president of both teams, in the release.

Here is a piece online from the Seahawks that should answer any questions you may have — how to order, price, info on the non-profits, personalizing, etc.

Are you going to get one?