Sounders vs. Dynamo lineups: Seattle seeks playoff berth
Published 7:03 pm Wednesday, October 12, 2016
This is a big night for Seattle Sounders FC. Less than two months ago the Sounders’ season seemed to be lost, with Seattle just one point out of the basement in the MLS’s Western Conference following a 3-0 loss to Sporting Kansas City, a loss that cost coach Sigi Schmid his job.
But since then, with the elevation of Brian Schmetzer from assistant coach to interim head coach, Seattle has gone 7-1-3, and inexplicably the Sounders find themselves in position where a victory over the last-place Houston Dynamo at home Wednesday night will clinch a playoff spot with two games remaining in the season. In late July who could have imagined Seattle would extend its streak of making the playoffs in every season of existence to eight?
Here’s the lineups as the Sounders try to secure their place in the postseason:
SEATTLE (13-13-5)
Lineup (4-2-3-1): Frei; Alfaro, Marshall, Torres, Mears; Roldan, Alonso (c); Ivanschitz, Lodeiro, Gomez; Morris.
Bench: Miller, Scott, Sturgis, Friberg, Kovar, Valdez, Anderson.
Notes: The big news in advance of the game was that striker Jordan Morris (U.S.) and playmaker Nicolas Lodeiro (Uruguay) were released early from international duty, making them available for this game. That’s crucial as with star forward Clint Dempsey out for the season because of his irregular heartbeat, Seattle would have been searching for offensive options. The Sounders’ primary left backs, Joevin Jones (international duty with Trinidad and Tobago) and Dylan Remick (concussion) are both unavailable, so rookie central defender Tony Alfaro makes his first career start as a makeshift left back. Midfielder Alvaro Fernandez (hamstring) is also out injured, meaning Herculez Gomez gets a rare start as the right-sided attacking midfielder. Defender/midfielder Brad Evans is out suspended.
HOUSTON (7-13-11)
Lineup (4-1-4-1): Willis; Beasley (c), K. Brown, Horst, Williams; Warner; Escalante, Clark, Alexander, Wenger; Bruin.
Bench: C. Brown, Anibaba, Rodriguez, Arboleda, B. Garcia, Maidana, Manotas.
Notes: Houston plays without Brazilian midfielder Alex, who is suspended, and goalkeeper Tyler Deric, who is out with an elbow injury. Midfielder Boniek Garcia, who leads the team in assists with nine, is on the bench after initially being listed as out because of a knee injury. Two players, defender Keyner Brown and midfielder Jose Escalante, are making their first starts of the season after being acquired on loan in August. The danger players are former U.S. international Ricardo Clark (four goals, four assists) and winger Andrew Wegner (five goals, three assists), as leading goal scorer Mauro Manotas (six goals) continues his role as offense off the bench.
