Philadelphia Union vs. Seattle Sounders FC
2017 MLS Regular Season - Week 30
Talen Energy Stadium – Chester, Pa.
Sunday, October 1 – 1 pm ET
WATCH: ESPN, ESPN Deportesin USA; TVAS, MLS LIVE in Canada
By the time Sunday rolls around the defending MLS Cup champions Seattle Sounders (12W-8L-11D, 47pts) will know whether they can clinch a playoff berth at Talen Energy Stadium. Meanwhile, the slumping Philadelphia Union (9W-13L-9D, 36pts) could already be eliminated by kick off, although a loss or tie against Seattle would definitely end their playoff hopes.
Coming off a convincing 3-0 win against the West's top team in midweek, the Sounders will be flying cross country and will be missing two important players. Captain Osvaldo Alonso suffered a quad injury against Vancouver, while Victor Rodriguez, who scored his first MLS goal on Wednesday, will be back in Spain to be with his wife for the birth of their child.
Philadelphia, who have just one win in their last eight (1W-3L-4D) and were soundly defeated in Atlanta, are playing for pride at this point with a gap of seven points separating them from the sixth and final playoff spot in the East. Forward C.J. Sapong, who can set a new club and personal single-season scoring record with one more goal, is possibly playing for a January US national team call-up.
The match will be a showcase of last year's Goalkeeper of the Year, the Union's Andre Blake (1.30 goals-against-average, 8 shutouts in 2017) and one of the candidates for this year's award in Seattle's Stefan Frei (1.13 goals-against-average, 11 shutouts).
Philadelphia Union
- Suspended:None
- Suspended after next caution: DF Raymon Gaddis
- International Duty:None
- On Loan: MF Eric Ayuk
- Injury Report: OUT – DF Ken Tribbett (left Achilles strain); QUESTIONABLE – MF Maurice Edu (left ankle/left tibia surgery recovery), FW Fabian Herbers (sports hernia surgery recovery), MF Ilsinho (left Achilles tendonitis), DF Aaron Jones (low abdominal strain), DF Joshua Yaro (right knee sprain)
Projected Starting XI
(4-3-3, right to left)
GK:Andre Blake — Raymon Gaddis, Jack Elliott, Richie Marquez, Giliano Wijnaldum — Haris Medunjanin, Warren Creavalle, Alejandro Bedoya — Fafa Picault, C.J. Sapong, Marcus Epps
Seattle Sounders
- Suspended:None
- Suspended after next caution:None
- International Duty:None
- On Loan:None
- Injury Report: OUT — DF/MF Brad Evans (lower back pain), FW Jordan Morris (right hamstring strain), MF Calum Mallace (left quad strain); QUESTIONABLE: MF Osvaldo Alonso (quad injury), DF Roman Torres (sore knee)
Projected Starting XI
(4-2-3-1, left to right)
GK: Stefan Frei — Nouhou Tolo, Chad Marshall, Roman Torres, Kelvin Leerdam — Gustav Svensson, Cristian Roldan — Joevin Jones, Clint Dempsey, Nicolas Lodeiro — Will Bruin
All-Time Series
The Union and Sounders have met nine times since 2010, including once a year since 2012 (alternating between CenturyLink and Talen Energy Stadium). Philadelphia are undefeated at home against Seattle in league play, but the Sounders did win the 2014 U.S. Open Cup championship match on the Union's home field.
- Overall: Philadelphia 3W-4L-2D (11 GF, 11 GA) … Seattle 4W-3L-2D (11 GF, 11 GA)
- At PHI: Philadelphia 2W-0L-2D (7 GF, 4 GA) … Seattle 0W-2L-2D (4 GF, 7 GA)
Officials
Referee: Alan Kelly
Assistant Referees: Danny Thornberry, Eric Boria
4th Official: Marcos DeOliveira
Video Assistant Referee (VAR): Fotis Bazakos
