The Seattle Sounders visit New York City FC on Wednesday in the first and only meeting between the two sides during the 2019 MLS regular season. Here is everything you need to know:
WHEN AND WHERE: Kickoff is set for 4:00 p.m. PT in New York City, New York.
WHERE TO WATCH: The match will be televised on JOEtv and YouTube TV.
WHERE TO LISTEN: The match will air on 950 KJR AM and El Rey 1360 AM.
2019 RECORDS AND STANDINGS: Sounders: 8-4-5 (29 points, 3rd West), NYCFC: 6-1-8 (26 points, 6th East)
FORM GUIDE (most recent first): Seattle: WLLLD, New York City: WWDWW
ALL-TIME HISTORY: The Sounders are 2-2-0 all-time against New York City FC, including a 1-1-0 mark on the road.
PREVIOUS MEETING: The Rave Green defeated New York City FC 3-1 at CenturyLink Field on July 29, 2018. Seattle jumped out to a lead in the 36th minute as Cristian Roldan latched onto a deflected cross from Kelvin Leerdam and subsequently smashed a shot past goalkeeper Sean Johnson. Defensive midfielder Gustav Svensson doubled the lead in the 51st minute with a pile-driver from distance. The visitors then pulled one back, but Harry Shipp secured the match in the 86th minute with a powerful blast into the top corner.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Saturday marked the Sounders’ first home game since May 15. After the 1-0 win over Vancouver, the team will hit the road for games at NYCFC (July 3) and the Columbus Crew (July 6).
TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME: Babe Ruth. Mickey Mantle. Derek Jeter. These are just some of the greatest athletes to call New York City FC’s stadium home.
LEER-DAMN: Leerdam scored his fifth goal of the season on Saturday, making him the second-leading scorer on the team behind only Raúl RuidÃaz.
17-year-old Homegrown forward Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez made his MLS debut on Saturday | Charis Wilson
THERE ARE YOUTHS EVERYWHERE: Sounders midfielder Danny Leyva (16) started and played 90 minutes on Saturday, leading the team in interceptions. His teammate in the Academy and U.S. Youth National Team system, Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez (17), earned his first MLS minutes against the Whitecaps.
REINFORCEMENTS: The Sounders squad could be bolstered for the midweek clash with returning internationals from Copa América and the Gold Cup. Defenders Román Torres and Xavier Arreaga, as well as midfielder Nicolás Lodeiro, have all wrapped-up play with their respective national teams, but it remains to be seen whether they’ll be available for selection on Wednesday.
STRENGTH IN DEPTH: The team’s win over their Cascadia rival on Saturday also revealed the depth of the squad, as Henry Wingo, Nouhou, Justin Dhillon and Saad Abdul-Salaam all put in solid shifts.
Wingo impressed in a wide attacking midfield role on Saturday | Lindsey Wasson
WINGO-DIUM LEVIOSA: Speaking of Wingo, the Sounders FC Homegrown had one of his best-ever performances since he signed in 2017. Showcasing his dynamism on the wing, the Shoreline native pitched in three key passes and two successful dribbles as he dominated Ali Adnan all evening.
KEEP CLIMBING: A win on Wednesday would vault the Sounders over the LA Galaxy into second place in the MLS Western Conference standings.
