Due to Sounders FC’s immense success since joining MLS in 2009, there have been many notable numbers that stand out, from the well-documented to the obscure. Statistics can not only represent club performance, but also serve as a bridge to the past, connecting players of young and old through achievements on the pitch. For instance, did you know that Sounders FC had an equal number of goals and assists (65) in 2014? It was just the 20th time in MLS history a club has achieved this feat.
Keep an eye on this space going forward, as SoundersFC.com will share some of the club’s most noteworthy statistical musings.
Seasonal Sizzles
Obafemi Martins has scored a goal in all three matches he’s played in, while Clint Dempsey has tallied either a goal or an assist in each of his three appearances. Together, they have combined for all six of the team’s goals in 2015, and are tied for second in MLS with three goals apiece.
Dempsey’s goal 18 seconds into the match against San Jose on March 14 is the fastest score in club history across all competitions and the sixth fastest in MLS history. He currently ranks first in MLS with 1.01 goals per 90 minutes among players who have appeared in at least three matches. Meanwhile, the Rave Green is now 21-1-0 all-time when Martins scores a goal. The Nigerian’s 28 goals and 9 game-winners both rank second in club history.
On the flip side, Seattle’s stout defense is off to a historic start. For the second time in club history (2009), Sounders FC has posted a clean sheet in three of its first four MLS fixtures. Goalkeeper Stefan Frei is currently tied for the league-high in with three shutouts. Frei, who kept nine clean-sheets in 2014, earned his third in the 12th match last season.
Last Week’s Listings
Against the Houston Dynamo on Saturday, Seattle used its third different lineup in four matches this season. Seattle improved its lead in the all-time series against Houston to 5-3-2, including a 5-0-1 record at CenturyLink Field. The visiting team has yet to win a match in the series—a streak Sounders FC aims to break on the return visit on October 18. Additionally, Seattle has never been shutout by the Dynamo.
Saturday’s match was highlighted by the return of Osvaldo Alonso, who made his season debut with 73 minutes on the pitch. He accumulated team-highs with 64 touches and 86 percent passing accuracy. Alonso holds franchise records in games played (173), starts (169) and minutes (14,684). He joins Leo Gonzalez, Zach Scott and Brad Evans as the only players to appear in each of the club’s seven seasons.
Matchup Mashup
Next up, Sounders FC faces defending MLS Cup Champions LA Galaxy. The Galaxy is off to a pedestrian start to the season, compiling a 1-2-2 record. Last season, however, the Galaxy only won just two of its first eight matches before going on to capture the MLS Cup. In the all-time regular season series with Seattle, the Galaxy hold a 6-4-5 edge.
LA enters Sunday’s match on a 23-game winning streak at the StubHub Center against MLS competition, including postseason play and two wins as the visiting side against Chivas USA. The Sounders have a 1-3-3 road record against the Galaxy, including a six-match winless streak. The first – and last – road win at the Galaxy came in 2009, a 2-0 win.
Throwback
In 2014, the Sounders and Galaxy ended the season with an epic Supporters’ Shield showdown. While Sounders fans will forever remember Marco Pappa’s two goals in the final five minutes to secure the shield on October 25, the match six days prior holds a special place in the statistical realm.
On October 19, Sounders FC and LA Galaxy combined for just five corner kicks, tied for the third-fewest mark in club history. For the 15th time since 2009, Seattle had just one corner kick in the entire match (only once has Seattle gone corner kick-less, March 9, 2011 at NY).
Here’s where it gets wacky: The last time the club was held to one corner kick was exactly one year earlier, against FC Dallas on October 19, 2013.
Key(s) to Victory
Possession and fast starts. Through the first four matches in 2015, Seattle won the possession battle in each half it has scored in. In addition, the club is 2-0-0 when leading at halftime. If the Sounders can maintain possession and nab a lead through 45 minutes, the stats say the outcome will be favorable.
