Sounders open at home against Galaxy

Published 5:32 pm Thursday, February 10, 2011

Major League Soccer announced its regular season schedule Thursday for the 2011 season that will kick off in Seattle when Sounders FC hosts the Los Angeles Galaxy on March. 15.

Seattle plays another of the league’s marquee teams four days later, traveling to New York to face Thierry Henry, Rafa Marquez and the New York Red Bulls.

Two of the highlights on Seattle’s home schedule will be games against the league’s two new teams, the Vancouver Whitecaps and the Portland Timbers. Sounders FC hosts Portland on May 14 and Vancouver on June 11. Seattle plays at Portland on July 10 and at Vancouver on Sept. 24.

Five of Seattle’s games, including the season opener, will be shown on ESPN or ESPN 2, with the rest of the games being televised on King-5 or Kong 6/16.

With the addition of Vancouver and Portland, MLS teams will play 34 regular season games this season, facing each team home and away.