Last Saturday, Sounders FC topped Vancouver Whitecaps FC 3-0, picking up three goals, one Stefan Frei shutout and three key points against a regional rival.
On Wednesday, it happened again.
Both contests – the first a league match to claim the Cascadia Cup, the second a decisive game that pushed Seattle into next year’s quarterfinals of the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League – were major victories to boost the Rave Green’s excellent run of form.
As Head Coach Sigi Schmid noted after Wednesday’s match, the club is “talking about sequencing ourselves, building our confidence level and continuing to win games.”
Unbeaten in five matches across all competitions – the club’s longest such streak of the season – the Sounders are hitting stride at an opportune time. And there’s plenty of numbers to prove it.
SEASONAL SIZZLES
The Sounders (14-13-3, 45 points) remained in sole possession of fourth place in the Western Conference after Saturday’s win at Vancouver. The three-point result gives the Rave Green a five-point buffer above the postseason cutoff line with four matches remaining. Currently, three points separate Seattle from Supporters’ Shield co-leaders Vancouver Whitecaps FC and the New York Red Bulls.
On Saturday, Frei earned his 10th shutout of the season – a new career-high. He also reached 100 saves on the season – the second-most in MLS – to become the first goalkeeper in the league this season to reach the 10 wins-10 shutouts-100 saves plateau. Forward Obafemi Martinsleads MLS in three categories: scoring percentage (36.1 percent), goals-per-game (0.76) and shots-on-goal percentage (63.9 percent). In addition, forward Clint Dempsey ranks first in MLS in assists per game (0.76).
LAST WEEK’S LISTINGS
Saturday’s 3-0 win at BC Place gave the Sounders their first Cascadia Cup since 2011. Midfielder Andreas Ivanschitz began the scoring with his first MLS goal in his first MLS start, while Gonzalo Pineda record his first goal of the season en route to winning AT&T MLS Goal of the Week. It was the club’s seventh time earning the distinction the season – the most of any MLS side. Pineda’s three previous MLS goals all came on penalty kicks. Martins added the contest’s third score for his sixth goal in six games since returning from injury in mid-August.
In a true must-win situation, the Sounders defeated the Whitecaps 3-0 on Wednesday in the Group Stage of the 2015-2016 Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League. The victory advances the Rave Green beyond the “group of death” and into the quarterfinals for the third time in club history.
Lamar Neagle scored two goals to become the fourth player in club history to record a brace in SCCL play. Neagle leads the team with three goals during this year’s tournament and ranks tied for third in club history with four SCCL goals. In his first SCCL start, Nelson Valdez became the second player in club history to record a goal and two assists in a Champions League match, joining Andy Rose (3-1 win vs. Caledonia AIA on Aug. 2, 2012).
MATCHUP MASHUP
Next up, the Sounders travel to the Midwest to face Sporting Kansas City (12-9-8, 44 points) for the third and final time this season. Sporting currently sits one point behind the Sounders on the conference table with one game in hand. Winners in just one of its past seven matches, Sporting Kansas City most recently fell 1-0 to the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday. Sporting rank second in the conference and fifth overall with 44 goals in 2015. The club will be without two of its key contributors, defender Matt Besler and midfielder Benny Feilhaber, due to yellow card accumulation.
Sporting delivered the Sounders their first MLS loss franchise history in April 2009, but the Sounders hold a 7-2-2 edge in the all-time series in MLS play, and are 2-1-0 all-time at Sporting Park. This season, the two sides played to a scoreless draw in May and a 1-0 SKC win in June.
THROWBACK – Aug. 6, 2011
On the brink of a 1-0 loss at Sporting Park on a blistering summer day, the Sounders roared to a resilient 2-1 win in second-half stoppage time to leave the hosts stunned. Sporting Kansas City took the initial lead in the 20th minute on a score from forward Kei Kamara.
The score remained 1-0 through 90 minutes, despite Sporting losing Omar Bravo to an ejection in the 59th minute. In second-half stoppage time, Seattle midfielder Mauro Rosales sliced through the Sporting defense and tucked a goal inside the far post. Minutes later, the Argentine played a ball to Neagle, whose shot attempt struck the post and pinged into the net to end Sporting’s 14-game unbeaten streak.
KEY TO THE GAME
Ride the momentum wave. Over the past few weeks, the tides have turned for these two clubs – Sporting has garnered just four points in the past seven matches, while Seattle hasn’t lost in nearly four weeks. The all-time series between Seattle and Kansas City has historically been low-scoring and close. On five occasions, Seattle has scored in second-half stoppage time and all 11 meetings have been decided by one goal or fewer. Ten of the 11 meetings have had three combined goals or fewer. Based on the all-time series and recent form, the Sounders could sneak away with its second road win in as many weeks. They must be cautious, though, of a club desperate for playoff position in the waning moments of the campaign.
