TUKWILA — The U.S. Open Cup may not draw the crowds or garner the attention of Major League Soccer regular season games, but don’t think Seattle Sounders FC is taking tonight’s game lightly.
Seattle, which beat the Portland Timbers last week to advance to the quarterfinals of the Open Cup, hosts the Kansas City Wizards tonight at Startfire Sports Complex.
“I think we’re taking it seriously,” said midfielder Steve Zakuani. “We went to Portland and played a very good team against a tough crowd and won the game, so we don’t want that to go to waste [tonight]. We’ve earned the right to play here again, so yeah, we’re definitely taking it seriously.”
Zakuani, who is returning from an ankle injury, is one of several starters who could be in the lineup tonight, Sounders FC coach Sigi Schmid said. While it is common for MLS teams to rest a number of their starters for midweek Open Cup games, Schmid figures field more of his regulars than usual since Seattle didn’t play last weekend.
“It changes our lineup a little bit because we didn’t play,” Schmid said. “We want to get guys back in the rhythm.”
Among the starters expected to play tonight is goalkeeper Kasey Keller. He joked last week that he is just hoping to stay on the field for the whole game if he plays against Kansas City. Early this season, Keller was redcarded for playing the ball with his hands outside of box in a 1-0 loss against Kansas City, Seattle’s only loss at Qwest Field.
Keller and the rest of his teammates hope not only to get a win today, but to get into top form before Saturday’s game against the Houston Dynamo, who own the league’s best record.
“Had we played on Saturday, then we probably would have gone into the game a bit more cautious looking ahead to Houston,” Zakuani said. “But since we had Saturday, playing on Tuesday is fine. We’ll have four days off before Houston so it’s going to be a good time. I think the team’s up for it, we’re definitely taking it seriously. Kansas City will be good, they beat us at Qwest earlier in the season, so it’ll be a good chance to see how far we’ve come.”
If Seattle wins, it hosts a July 21 semifinal at Starfire against either the Houston Dynamo of MLS or the Charleston Battery of the USL first division.
And if the pride of trying to win an Open Cup isn’t enough motivation for Seattle, the bonus that comes with a title should help.
“What was the Jerry Maguire line? Show me the money,” Schmid said. “As you get closer, as you move up in the rounds, the smell of the money gets a little stronger… If that doesn’t motivate you I don’t know what does.”
Herald Writer John Boyle: jboyle@heraldnet.com.
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