Six months down, two months to go.
The final eight weeks of the 2015 season are now upon us, but let’s be real: August was insane. Over a four-week span, Sounders FC had eight matches in three different countries between league action and the 2015-2016 Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League Group Stage. Mix-in the additions of three international players with world-class pedigree (Román Torres, Nelson Valdez and Andreas Ivanschitz) and the sporadic return of major contributors (Marco Pappa, Osvaldo Alonso and Obafemi Martins), and that’s the recipe for one dizzying stretch of play.
“We are looking forward to the fact that now we play as many games in the next two months as we played in the past month,” Head Coach Sigi Schmid said after a 2-1 win against Portland on Sunday. “Now we get some time for guys to get to know each other in training, and we can work on some things.”
It’s been awhile since we’ve broken down all the stats and facts surrounding the Rave Green. Here we go!
SEASONAL SIZZLES
Sounders FC (12-13-2, 38 points) currently sits in the sixth and final postseason position in the Western Conference. Seattle is tied with San Jose on points, but holds the total wins tiebreaker; San Jose, however, has one game in-hand. The Rave Green could launch forward to third-place in the tightly-bunched conference with a win on Saturday against Toronto FC. In total, six clubs are separated by just six points.
LAST WEEK’S LISTINGS
In front of the largest crowd in MLS this season, Sounders FC topped Portland Timbers 2-1. With an attendance of 64,358 supporters – the fourth-highest mark in club history – the Sounders extended its record to 4-0-0 all-time against Portland with crowds over 60,000. Overall, Seattle has never lost to Portland in MLS regular season action at CenturyLink Field, holding a 4-0-2 advantage.
Individually, Obafemi Martins and Brad Evans recorded the scoring tallies in the first half. Martins now has three goals in three matches since returning from injury. The Nigerian forward ranks second in MLS in goals per game (0.71) and scoring percentage (34.5 percent on 10 goals/29 shots), plus third in shots on goal percentage (58.6 percent). The club is 9-4-0 when Martins starts this season, including a 7-1-0 mark when he scores.
In addition, captain Brad Evans converted a penalty kick just before halftime to extend the lead to 2-0 over Portland. Evans is now 10/10 on penalty kicks across all competitions for Sounders FC. It was the second penalty kick the Sounders have made in league action this season – Clint Dempsey scored the very first team goal of 2015 from the spot in the season opener against New England.
MATCHUP MASHUP
Next up, Sounders FC faces Toronto FC at home on Saturday. Toronto FC currently sits in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 11-10-4. At 37 points, the club is seven points shy of D.C. United for the conference lead. The club’s 44 team goals ranks second in the conference and third in MLS.
In head-to-head matchups between Sounders FC and Toronto FC in the regular season, Seattle holds a
6-2-1
advantage, outscoring Toronto 15-8. At CenturyLink Field, Seattle holds a
3-1-1
record against The Reds in league play. Toronto FC is led by Italian international Sebastian Giovinco, who paces the club with
17 goals and 13 assists
. Giovinco ranks
first in MLS
in shots,
second
in shots on goal,
second
in goals and
tied for second
in assists.
KEY(S) TO THE GAME
Anchor the backline. With Román Torres missing the match due to national team duty, Chad Marshall could likely be paired with veteran Zach Scott against one of the most potent offense attacks in MLS. The Sounders have done well protecting their turf this season, holding a 9-4-1 record in league play. Plus, Toronto has historically struggled in the Emerald City – in five matches, the Canadian side has recorded just one win and five goals. For Seattle, it all starts from the back. If the club can net Stefan Frei his personal-best 10th shutout of the season, the club is guaranteed to earn at least one point in a time when points are crucial.
