Here are the starting lineups for second leg of the MLS Western Conference semifinal between Seattle Sounders FC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Thursday night at CenturyLink Field. The teams played a scoreless draw in the first leg Sunday in Vancouver:
SEATTLE
Lineup (4-2-3-1): Stefan Frei; Kelvin Leerdam, Roman Torres, Chad Marshall, Nouhou; Cristian Roldan, Nicolas Lodeiro (c); Harry Shipp, Clint Dempsey, Joevin Jones; Will Bruin.
Substitutes: Tyler Miller, Tony Alfaro, Gustav Svensson, Jordy Delem, Henry Wingo, Victor Rodriguez, Lamar Neagle.
Notes: The biggest news for the Sounders, the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, is that Dempsey, the team’s leading goal scorer, is back. Dempsey was suspended for the first leg after picking up a red card in Seattle’s season finale against Colorado. However, midfield anchor Osvaldo Alonso (quadriceps), who the Sounders hoped would be able to start Thursday after making a substitute appearance in Sunday’s first leg, is left out completely. With Dempsey back in a central attacking midfield role and Alonso unavailable, Lodeiro moves back into a deeper midfield position while Delem moves to the bench. Marshall (hip) plays after being listed as questionable, while Rodriguez (quadriceps) is available off the bench after missing the past two contests. Forward Jordan Morris (hamstring) and defender/midfielder Brad Evans (back) remain out.
VANCOUVER
Lineup (4-1-4-1): Stefan Marinovic; Kendall Watson, Marcel de Jong, Jake Nerwinski, Tim Parker; Aly Ghazal; Christian Bolanos, Yordy Reyna, Nosa Igiebor, Cristian Techera; Fredy Montero.
Substitutes: David Ousted, Jordan Harvey, Nicolas Mezquida, Tony Tchani, Brek Shea, Bernie Ibini, Alphonse Davies.
Notes: The Whitecaps, the conference’s No. 3 seed, get a pair of big guns back. Techera and Reyna, who only came on as substitutes in the first leg because they were nursing injuries, are back in the starting lineup. Those two combined for 12 goals and 13 assists during the regular season, and they’ll be charged with providing the offensive threat alongside Montero, who was a member of the Sounders’ inaugural team in 2009 and remains Seattle’s all-time leading goal scorer. Tchani and Shea make way for Techera and Reyna. The Whitecaps remain without first-choice central midfielder Matias Laba, who was lost in August to a season-ending knee injury.
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