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Seattle Sounders Playing Biggest Match in Six Year History

By Chris Blakely

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The Seattle Sounders play a very crucial game Sunday night. Just over a month ago, I wrote how the season finale against the Los Angeles Galaxy for the Supporters Shield was the most important match in club history. Well it appears the Sounders are playing another important match in their history.

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    • Of course the Sounders went on to win the Supporters Shield after their 2-0 win over the Galaxy (thank you Marco Pappa). It is now safe to say, for the time being, that the Sounders-Galaxy match on Sunday night is the clubs biggest in its six year history. If the Sounders win, the match next week will be the biggest in club history. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

    The Sounders are in bit of a hole as they enter this match trailing 1-0. The Sounders have actually struggled to score in the playoffs this year. They have only scored one goal in three matches and have been scoreless in the last 216 minutes of action. This is rather surprising considering the Sounders scored the second most goals on the season. I have noticed that throughout the year the team would go on goalless streak for about two or three games and then explode for a bunch over another two or three game span. Maybe this is the game where they break out.

    The Sounders cannot afford to sit back and counter-attack the Galaxy. The Sounders need to show the initiative a look for an early goal or two. If they sit back and absorb the Galaxy attack, they will presumably be playing right into the Galaxy’s plans. If the Sounders go down another goal, they will need two score three goals to advance and we will see a wide open affair on a very cold night.

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    Kickoff is scheduled for around 9:20 EST and can be seen on ESPN. It is predicted to be right around freezing when the game starts and only getting colder into the night. Keep in mind if the Sounders win this match 1-0, it will then head to 30 minutes of extra time. If still tied after 30 minutes, penalties will be used to decide the winner. Los Angeles will advance with a win, a draw or a one-goal loss by any score other than 1-0. Seattle advances with win of two goals or more.

    Here is a tale of the tape so to speak:

    The Galaxy leads the regular-season series 6-4-5 overall. Including the postseason, the teams are 4-4-2 in Seattle. Galaxy leads 2-1-1 this season, including the 2-1 win in the playoff opener in Carson last weekend. This season, the teams split in Seattle, with the Galaxy winning 3-0 in July and the Sounders winning 2-0 in October. The teams have crossed paths in the playoffs twice previously, with the Galaxy eliminating the Sounders in 2010 and 2012.

    Also here is a tweet from the Sounders for all of your match day information you will need:

    If you are headed to the match tonight, do your best to stay warm and most importantly have fun. I know I will.

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