We all know Clint Dempsey is really good at soccer, but Dempsey is really, really good at soccer against the Portland Timbers. His 77th minute goal in Sunday’s match not only provided Sounders FC a 1-0 victory against its Cascadian counterparts, but it also marked Dempsey’s fourth straight match in the series with a goal. Next up, the Sounders visit New York City FC at historic Yankee Stadium for the first match between Seattle and the expansion team from the Big Apple.
These numbers are just the tip of the iceberg (err, bonfire?). Let’s crunch some more stats and facts that stand out for the Rave Green.
Seasonal Sizzles
Sunday’s win puts the club in third place in the Western Conference with a 4-2-1 record – plus one game in hand on second-place FC Dallas and two games in hand on league-leading Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Currently, the Sounders rank first in the Western Conference with an average of 1.86 points per match, and are one of only three clubs in MLS with a win in more than half of its matches (Vancouver, D.C. United).
Although the Sounders are known for dazzling offensive performances, their defense has been among the best in the league in 2015. Seattle has allowed the fewest goals (five) in the Western Conference. The one other club who has help its opponents to five, the New York Red Bulls, has done so in just six games, so the Rave Green lead the league with a 0.71 goals against average. In addition, the Sounders have a plus-five goal differential, the best in the conference.
Dempsey and Obafemi Martins are currently tied for third in MLS with four goals apiece. Dempsey, who has registered a goal or an assist in all five league appearances in 2015, ranks first in MLS with an average of .84 goals per 90 minutes among players who have appeared in at least 90 minutes of action.
Last Week’s Listings
After two straight matches of peppering the opposition with shot attempts, Sunday’s match against Portland featured a much slower pace, as the two sides combined for five shots on goal, tied for the fewest mark in matchup history.
Dempsey’s game-winner gives him six goals against the Timbers, the most in the series. As a club, Sounders FC improves to 6-2-4 against the Timbers in the regular season series, including three consecutive wins and an unbeaten record at home (4-0-2). With Sunday’s attendance number of 41,451, Sounders FC moves to 15-1-3 all-time in front of crowds of 40,000 or more, including a 4-0-1 record against the Timbers.
Matchup Mashup
Next, Sounders FC faces New York City FC. The 2015 expansion franchise opened the season with an away draw at Orlando City and a home win against the New England Revolution. Since then, the club has gone winless in six straight matches, the longest streak in MLS this season, resulting in a 1-4-3 record on the year.
The Sounders won their only match against an Eastern Conference foe in 2015 when the club opened the season with a 3-0 over New England on March 8.
Key(s) to the Game
Tenacious defense. With Chad Marshall back from a one-game suspension, Head Coach Sigi Schmid should have his first-choice defense for Sunday’s match. The Sounders have done fairly well in their first meetings against expansion teams, posting a 1-1-2 record against Portland, Vancouver, Philadelphia and Montreal. A major factor on Sunday will be the performance of Stefan Frei, who is tied for the league-lead with four shutouts and will look to combat the offensive energy from the opposition.
