The Seattle Sounders will take on 2017 Major League Soccer expansion franchise Atlanta United on Friday, March 31 (TICKETS). Here is a breakdown of everything you need to know about the match:
WHEN AND WHERE: Kickoff is at 7 p.m. PT at CenturyLink Field in Seattle.
WHERE TO WATCH: The game will be televised on FS1.
WHERE TO LISTEN: The game will air on KIRO Radio 97.3 FM and in Spanish on El Rey 1360AM.
2017 RECORDS: Sounders: 1-1-1 (4 points), Atlanta: 2-1-0 (6 points)
ALL-TIME HISTORY: First competitive meeting. Seattle and Atlanta met in preseason in February’s Carolina Challenge Cup in Charleston, S.C., a match that Atlanta won 4-2. Atlanta started a near-first-choice lineup against a Sounders team comprised mostly of Academy products and trialists until Seattle’s regular starters entered throughout the second half.
PROPER CELEBRATION: The Sounders capped their Championship Celebration on March 19 with their impressive 3-1 win over the New York Red Bulls to snap RBNY’s 18-match MLS unbeaten streak. Clint Dempsey scored his second goal in three games, Jordan Morris opened his 2017 account and Harry Shipp notched his first tally as a Sounder.
MORRIS QUESTIONABLE: Morris injured his ankle in the first half against the Red Bulls, but he fought through the pain and played 81 minutes. He went directly from the stadium to United States national team camp ahead of last Friday’s World Cup qualifier against Honduras, but he was a late scratch and was sent home on Saturday while his ankle recovers. Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer on Monday said Morris’ ankle was “day-to-day.”
CLASSIC CLINT: Dempsey recorded a hat trick in the U.S.’ cathartic 6-0 rout of Honduras last Friday, his first international appearance in nine months after returning from an irregular heartbeat. He now has 10 goals in his last seven total matches for club and country. Dempsey enters Tuesday’s WCQ against Panama just two behind Landon Donovan for the U.S. men’s all-time goalscoring record.
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: Dempsey joins midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro (Uruguay) and defenders Joevin Jones (Trinidad and Tobago) and Roman Torres (Panama) as Sounders away on international duty. Although all are expected back in time for Friday’s match, Schmetzer was adamant that he would not push his returning players too hard. If and how much each will play will be determined.
MEARS RETURNS: After helping the Sounders capture the 2016 MLS Cup, defender Tyrone Mears signed with Atlanta United this past offseason. He played in 65 regular-season matches in two seasons in Seattle. Mears has started and played every minute of Atlanta’s first three matches, and he collected the assist on Atlanta’s first goal in franchise history.
MISSING MARTINEZ: Atlanta United forward and MLS’ leading goalscorer Josef Martinez will miss 4-6 weeks with a left quad injury and will not play against the Sounders, Atlanta United announced on Tuesday. Martinez has five goals in three games, but injured his leg while with Venezuela last week in CONMEBOL 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifying.
SOUTH AMERICAN QUARTET: Atlanta boasts four South American playmakers in Martinez, Miguel Almiron, Yamil Asad and Hector Villalba. The foursome has combined to score nine of the team’s 11 total goals.
LONG ROAD STRETCH: Atlanta’s trip to Seattle is the first of four matches away from home and six of seven in a six-week span. After its match on Friday, Atlanta will visit Toronto FC, the Montreal Impact and Real Salt Lake before hosting D.C. United and then traveling to New York City FC and the Portland Timbers.
