The Seattle Sounders are hosting Louisville City FC of the USL Championship on Wednesday in the Round of 32 of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Here is everything you need to know:
WHEN AND WHERE: Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. PT at Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila, Wash.
WHERE TO WATCH: The match will be available to stream on ussoccer.com and MLSsoccer.com
WHERE TO LISTEN: The match will air on 950 KJR AM.
GREAT ATMOSPHERE: Wednesday is the perfect opportunity to come watch your Sounders play in an intimate environment at an affordable price. The Sounders have been involved in countless unforgettable matches at Starfire, and this midweek match in Tukwila has all the makings of another classic. Get your tickets HERE.
2024 RECORDS AND STANDINGS: Sounders: 2-5-4 (10 points, 11th MLS Western Conference), Louisville: 6-1-0 (18 points, 2nd USL Championship Eastern Conference)
FORM GUIDE (all competitions, most recent first): Seattle: DWLLD; Louisville: WWWLW
HOW THEY GOT HERE: Sounders: Bye; Louisville: Defeated USL League One side Greenville Triumph 3-1 in the Third Round.
PREVIOUS MEETING: This is the first ever meeting between the two clubs.
FIFTH TITLE IN SIGHTS: The Sounders will kick off their U.S. Open Cup campaign in search of their fifth championship. Seattle has won all four of its titles since entering MLS in 2009 (2009-11, 2014).
OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND: The Sounders’ contest against Louisville City comes in the middle of a three-match week that ends with a trip to longtime rival the Portland Timbers on Sunday. There will be plenty of chances for some of the senior team’s younger players like Sota Kitahara, Paul Rothrock, Reed Baker-Whiting and more to earn valuable experience, with some likely opportunities for select Tacoma Defiance players as well.
SERRANO COMES HOME: Louisville City midfielder Ray Serrano will be returning to his home state of Washington to the place where he signed his first professional contract. The Sounders signed Serrano to Tacoma Defiance (née Sounders FC 2) in 2018 and made him the youngest player in club history to sign a pro deal at just 15 years old. Now 21, Serrano is having a breakout campaign in Louisville and is proving to be one of the league’s elite midfielders. He has three goals and three assists in seven games.
“This game means everything to me, to be honest,” said Serrano. “I’m going to be playing in front of coaches that I used to train in front of back when I was in Seattle, and most importantly in front of my family.”
PLAYER TO WATCH: Wilson Harris, F
Harris is one of the best forwards in the USL Championship and already has seven goals in as many matches to start the 2024 season. The 24-year-old, who previously had a short stint in the Sounders Academy, signed as a Homegrown Player for MLS side Sporting Kansas City in 2020 and made nine appearances before joining Louisville City on a permanent basis two years ago.
