The Seattle Sounders are taking on the Portland Timbers at Providence Park on Sunday at 2 p.m. PT (ESPN, KIRO Radio 97.3 FM, El Rey 1360AM). Here is the Sounders' full lineup and formation:
STARTING XI (4-2-3-1)
GK: Frei (24)
RB: Mears (4)
CB: Evans (3) – Captain
CB: Marshall (14)
LB: Jones (33)
CM: Alonso (6)
CM: Roldan (7)
RM: Fernandez (21)
AM: Lodeiro (10)
LM: Ivanschitz (23)
FW: Morris (13)
SUBSTITUTES
GK: Miller (1)
DEF: Torres (29)
DEF: Scott (20)
MF/DEF: Fisher (91)
MF: Friberg (8)
FW: Gomez (9)
FW: Valdez (16)
NOTES
- Clint Dempsey is sidelined indefinitely as he undergoes testing after being diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat on Thursday. He is tied with Jordan Morris for the team lead in goals with eight, including two last Sunday in the Sounders' 3-1 win over the Timbers at CenturyLink Field. Dempsey has no timetable for a potential return.
“It’s something that we’ve been monitoring during the season,” Sounders general manager and president of soccer Garth Lagerwey said on Friday after the news broke. “We have Clint’s best interest at heart first and foremost...He’s been calm in our conversations with him. Anytime someone tells you something about your body then that’s an issue of some concern, but he’s been real mature and real professional about this.”
Said interim head coach Brian Schmetzer: “When I spoke to Clint [on Wednesday] on the phone, he was upbeat, positive, wants the team to do well on Sunday.”
- Roman Torres is once again in the 18 after being activated on Tuesday. He traveled with the team to Houston in its 1-1 draw with the Dynamo, but started on the bench and did not see game action. Schmetzer indicated that Torres, who is finally healthy after missing nearly a year recovering from a torn ACL, may play vs. the Timbers on Sunday.
“This is a good game for him to go in," Schmetzer said on Thursday. "[Timbers forward Fanendo] Adi’s a big kid. He’s caused us some problems in past games."
- Defender Chad Marshall also returns to the Starting XI after not traveling with the team to Houston midweek as he recovered from a knock.
