The Seattle Sounders return home from a long road trip to face New York City FC in the first of five full stadium matches this season. Here’s a breakdown of everything you need to know about the game.
WHEN AND WHERE: Kickoff is Saturday at 2:00 p.m. PT at CenturyLink Field.
WHERE TO WATCH: The game will be telecast on ESPN. See link for a full list of Sounders FC Pub Partners.
WHERE TO LISTEN: The game will be aired on KIRO Radio 97.3 FM with a pregame show beginning at 1:30 p.m. PT and El Rey 1360AM in Spanish.
RECORDS AND STANDINGS: Sounders (5-8-1, 16 pts., 9th in Western Conference), NYC (5-5-6, 21 pts., 3rd in Eastern Conference).
ALL-TIME HISTORY: The history is brief between these two sides after NYCFC entered the league as an expansion franchise just last year. The Sounders won the teams' only meeting 3-1 at Yankee Stadium in May 2015.
FIRST OF FIVE: The full-bowl stadium series is back for 2016, and Saturday’s match against NYCFC will be the first of five this season. With over 68,000 seats at CenturyLink Field, Seattle will play host to the most electrifying atmosphere in MLS this weekend. Click here for a full listing of the Sounders full stadium series.
SEATTLE PRIDE: In addition to the stadium atmosphere, Saturday’s match will also be the Sounders' second annual Pride Match in recognition of the club’s support for the LGBTQ community. As a trailblazer of support for LGBTQ rights in the sports industry, the Sounders launched their annual Pride match campaign in 2015 in collaboration with Seattle Mayor Ed Murray. Fans can expect extra events and activities surrounding the match both at the stadium and outside at the March to the Match and The NINETY on Occidental Ave.
INJURY UPDATE: Reinforcements arrived for the ailing Sounders after the Copa America break as defenders Chad Marshall and Brad Evans both returned to the starting lineup on Sunday against the New York Red Bulls and forwards Nelson Valdez and Oalex Anderson both came off of the bench. Only defender Román Torres remains on the Sounders injury list with a torn ACL from last September. He is excepted to return sometime this summer.
BIG NAMES FOR A BIG STAGE: When NYCFC came into the league in 2015, they brought some of the biggest names in the world with them. Starting with Spain’s David Villa, who has since become one of the league’s most prolific goalscorers, then adding Italy’s Andrea Pirlo, England’s Frank Lampard, and now with former French international Patrick Viera at the helm. Saturday’s full-bowl match marks NYCFC’s debut in Seattle and offers some of the nation’s most passionate soccer fans their first look at the European stars of MLS who have captivated the world over their long and illustrious careers.
LEAGUE LEADER: If Seattle are to shut down the NYCFC attack, they need look no further than Villa. With 11 goals already in 16 games, Villa sits alone atop the MLS Golden Boot standings and nearly matches the entire team’s scoring efforts combined. Villa also leads the league in total shots and shots on target.
A POROUS FOUR: The goals have not come easy for the Sounders this season. With only 13 in 14 matches, the Rave Green have the second fewest in the league. This weekend however, the front line faces their easiest challenge yet in an NYCFC defense that has conceded a league-high 31 goals in 16 matches. While Villa and Co. have been plenty comfortable in front of net, their teammates in the rear haven’t been so much, and the Sounders will need to exploit this weakness in front of their home crowd.
