Sounders FC vs FC Dallas
2014 MLS Cup Playoffs - Western Conference Semifinals, Leg Two
Monday, November 10; 7:30 pm PT; CenturyLink Field
TV/Radio: NBCSN, UDN, TSN2/RDS2; KIRO Radio 97.3 FM/Sirius XM FC (Channel 94), ESPN Deportes Radio 1490 AM (Spanish)
Fans of Sounders FC have been accustomed to a certain amount of success since the club entered MLS in 2009. Seattle has four U.S. Open Cup trophies, six straight playoff appearances, and a Supporters’ Shield in that short span. One thing the Sounders have yet to do, though, is clinch a playoff series victory in front of their home fans.
They will get a chance to do that Monday night when CenturyLink Field plays host to the Second Leg of the MLS Western Conference Semifinals between Seattle and FC Dallas.
A sellout crowd will be on hand as Sounders FC looks to move one step closer to an MLS Cup. The First Leg was a 1-1 draw at Dallas, and therefore Seattle would advance with a win or a scoreless draw on Monday.
“It’s going to be a good contest for our fans to watch and attend,” Sounders FC Head Coach Sigi Schmid said. “We hope that our crowd gets behind us, because that gives us a tremendous boost. When you’re feeling a little tired or your energy’s gone, and you look up and hear them, that just gives you that extra bit of adrenaline that you need at times.”
The Sounders had the highest attendance in MLS for the sixth straight year, going 12-4-1 at home in the regular season.
One of those home victories was against Dallas, a side that will have midfielder Mauro Diaz back in the lineup on Monday. Diaz missed two of three regular-season matchups with Seattle due to injuries and was suspended for the first leg of this playoff series. With him on the field, the Hoops went 10-5-2 in the regular season. Without Diaz, their record was 6-7-4.
Seattle is aware of the threat Diaz poses in the midfield, yet the home side says it won’t adjust to its opponent.
“It’s been our mode of operation all year to imprint our style on the game and have teams adjust around us,” defender Zach Scott said. “So there’s not much different we’re going to do. We’re not going to bunker in. We’re not going to look for any specific scoreline. We’re just going to play our soccer.”
Just as Diaz is now available for Dallas, Seattle central midfielder Gonzalo Pineda went through full training over the weekend and hopes to be ready for Monday.
If Pineda is not able to play, the Sounders have sufficient options to fill the central midfield spot. Micheal Azira performed well in three starts at the position late in the regular season, and Brad Evans can also play in the middle if Schmid chooses to start both Lamar Neagle and Marco Pappa on the outside.
Evans and Osvaldo Alonso have been teammates since the club’s inaugural season. So while Evans hasn’t played as a central midfielder very often this year, there was a clear chemistry between the two of them in the first leg.
“We can put him at any position on the field and he’s going to do the job,” defender Chad Marshall said of Evans. “He’s a great asset for us.”
Evans and the Sounders were victorious in each of their last four home matches against Dallas. One more win or a scoreless draw would see them celebrate a playoff series victory in front of their fans at CenutryLink Field for the first time.
Monday’s Second Leg is set to kick off at 7:30pm PT with national television coverage on NBC Sports Network.
