The Seattle Sounders are taking on Austin FC on Thursday in their second and final meeting of the 2021 MLS regular season. Here is everything you need to know:
WHEN AND WHERE: Kickoff is at 6:30 p.m. PT at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas.
WHERE TO WATCH: The match will air on ESPN and ESPN Deportes.
WHERE TO LISTEN: The match will be televised on 950 KJR AM and El Rey 1360 AM.
2021 RECORDS AND STANDINGS: Seattle: 8-1-5 (29 points, 1st West), Austin: 3-6-4 (13 points, 10th West)
PREVIOUS MEETING: The Sounders and Austin FC played to a scoreless draw at Lumen Field on May 30 in their first-ever meeting. Seattle outpossessed the visitors 56% to 44% and outshot them 14-12.
FORM GUIDE (most recent first): Sounders: LWDDW, Austin: LWDLD
DEPTH TESTED: The Sounders needed to rely on MLS’ Extreme Hardship rule ahead of their match last weekend and call up the Tacoma Defiance’s Samuel Adeniran and Obed Vargas. The club had nine players missing due to either injury or international call-ups. Jordan Morris, Nicolás Lodeiro, Stefan Frei, Will Bruin and Jordy Delem are all out long-term, while Nouhou and Shane O’Neill are recovering from minor injuries. Cristian and Alex Roldan are at the Concacaf Gold Cup representing the United States and El Salvador, respectively.
ARREAGA SUSPENDED: The Sounders will also be without center back Xavier Arreaga on Thursday, who is suspended because of yellow-card accumulation.
STREAK SNAPPED: Seattle’s 1-0 loss at Minnesota United last Sunday snapped an MLS-record 13-match unbeaten run to start a season.
JUST ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT ALRIGHT: After opening the season with eight straight road matches while Q2 Stadium finished construction, Austin FC debuted its new stadium on June 19. In the four matches they’ve played there, Los Verdes are only 1-1-2 with four goals scored and three against.
FORWARD DEBUT?: Austin has gone the first part of their inaugural MLS season without a true No. 9, but that might change on Thursday, as new signing Moussa Djitté could make his debut. Los Verdes signed the 21-year-old Senegalese forward from France’s Ligue 2 on June 30.
GOALSCORING GLOOM: Austin is second-worst in MLS in goals scored this season with just 10 from 13 matches, but four of them came in a 4-1 win over the Portland Timbers on July 1. They’ll face a stiff challenge in the Sounders, who lead MLS with only nine goals conceded in 14 contests.
