The Seattle Sounders enter the fray of the 2016 U.S. Open Cup against the Kitsap Pumas on Wednesday. Here’s a breakdown of everything you need to know about the game.
WHEN AND WHERE: Kickoff is Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. PT at Starfire Stadium in Tukwila.
TICKETS: Tickets are still available for the game, and are available here.
WHERE TO WATCH: The game will be available via live stream on SoundersFC.com, with a pregame show beginning at 7 p.m. PT.
WHERE TO LISTEN: The game will be aired on KIRO 97.3 FM in English and on El Rey 1360AM in Spanish.
RECORDS AND STANDINGS: Sounders (5-7-1, 16 pts., 9th in MLS Western Conference), Pumas (1-3-2, 2 pts., 7th in PDL Northwest Division)
PUMAS 101: The Kitsap Pumas are a Bremerton-based club that competes in United Soccer League’s Premier Development League. They play in the Northwest Division with the Sounders FC U-23s and Timbers U-23s. So far this season, Kitsap have gone 2-0-1 against the Sounders U-23s.
ALL-TIME HISTORY USOC EDITION: The Sounders have met Kitsap once before in USOC play, back in the third round of the 2011 tournament, and the Sounders prevailed by a score of 2-1. Kitsap also met Seattle Sounders FC 2 in USOC competition last year in the second round and were defeated 4-2 by S2. S2 and seven other MLS-owned clubs were ruled ineligible for the tournament last November, ruling S2 out of the tournament.
NEW BEGINNINGS: Last year’s USOC run was short-lived and ripe with controversy for the Sounders. Entering into the tournament in the fourth round, the Sounders drew rival Portland Timbers for their first match. Despite home field advantage, the result turned out to be one of the most shocking moments in Sounders history. Not only did they fall to their chief rival 3-1, but were red-carded three times, lost forward Obafemi Martins to injury and saw forward Clint Dempsey earn a three match MLS suspension and a lengthy USOC suspension for conduct toward a match official.
A HISTORY OF SUCCESS: Despite last year’s early crash, the Sounders have one of the most illustrious records in USOC history. Since its MLS expansion in 2009, the Sounders have won the tournament four times, including three in their first three years. Since the beginning of the MLS era, the Sounders are tied with the Chicago Fire for most titles in USOC history.
LAST ONE STANDING: The Kitsap Pumas are the last club from the PDL still competing in the tournament. Last round, Pumas took down USL side Sacramento Republic 3-1. In the match, Pumas scored three goals in four minutes on a Sacramento side that had conceded only four in their previous nine matches.
NOTABLE ABSENCES: The Sounders will play without Dempsey, and defender Brad Evans, who both earned red cards in last year’s USOC match. Head coach Sigi Schmid will also be watching from the stands, as he also earned a one-game suspension for his conduct in last year’s match. Top assistant coach Brian Schmetzer will fill in for Schmid for the seventh time in his career.
