The Seattle Sounders host Real Salt Lake on Sunday with a playoff berth on the line (1 p.m. PT; ESPN, 107.7 The End, El Rey 1360AM). Here is a breakdown of everything you need to know about the match.
WHEN AND WHERE: Kickoff is at 1 p.m. PT at CenturyLink Field.
WHERE TO WATCH: The game will be telecast on ESPN. You can find a full list of Sounders FC Pub Partners here.
WHERE TO LISTEN: The game will air on 107.7 The End and in Spanish on El Rey 1360AM.
RECORDS AND STANDINGS: Sounders (13-14-6, 45 points, fifth in the Western Conference), RSL (12-11-10, 46 points fourth in the West).
ALL-TIME HISTORY: The Sounders are 7-8-4 all time against RSL and 1-1-0 this season.
LAST MEETING: The Sounders won 2-1 at home on Aug. 14 behind the first career MLS goal from Nicolas Lodeiro and a Jordan Morris header on an assist from Lodeiro. Joao Plata scored for RSL.
WIN AND IN: The Sounders failed to clinch a spot in the Audi 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs in their previous two matches, but can still qualify with a win on Sunday. Three points would wrap up fourth place in the West and secure a home match for the Knockout Round on Oct. 26-27.
FOUR TEAMS, THREE SPOTS: Neither Seattle nor RSL have wrapped up playoff berths with Sporting Kansas City and the Portland Timbers still in the hunt competing for three spots. RSL qualifies with a win or draw, while a loss could send them home if Portland and SKC win. The Sounders can still qualify with a draw or loss, but they wouldn’t control their own destiny either. Here is a full list of Sounders playoff scenarios.
INJURY QUESTIONS: The Sounders brought a depleted squad to Frisco, Texas, in their 2-1 loss to FC Dallas. Andreas Ivanschitz (right knee sprain), Brad Evans (re-aggravated left calf strain), Nelson Valdez (bruised tailbone) and Oalex Anderson (right hamstring strain) all didn’t travel. Interim head coach Brian Schmetzer said last week that Ivanschitz was doubtful for the match vs. RSL, while Evans, Valdez and Anderson are working to try and be fit for Sunday.
ALONSO RETURNS: Osvaldo Alonso makes his return to the Sounders’ midfield after missing the match at FC Dallas while serving a red-card suspension. The Sounders boast a winning percentage of 49.8 percent when Alonso is in the lineup dating back to 2009, but just a 26.3 percent chance of winning when he's out.
FAREWELL, MR. SOUNDER: Veteran Seattle Sounders defender Zach Scott will play in his final regular-season game on Sunday. He will retire at the end of the season after 15 years with the organization. Scott is not a regular starter, so Schmetzer said on Thursday that the game scenario would dictate whether he has a chance to substitute Scott into the match. “If Zach were telling me what to do on Sunday, he would say, ‘Make sure the team wins. I don’t care if I play,’” Schmetzer said.
TRIPLE THREAT: RSL’s Joao Plata, Yura Movsisyan and Juan Manuel “Burrito” Martinez have combined for 25 goals and 17 assists this season. Plata and Movsisyan each have nine tallies, and it was Plata who scored RSL’s lone goal against Seattle the last time the two teams met.
WINLESS IN SIX: There’s still a high probability (96 percent) that RSL makes the postseason, but the team is limping into Decision Day. RSL has not win since Aug. 26, going 0-3-3 down the stretch of the season. It has also only scored one goal over its last five matches.
KB400: A little over a month ago, RSL Midfielder Kyle Beckerman became the first field player in league history to appear in 400 games. He joins former goalkeeper Kevin Hartman and current RSL goalie Nick Rimando as the only members of the 400 club. Beckerman also holds the MLS record for games started with 376.
TURF TOE: Real has not won on an artificial surface since 2013 and is 0-11-4 in its last 15 games across all competitions on turf. RSL is 8-26-18 all time and has been outscored 90-43. The club hasn’t won in Seattle since 2012.
