The Seattle Sounders enter their penultimate road match of the MLS regular season this Saturday as they take on Eastern Conference side Nashville SC (5:30 p.m. PT; Watch on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, 950 KJR AM, El Rey 1360AM).
Coming out with a positive result on the road is no simple task, but the Sounders’ previous 2-1 win in Colorado, and current five-game undefeated streak, proves they are up for the challenge.
“We know it's a tough team, a tough place to play and they’re very good on set pieces," said defender Jackson Ragen. “We know we have to go there and play our game, but be ready for a physical battle.”
It’ll be a difficult matchup, with players like U.S. Men’s National Team defender Walker Zimmerman and leading MLS goal scorer Hany Mukhtar on Nashville’s roster, but the Seattle squad is confident in where they stand heading into Saturday’s showdown.
“They've got a good team,” said Head Coach Brian Schmetzer. “They're capable of scoring goals, but so are we.”
Statistically speaking, Saturday will be evenly matched. While the Sounders sit third in the Western Conference and Nashville sits in seventh on the Eastern side, both teams share the same amount of wins (12) and losses (9).
The Rave Green recognize the talent they are about to face, but with the momentum on their side, the team is hopeful it’ll carry into Saturday’s match.
“We've had a really strong start to the year but we've also gained some points along the way after having games or not having games in hand and being above so I think we've left ourselves in a good spot with four games left,” said Ragen.
With a win on Saturday, the Sounders will clinch a berth in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs. And with only five points separating Seattle in third and FC Dallas in ninth in the West, it’s important for the Rave Green to maintain their current unbeaten run.
The Sounders’ training sessions this week left Schmetzer convinced the team can accomplish the task at hand.
“Preparation is going well,” he said. “So, we'll see if we quiet some of their fans.”
