After a spell of three matches in eight days, the Sounders returned to training at Starfire Sports this week with more time to prepare for a crucial Western Conference clash against the San Jose Earthquakes on Sunday (4:30 p.m. PT; JOEtv, YouTube TV, Univision-Seattle, 1090 KJR AM, El Rey 1360 AM).
With the Portland Timbers and Earthquakes each dropping points in their midweek matches on Wednesday, the Rave Green have officially qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs for 11 consecutive seasons, a new league record.
However, the team isn’t willing to rest on their laurels. Instead, they hope to use their final two remaining league matches to secure home-field advantage in the postseason.
“Guys are excited to be in the playoffs but we want to push and get as high as we can in the standings,” said winger Jordan Morris. “That’s our goal in the next couple of games.”
Midfielder Cristian Roldan echoed that sentiment, adding that the squad is motivated to make up for a disappointing result against D.C. United.
“We know we didn’t get a good result in D.C. and everybody is anxious to get back out on the field and go for it again,” he addd. “I think that’s great because no one is really bothered by making the playoffs, we still need to take advantage of getting our home games [in the postseason].”
Under the stewardship of Matías Almeyda, San Jose has implemented a man-marking defensive scheme, a tactical setup that has confounded most of the league. Ahead of the Week 30 clash, Sounders FC Head Coach Brian Schmetzer noted that team has spent additional time tailoring preparations to its opponent.
“We watched more film [and] did more tactical exercises based upon what our opponent might do, trying to find ways to gain advantages in different parts of the field,” said Schmetzer. “It was a little more tactics this week.”
Added Morris: “I think they play a very unorthodox style of play that teams aren’t used to sometimes. I think they gave us some problems when they came here with it. We need to learn from that experience and go down there and try to exploit them where we feel like we can exploit them.”
In addition to clinching a spot in the playoffs, the return to training of center back Román Torres, who was serving a ten-game suspension, lifted spirits among the players. An experienced, competitive and jovial presence in the locker room, the Panamanian’s reintegration should be a boon to the squad.
“Román provides a lot of things for this group, for this club,” said Schmetzer. “What he’s going to provide for us now is leadership, even if he’s not on the field. Leadership in the locker room. He’s always been good about interacting with his teammates, helping them be better.”
After the match in Northern California this weekend, the Sounders will wrap-up the 2019 MLS regular season with a home fixture against Minnesota United (1:00 p.m. PT; JOEtv, YouTube TV, Univision-Seattle, 950 KJR AM, El Rey 1360 AM | (TICKETS)
