Sounders FC’s grueling stretch of five matches in 16 days in four different cities was hard on the players. In addition to the long hours of travel and intense physical battles, the team spent 12 days away from home.
However, that trip was just a small portion of the 29-day journey of Marco Pappa after the midfielder played nine matches in just over four weeks with Seattle and the Guatemalan National Team in the Copa Centroamericana. He came back ready to sleep in his own bed, but with memories that he will cherish and experiences that he hopes will help him and the Sounders down the stretch in the final four matches of the regular season.
“Everything was for a good reason. There are good memories for me with the national team and the Open Cup,” Pappa said back at Starfire for training with Seattle for the first time in over a month. “It is what it is now and we are looking forward to what is next for the team. We know we have four big games now and we have to take advantage.”
Pappa’s gauntlet of a month began with a 1-0 win over the Colorado Rapids at CenturyLink Field on August 30. Pappa notched the assist on Clint Dempsey’s game-winning goal, logging 75 minutes in the victory before flying cross-country to Washington, D.C., the following morning to join Guatemala.
That began a four-city adventure in the Copa Centroamericana and he got off to a raucous start with two goals in a 2-1 win against El Salvador. Four days later, he helped his country to a 2-1 win over Belize in Dallas, then scored a brace again three days after that in a 2-0 win over Honduras in Houston. The tournament concluded on September 13 with a 2-1 defeat to Costa Rica in Los Angeles.
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Then, he joined Sounders FC in Philadelphia where the club faced the Union in the U.S. Open Cup final on September 16. Coming off the bench, Pappa played 46 minutes and hoisted the club’s fourth Open Cup championship trophy. From there, he went on to New York and Dallas for losses against the Red Bulls and FC Dallas before finally returning to CenturyLink Field on Saturday in a 4-2 win over Chivas USA.
In those nine matches, Pappa finished with four goals and two assists in 697 minutes, logging roughly 10,600 travel miles.
Now, finally back with his family in Seattle, Pappa picked up his fourth assist of the season against Chivas USA on Saturday, keeping up his form despite playing a different role with Sounders FC than he does with Guatemala.
“It helps my confidence for sure. It’s a different role, but it’s still good when you go and have a good tournament. I’m full of confidence now. I was always confident in my teammates and now when we have big games and big fights, we know we have to work hard to win the Supporters’ Shield,” Pappa said, noting that he takes more a leadership role with Guatemala than is needed of him in Seattle. “There is a lot of leadership on this team. For me, I feel happy here. I feel good with the guys and the Sounders gave me my rhythm back. I’m really thankful for that and that’s why I give them my best.”
Pappa anticipates that he will not only be back to 100-percent for Sunday’s match against the Colorado Rapids, but that he may have improved his fitness and confidence during the demanding month on the road. As Seattle continues its push for the Supporters’ Shield, that can only be a good thing in the final month of the season.
