Sounders interim head coach Brian Schmetzer said Friday that midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro's international duty with Uruguay should not affect his status for Seattle's match in Portland against the Timbers on Sunday (2 p.m. PT; ESPN, KIRO Radio 97.3 FM, El Rey 1360AM).
"As far as I know, he's playing," Schmetzer said. "Unless somebody can tell me any differently."
Lodeiro has been called to represent the Uruguayan national team, which has a World Cup qualifying match against Argentina at the Estadio Malvinas Argentinas on Sept. 1. Uruguay currently sits first in CONMEBOL qualifying with 13 points and a plus-eight goal differential. Argentina is in third place with 11 points. Lodeiro has three goals in 42 caps since joining the senior team in 2009.
Lodeiro has been an integral part of the Sounders' lineup since signing as a Designated Player last month. The team is on a five-game unbeaten streak due in large part to his two goals and four assists, including the 94th-minute equalizer on Wednesday, which stole a point in Houston. He will be especially needed to create chances after Seattle announced Friday that forward Clint Dempsey is out and undergoing tests for an irregular heartbeat.
