The Seattle Sounders return to the road with one of the team’s toughest matches of the young season vs. FC Dallas on Saturday (6 p.m. PT; Q13 FOX/KIRO 97.3 FM/El Rey 1360AM). Here’s a breakdown of everything you need to know about the game.
WHEN AND WHERE: Kickoff is Saturday at 6 p.m. PT at Toyota Stadium, in Frisco, Texas. Toyota Stadium can house up to 20,500 fans, and FC Dallas has averaged just over 14,000 fans per game this season.
WHERE TO WATCH: The game will be telecast on Q13 FOX, with a pregame show beginning at 5:30 p.m. PT. Here’s a list of the Sounders’ Pub Partners if you care to have a few drinks while you watch.
WHERE TO LISTEN: The game will be aired on KIRO 97.3 FM in English and on El Rey 1360AM in Spanish.
RECORDS AND STANDINGS: Sounders (4-4-1, 13 pts., 8th in Western Conference), Dallas (5-4-2, 17 pts., 4th in Western Conference)
ALL-TIME HISTORY: The Sounders have historically held the upper hand in this series, going 9-3-5 during the regular season since 2009. Dallas have won just once in the teams’ past five meetings overall, though it was the one that mattered most - in the second leg of the Western Conference Semifinals last year. This will be the first of three matches between the teams this year.
SIX-POINT HOMESTAND: The Sounders head back on the road after a triumphant two-game home stand that included wins over Columbus Crew SC and the San Jose Earthquakes. The club is now 4-1-1 in its last six matches and have pulled to .500 for the first time since a dismal start to the season.
ROAD WEARY: Despite winning four straight at home, the Sounders still haven’t posted a win away from Seattle (0-2-1). Their last outing went off the rails in Colorado on April 23, they needed a last-second goal to grab a draw in Houston on April 10 and they coughed up a lead against Real Salt Lake on March 12. Is this finally the week the Sounders get that first road win?
MORE FROM MORRIS: Homegrown forward Jordan Morris now has four goals in his last four games after adding the insurance tally against San Jose on Saturday night. The streak of four consecutive games with a goal ties an MLS rookie record, and Morris joined club icons Fredy Montero and Obafemi Martins as the only players in franchise history to score a goal in four straight games.
FRIBERG RETURNS: Midfielder Erik Friberg has made an instant impression since returning from injury over the past two weeks, helping set the table for the game-winner against Columbus on April 30 and grabbing his first assist of the year against San Jose. Said Sounders captain Brad Evans: “When somebody sees Erik on the field, you know that if you don’t pressure him at the right time, he’s going to find the forward pass.”
DEUCE GOES HOME: Sounders forward Clint Dempsey always gets the homecoming treatment when he plays in Dallas, roughly 160 miles from where he first made his name in Nacogdoches, Texas. Including his early days with the New England Revolution, Dempsey has scored four goals and added an assist in five regular-season games in Dallas, either at Toyota Stadium or at the Cotton Bowl.
INJURY CONCERNS: Midfielder Andreas Ivanschitz came off the bench late in the Sounders’ win over San Jose, his first action since suffering a thigh injury in Colorado on April 23. Although it’s still unclear if he’s ready to start in Dallas, there are no other major injury concerns for the team heading into this game.
HAPPY TO BE HOME: FC Dallas were one of the heavy early-season favorites in MLS after challenging for the Supporters’ Shield last year, but things have changed in the past two weeks. FCD have lost three straight heading into this weekend – all on the road – and they’ve been outscored 8-0 in that span. They’re unbeaten at home this year, however, at 3-0-2.
GONZALEZ INJURED: Rising goalkeeping star Jesse Gonzalez was injured and left the game late in FCD’s 1-0 loss on Saturday after colliding with Toronto FC’s Will Johnson, and there’s no word yet about the severity of the injury. Gonzalez was one of the standouts of FCD’s postseason run last year, and saved two of the four penalty kicks he faced in FCD’s win over the Sounders in the postseason.
CASTILLO BENCHED: FCD striker Fabian Castillo is one of the brightest young stars in MLS, but even he’s capable of a cold streak. The Colombian import was actually benched to start the team’s match against Toronto FC and has only scored twice in 11 games this season, the same as Sounders defender Chad Marshall.
DIAZ LOOKING FOR FORM: Mauro Diaz started the season right where he left off last year: As the best playmaker in MLS. But after four assists and a goal in his first four games, he missed four straight games with a hamstring injury, and he’s still working his way back to full form. He logged his first full 90 minutes since coming back against TFC on Saturday, but he failed to log a shot on goal or stem the tide of FCD’s rough stretch on the road.
SHORT REST: FC Dallas will take on the Portland Timbers on Wednesday night, meaning they’ll be operating on some serious short rest when the Sounders come to town on Saturday. Interestingly, they’re 2-0 this season when playing with less than a week’s rest, with wins over Portland and Sporting Kansas City.
