Opponent: Philadelphia Union
When: 1:30 p.m.
Where: CenturyLink Field
TV: NBC Sports Network
Radio: 97.3 KIRO FM; Spanish broadcast available on La Gran D 99.3 FM.
Scouting report
While the Union will be the more rested team today with Seattle having played a midweek game, Sounders FC is unquestionably the team coming into the game with momentum. While Philadelphia has struggled out of the gate this year with a 2-4-1 record, Seattle is off to the best start in franchise history with a 5-1-1 mark.
Expect the Union to try to make today’s game a defensive struggle; Philadelphia has scored just five goals, the second fewest in the league.
“They’re a very conservative team in the sense that they look to defend really well,” Sounders FC coach Sigi Schmid said. “They drop back into their own end of the field. You have to try and break down 10 players when you’re attacking, so it puts a premium on your ability to possess the ball and move the ball in the attacking part of the field. They look for their counterattacks and opportunities to get forward at the right time, so they’re a difficult team from that standpoint because they’re not going to play a very open game, especially on the road.”
Playing its third game in eight days, Seattle may rest a few starters, but having had its depth tested early this season because of injuries, Sounders FC is confident it can win regardless of who is available.
“We knew coming out of the L.A. game (Wednesday) into the Philadelphia game that we’d have to consider alternating some people and playing some different people, so we’re prepared for that,” Schmid said. “We think we have a lot of good options we can do.”
Even if a few players who started Wednesday are rested, Seattle should have right back Adam Johansson back after he was held out Wednesday, and midfielder Alvaro Fernandez also could be available after missing two games with a quadriceps injury. Sounders FC will be without starting goalkeeper Michael Gspurning, however. Gspurning left Wednesday’s game at halftime after aggravating a hip injury, and Schmid told reporters Friday that the goalkeeper will be out for 2-3 weeks. Bryan Meredith, who made his MLS debut in relief of Gspurning last weekend, will make his first start.
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