This week Sounders FC is back at PPL Park for the first time since its victory in the 2014 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final. The teams will look much different this time around, as injuries have depleted the rosters of both the Sounders and Philadelphia Union.
Here are three positional battles to keep an eye on in Wednesday night’s contest.
Chad Marshall vs. C.J. Sapong
The three-time MLS Defender of the Year will be tasked with shutting down a young but productive forward in Sapong. In his first season with the Union, Sapong has netted a team-high five goals in just 11 games, including a goal in each of the club’s last three matches. Sapong missed some time this season after undergoing an assessment by the league’s Substance Abuse and Behavior Health program, but the 26-year-old has been stellar up top since his return to the lineup.
Andy Rose vs. Brian Carroll
The Union went on a run of three wins in four games from May to June, when Carroll became a regular starter for the first time this season. With Carroll playing as a central defensive midfielder, Philadelphia gave up just one goal in those four matches and picked up impressive victories over D.C. United and Columbus Crew SC. A veteran with more than 300 MLS starts under his belt, Carroll could spend much of Wednesday’s game marking Rose, who has appeared in all 16 games for Seattle but is still looking for his first goal of the season.
Marco Pappa vs. Brian Sylvestre
It also took Pappa a while to get going this year, but since the beginning of May he has been one of the Sounders’ most dangerous attacking options, notching two goals and four assists in his last eight matches. With star strikers Obafemi Martins and Clint Dempsey out on Wednesday, Pappa will continue to be relied upon for creating scoring chances. He’s up against a goalkeeper that allowed five goals over the weekend, as Sylvestre and the Union matched their worst loss in club history with a 5-1 defeat at the LA Galaxy.
