MLS MATCHDAY 5
D.C. United vs Seattle Sounders FC
Saturday, April 7 - 7:30 PM ET
Watch: MLS Live or Direct Kick
When Seattle makes just its fifth trip to RFK this Saturday,the match will serve as the latest chapter in a heated cross-country rivalrythat dates back to the Sounders’ inaugural MLS campaign. Upset at losing out on the right tohost the 2009 U.S. Open Cup final, Seattle General Manager Adrian Hanauerquestioned what kind of turnout the mid-week event could draw inWashington. United President KevinPayne defended D.C.’s fans, and 17,329 of them turned out for the Wednesdaynight affair.
In the end the visitors earned the final say though,claiming their first trophy with a 2-1 win. Ever since then, the rivalry has usually produced attractivesoccer and lots of goals.
“It stems back to the Open Cupgame, that kind of got the ball rolling,” Kasey Keller recalled during theformer Seattle and USMNT legend’s appearance on the Capital Soccer Show thisweek. “There were some very goodgames. It also came from the firstseason D.C. came to Seattle. Wewere up 3-1 late and ended up drawing 3-3.”
A similar shootout could verywell be in the cards on Saturday night as a pair of dangerous offenses face offagainst two of Major League Soccer’s hottest goalies.
The spectacular Fredy Monterospearheads a Sounders attack that will likely be without the equally dangerousMauro Rosales. With goals comingfrom the unlikeliest source – David Estrada started only twice over the pasttwo seasons before his four goal blitz to begin 2012 – the Sounders havestarted the year with six points from three matches. Replacing the aforementioned Keller is no small task, but sofar Austrian veteran Michael Gspurning has allowed just two goals with one ofthem coming from the penalty spot.
“They are defensively prettysound,” United Coach Ben Olsen replied when asked about Seattle. “They are as good as they come in thisleague right now. We’ve got ourwork cut out for us. We’ll prepareall week for it and give it a good run.”
United’s preparations weredealt a serious blow late Tuesday when MLS announced that the league wouldsuspend defender Brandon McDonald for Saturday’s match. Major League Soccer’s DisciplinaryCommittee retroactively added a one-game ban for McDonald’s 20th minute tackle on Blas Perez last Friday night. A testament to the club’s depth, Dejan Jakovic gives Olsen aveteran option to replace McDonald in front of red-hot goalkeeper Joe Willis. Instead of losing a player, D.C.’sattack regains a weapon on Saturday as Andy Najar returns from a successfulOlympic qualifying bid with Honduras. His addition to a group that scored four goals in their most recentouting could spell trouble for a Seattle defense that includes former D.C.United defender Marc Burch.
Oh yes, Mr. Burch.
All he did this week was add alittle fuel to the rivalry with some comments about his old club. Sounding off to Seattle Times reporterJosh Mayers, Burch offered up someperfect locker room material.
“They had the opportunity tokeep me and they didn’t” Burch told Mayers. “It’s time to go back and prove that I don’t believe thattheir left back is better than I am. If that’s what they think, then that’s what they think.
“It’s time to go back there andprove that we have a much better team here. And I’m happy to be here.”
Though Burch’s words drewlittle public response from United this week, there is no doubt that the entireD.C. locker room is aware of their former teammates’ comments.
“Burch is a good soccer playerand Seattle is a good team,” said Daniel Woolard, refusing to be drawn intoBurch’s verbal sparring. “With ourattacking team going against Seattle’s attack, it should be an excitinggame. We are going for threepoints.”
If United can secure thosethree points, it would be the first back-to-back wins for D.C. since June of2009. Discussed often last season,the streak is an unpleasant reminder of the Black-and-Red’s four-year playoffdrought.
“Everybody knows it and I don’twant to make too big of a deal out if it,” Olsen said on Monday. “But yes, we need to put together somestreaks of points because that is how we are going to start moving up thetable. It’s a chance to move forwardand get that off our back.”
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30Saturday night at RFK Stadium.
» ANALYSIS: Breaking down Seattle Sounders FC
» Create and share your starting XI
REFEREE: Edvin Jurisevic. MLS Career: 40 games; FC/gm: 22.0; Y/gm: 3.8; R: 4; pens
SAR (bench): Anthony Vasoli; JAR (opposite): James Conlee; 4th: Sorin Stoica
INJURY REPORT:
- D.C. UNITED - OUT: DF Ethan White (R knee surgery); MF Lance Rozeboom (L ACL tear); QUESTIONABLE: FW Josh Wolff (L groin strain); GK Bill Hamid (L ankle sprain / bone bruising); PROBABLE: DF Dejan Jakovic (L groin strain); MF Kurt Morsink (L foot neurectomy)
- SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC - OUT: GK Josh Ford (R knee stress fracture); DF Michael Tetteh (L hamstring strain); MF Steve Zakuani (R leg fracture); FW Babayele Sodade (R ACL tear); DOUBTFUL: MF Mauro Rosales (R knee sprain); DF Andrew Duran (R knee surgery); QUESTIONABLE: DF Adam Johansson (L hamstring strain); FW Eddie Johnson (R hip strain); DF Jhon Kennedy Hurtado (pelvic sprain); PROBABLE: MF Brad Evans (R hamstring strain)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
SUSPENDED: Brandon McDonald (D.C. United)
HEAD-TO-HEAD
- ALL-TIME (6 meetings): United 2 wins, 9 goals ... Sounders FC 3 wins, 12 goals ... Ties 1
- AT RFK STADIUM (3 meetings): United 1 win, 3 goals ... Sounders FC 2 wins, 4 goals ... Ties 0
- LAST YEAR (MLS):
- 5/4: DC 2, SEA 1 (Wolff 31; Davies 52 - Evans 71)
- 9/17: SEA 3, DC 0 (Fucito 35; Fernandez 45, 60)
- This is the only league meeting between the teams this season.
- Sounders FC had won on each of their first three visits to RFK Stadium - including a victory in the 2009 U.S. Open Cup Final - until United claimed a 2-1 home win last May 4.
- D.C. United had come away with points from their first two trips to Seattle until Sounders FC's 3-0 win last September.
- Coaches record: Ben Olsen vs. SEA: P2 W1 L1 D0 ... Sigi Schmid vs. DC: P30 W16 L10 D4
