SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC vs SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES
CENTURYLINK FIELD, Seattle, Wash.
May 17, 2014 (WEEK 11, MLS Game #100)
7 p.m. PT (JOEtv; CSN-CA)
A key contest in the Western Conference is ahead on Saturday evening as Seattle Sounders FC play host to the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday evening at CenturyLink Field. Sounders FC saw their five-game winning streak come to an end last weekend, dropping a 5-0 decision at the New England Revolution. The Earthquakes won their second game of the season, defeating FC Dallas 2-1 at home last Saturday evening.
REFEREE: Jair Marrufo. AR1 (bench): Claudio Badea; AR2 (opposite): Matthew Nelson; 4th: Baboucarr Jallow
MLS Career: 162 games; FC/gm: 23.7; Y/gm: 2.9; R: 33; pens: 48
SUSPENDED: SJ: Shea Salinas (through May 18); Victor Bernardez (through May 18)
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: none
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: SEA: Osvaldo Alonso
DISABLED LIST: SEA: Damion Lowe; Kevin Parsemain - SJ: Tommy Muller
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: SJ: Clarence Goodson, Chris Wondolowski (USA); Victor Bernardez (HON) ... SEA: Clint Dempsey, Brad Evans, DeAndre Yedlin (USA)
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (13 meetings): Sounders FC 5 wins, 15 goals - Earthquakes 7 wins, 16 goals - Ties 1
AT SEATTLE (7 meetings): Sounders FC 4 wins, 11 goals - Earthquakes 3 wins, 6 goals - Ties 0
RETURN MATCHES: 8/2: San Jose Earthquakes vs. Seattle Sounders FC, 7:30 p.m. PT; 8/20: Seattle Sounders FC vs. San Jose Earthquakes, 7 p.m. PT
LAST YEAR (MLS):
3/23: SJ 1, SEA 0 (Wondolowski 46+)
5/11: SEA 4, SJ 0 (Neagle 28, 54; Rosales 46+; Martins 93+)
7/13: SJ 1, SEA 0 (Martinez 48)
- Sounders FC won the only game between the teams at CenturyLink Field last year, a 4-0 triumph on May 11 that ended a four-game Quakes winning streak in the series. It was the home win for Seattle against San Jose since 2011.
- The Earthquakes have won the last three meetings at Buck Shaw Stadium, including victories in both games in Santa Clara last year. The last Sounders FC away win in the series came July 31, 2010, a 1-0 victory.
- Coaches record: Sigi Schmid vs. SJ: P33 W15 L13 D5 - Mark Watson vs. SEA: P1 W1 L0 D0
SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC
Seattle Sounders FC saw their five-game winning streak come to an abrupt halt, falling 5-0 to the New England Revolution on Sunday evening at Gillette Stadium. Sounders FC are still in first place in the Western Conference with 22 points from 11 games.
LAST MATCH
- The Revolution took the lead in the 14th minute when Patrick Mullins tapped in from on the doorstep from a saved shot bouncing almost on the goal line. Then it was 2-0 in the 29th minute when Diego Fagundez buried a lead pass from Chris Tierney from left side of the box.
- It was 3-0 to the home side in the 36th minute when Teal Bunbury was sent through by Lee Nguyen, only to see his shot blocked by goalkeeper Stefan Frei. But he followed up his initial shot, rifling the ball into the back of the net from a tough angle on the left.
- Fagundez added his second in the 41st minute to make it 4-0, bringing down a beautiful ball from Teal Bunbury racing down the left before firing it perfectly just inside of the far post.
- The rout was complete early in the second half when a driven cross from Bunbury on the right glanced off Sounders FC defender Chad Marshall into his own goal.
- Sounders FC head coach Sigi Schmid made one change to the team that claimed a 2-1 win against FC Dallas at CenturyLink Field. Djimi Traore returned to central defense in place of Zach Scott.
- SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC (4-4-2): Stefan Frei - DeAndre Yedlin (Leo Gonzalez 60), Djimi Traore, Chad Marshall, Brad Evans - Marco Pappa (Kenny Cooper 74), Gonzalo Pineda, Osvaldo Alonso, Lamar Neagle (Chad Barrett 68) - Obafemi Martins, Clint Dempsey.
TEAM NEWS
- Sounders FC matched their MLS club record for goals allowed in the defeat at New England. It was the heaviest defeat in club history; the previous mark was the 5-1 loss to the Colorado Rapids last Oct. 5 in Commerce City.
- "It was just one of those days, you know. I think we had more of the game in the first 15-20 minutes," said Sounders FC head coach Sigi Schmid. "They scored two goals against the run of play. I think they had eight shots and four goals in the first half. I don't think they're five goals better than us, but today they were five goals better than us and we have to accept it. That pain will sit with us, and hopefully we'll meet again in MLS Cup."
- Said Brad Evans: "I feel like we have one of these games every single year where we get blown out, like last year in Colorado where we got crushed. There's no excuse, we said we were ready to go and a couple of defensive lapses put us on the back foot and now all we can do is prepare for San Jose."
