The 2020 MLS season is just around the corner.
You’ve seen the five Seattle Sounders home matches you won’t want to miss, now here are five critical away matches to keep an eye on (NOTE: matches listed in chronological order).
Seattle Sounders at Portland Timbers
Sunday, May 17
2:00 p.m. PT | FS1
The preeminent rivalry in American soccer is set to resume in May as the Kings of Cascadia venture south to defend their title. In the last meeting between the two sides, the Sounders secured a gutsy 2-1 victory at Providence Park, winning the Cascadia Cup for the second consecutive season. That victory was a catalyst for the Rave Green late in the campaign, as they went on to finish second in the Western Conference before lifting MLS Cup for the second time in four years. Expect plenty of fireworks as the two rivals square off for regional supremacy.
Seattle Sounders at Atlanta United
Sunday, July 12
9:30 a.m. PT | FS1
The reigning champs will visit the 2018 MLS Cup winners in a fixture that features two of the most ambitious clubs in Major League Soccer. Seattle has never lost to the Five Stripes, a trend they’ll hope to maintain in the middle of a difficult three-match road trip. The last time these two sides met, Raúl RuidÃaz supplied an individual moment of magic, which earned him the No. 1 spot in the club’s Top Plays of 2019.
Seattle Sounders at Toronto FC
Saturday, July 18
4:00 p.m. PT
A mere six days after their trip to Atlanta, the Sounders fly to Canada for a 2019 MLS Cup rematch against TFC. Even though they compete in different conferences, the Sounders have organically built a rivalry with the Reds through their three meetings in MLS Cup Finals. Seattle picked up a 3-2 win over Toronto in the 2019 regular season before completing the sweep with a 3-1 victory in the title match, foreshadowing a high-scoring affair in 2020.
Seattle Sounders at LAFC
Sunday, August 2
12:30 p.m. PT | ABC
In a meeting between the two powerhouses of the Western Conference, the Sounders will head to Banc of California Stadium just one week after hosting the Black & Gold at CenturyLink Field. LAFC compiled a historic regular season campaign in 2019. Billed as the best MLS team of all-time by pundits and fans alike, LAFC’s title aspirations were dashed when the Sounders put on a tactical masterclass in a 3-1 win in the Western Conference Final. With both teams holding Supporters’ Shield aspirations, this week should prove pivotal to the 2020 season.
Seattle Sounders at Colorado Rapids
Saturday, September 26
6:00 p.m. PT
With the Western Conference becoming more competitive each year, picking up points on the road, especially late in the season, will be crucial to securing home-field advantage in the postseason. The resurgent Rapids narrowly missed out on a spot in the playoffs in 2019, and this time they’ll have a full season under head coach Robin Fraser. Seattle has historically enjoyed plenty of success against Colorado. Facing a young, hungry conference opponent in the penultimate match of the regular season could make this a valuable test for the Rave Green.