- Sounders FC were also shut out at the attacking end for the first time in the loss in New England. Only the Chicago Fire have still scored in every one of their games this season.
- "We always try to push forward and I think we got caught up a little bit in terms of our numbers in the attack. I think they got us on the counterattack. Some of the goals that we conceded were not the best," said Clint Dempsey. "Starting the second half with the deflection (was) a little bit unlucky as well. I think that's what kind of hurt us, the counterattack."
- Sounders FC will now be without three regulars, as Clint Dempsey, Brad Evans, DeAndre Yedlin were all called into the U.S. national team for preparations in advance of the FIFA World Cup. Yedlin has started every game this season, Dempsey has started the last seven since a two-game suspension, and Evans has started the last three since returning from injury.
- Chad Barrett came off the substitutes' bench for a second consecutive match after not featuring in back-to-back games, while Kenny Cooper came on as a substitute for a fourth straight game.
- Leo Gonzalez made his first appearance since April 19, coming off the substitutes' bench for the final 30 minutes.
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES
The San Jose Earthquakes won their second match of the 2014 season, claiming a 2-1 win against FC Dallas on Saturday evening at Buck Shaw Stadium. The Quakes are in sixth place in the Western Conference with 10 points from 9 games.
LAST MATCH
- The Quakes took the lead in the 23rd minute. Goalkeeper Jon Busch sent a long ball back downfield after a cleared corner kick, and center back Clarence Goodson flicked it goalward. Cordell Cato burst past a defender, chested it down and slotted home between the legs of FCD goalkeeper Raul Fernandez.
- But just before the break the Quakes were reduced to 10 men when Shea Salinas drew a straight red from referee Chris Penso after a one-footed studs-up tackle on Dallas right back Zach Loyd.
- The Quakes used some good forture to double their lead in the 73rd minute. Marking Chris Wondolowski on a free kick from the right flank, FCD striker David Texeira wound up twisting around and knocking the ball off his back just inside the near post.
- FC Dallas pulled a goal back just three minutes later following a foul just outside the top of the San Jose penalty area. Michel stepped up and hammered a stunning free kick into the top of the goal in the upper left corner.
- Quakes boss Mark Watson made four changes to the team that reached a scoreless with the Colorado Rapids at Buck Shaw Stadium. Brandon Barklage and Clarence Goodson came into the back four for Andreas and Ty Harden, and Cordell Cato and Sam Cronin started in midfield for Atiba Harris and Jean-Baptiste Pierazzi.
- SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES (4-4-2): Jon Busch - Brandon Barklage, Clarence Goodson, Victor Bernardez, Jordan Stewart - Cordell Cato (Ty Harden 85), Khari Stephenson (Mike Fucito 60), Sam Cronin, Shea Salinas (ejected 44) - Chris Wondolowski, Alan Gordon (JJ Koval 56).
TEAM NEWS
- The Quakes won their second game of the season, over the last four matches, and extended their home undefeated streak to four games (2-0-2).
- "The second half was just about sticking together, defending, and seeing if we could see the game out," Quakes coach Mark Watson said. "I'm really proud of our guys, to see the effort and commitment, under extreme pressure, to get the points. [Goalkeeper Jon Busch] was great tonight. He showed his real quality and class again."
- Said midfielder Sam Cronin: "This match was a good show of character from the team. It was difficult in the second half when we were down a man, but we were resilient. Our center backs and taller guys defend the box extremely well late in the match when they had chance after chance."
- Cordell Cato scored his second career MLS goal, more than a year after his first, which came April 27, 2013 vs. Chivas USA.
- Goalkeeper Busch, who was credited with four saves, received an assist on the Cato goal. "I saw a big body and said, 'I'm just going to hit it down the middle to one of the big bodies and maybe something good will happen,'" Busch said. "And something good happened."
- Shea Salinas will miss his first match of the season through suspension after being sent off in the first half vs. FC Dallas.
- Khari Stephenson started a second consecutive game in the midfield, with Cronin come back in alongside him in the center of the park. But Stephenson came off at the hour mark.
- Shea [Salinas] is going to be tough to replace, especially with guys going down due to injury. We had a couple of guys beat up today. Alan Gordon going out, Khari [Stephenson] having to sub out," said Cronin. "Shea brings tons of energy and pace at the wide midfield spot for us. We have to see who's available next week to fill that void and fortunately we get a little more time to rest this week to find his replacement."
- With Andreas Gorlitz lost for the remainder of the season after knee surgery, Brandon Barklage came back into the side at right back.
- "I'm always going to go out there and play my heart out. We lost [Andreas] Gorlitz last match, which was unfortunate. Guys are going to have to step up and I'm one of those guys," Barklage said. "We have to make the most of our chances. As a unit, we're starting to click and it started in the second half of the last game. Then tonight, we found a little bit of rhythm and built off of it to stand our ground and get three points."
