Tag:

Nicolas Lodeiro

Seattle Sounders

Sounders win Champions League in Style

by Michael Martinez
written by Michael Martinez

They’ve done it. The Seattle Sounders have finally done what no other MLS team could in the modern iteration of this tournament. They managed hostile terrain, historic Mexican sides, the reigning MLS Cup champions, and the usual array of Concacaf-ing to become the league’s first continental champions. Time to be insufferable.

Lineups:

Seattle Sounders: 4-2-3-1

Pumas:

Match Report

Although the Sounders ultimately beat Pumas UNAM 3-0 in the second leg of the Concacaf Champions League — 5-2 on aggregate — and looked pretty comfortable doing it, the opening half provided more than enough reason to worry. Seattle created chances early but lost Nouhou in the 11th minute and João Paulo in the 29th to injuries. After that, both sides pushed, but Stefan Frei stood up to the challenge at each turn to keep Pumas out.

Then in the final minute of first-half regulation time, Raúl Ruidíaz did what we all knew he would: hammered a ball in the area that beat the goalkeeper after a deflection. After that, Lumen Field exploded, and while we didn’t know it then, nothing was ever the same again.

Pumas only had one decent chance in the second half, which drew an excellent save from Frei.

The final 45 minutes were effectively all Sounders, and the payoff came in the final 10 minutes. Ruidíaz doubled his tally on an excellent team goal in the 80th minute, finishing off a sequence that included a ball from Alex Roldan that released Jordan Morris down the wing. Morris drove at the penalty area before playing a drop pass to the top of the box for Nico Lodeiro, who found Ruidíaz running into the box.

Minutes later, Lodeiro hammered the ball home, finishing the rebound following a great play by Morris to create space and get a shot off from the right side. 

That settled any questions about a possible Pumas comeback as the Sounders took their final steps into glory. The Seattle Sounders, Concacaf Champions. History has been made.

Post Match Thoughts

Sounders Striker, Ruidiaz, scores in the final

Image via Steph Chambers/Getty Images

I have never heard Lumen Field this loud. Seattle came out to party and the stadium was BOOMIN. You could even feel the noise and vibrations in the press box! The atmosphere was euphoric, to say the least. I would even compare it to some of the biggest games in Europe. Who would have thought we’d be saying that 10 years ago?

The Sounders deserved to win.

One of the talking points coming into this match was how the Sounders would deal with the pressure of a championship match at home, with the expectations of seemingly the entire league on their shoulders. The last time the Sounders hosted a final was the 2019 MLS Cup, where they started slowly before finishing strong. Unfortunately for Pumas, that wasn’t the case here, as the Sounders dominated for the overwhelming majority of play. That isn’t to say Pumas didn’t have their opportunities, but thanks to another stellar performance from Stefan Frei, they couldn’t breach the Sounders’ net, and the Sounders defense kept Pumas mostly at bay.

A title run for the ages

While the Sounders didn’t face off against Tigres or Club America, they ran through serious competition for the title. The Sounders went undefeated during the run, including twice in Mexico and on the road in New York. Tossing in their opening series against Motagua, they had a dominant run. Four road draws with four dominating wins at home sealed the deal.

Ruidiaz shows up when we need him.

One of the nerviest situations for a soccer team — aside from hosting the Biggest Match in Team History — is when you’re dominating play and don’t have anything to show for it. One misplay or bad bounce could mean heartbreak. But when the tension is at its highest, teams need their stars to shine. Enter Raul Ruidiaz, who always seems to show up when, and where the Sounders need him most. While his first tally won’t win any Goal of the Year nominations, it did give the Sounders the advantage, significant in Concacaf matches, where deficits mean time-wasting and cynicism.

Sounders’ midfield maestros

Much of the credit for the Sounders’ dominant display has to go to the midfield. In particular, Nicolas Lodeiro and Albert Rusnak gave Pumas fits with their dribbling ability and close control, helping the Sounders keep the ball when they needed to or spring attacks when the opportunities presented themselves. Rusnak was instrumental in the opening goal, dribbling several defenders and centering the ball to Arreaga, who laid it off for Ruidiaz’s deflected finish. And what is there to say about Nicolas Lodeiro, who capped off a fantastic game with the third goal of the match late in the game. And the celebration at Lumen was well and truly on.

MOTM

While the official Man of The Match went to Raul Ruidiaz for his brace to lead the Sounders to a historic victory, I feel that Rusnak should have deserved it. The newest DP signing struggled a tad bit in his first few games as a Sounder, but his form leading up to the final has been superb. His form continued into the final as he was KEY in every aspect of the midfield. The game went through him at every opportunity and his work rate was insane. Every player did their part today, but Rusnak was on another level.

 

The Sounders will get a crack at Liverpool, Real Madrid, or Palmeiras in the FIFA Club World Cup in the nearish future. First, however, they’ll look to recover from a slow MLS start to keep their playoff streak alive. Unfortunately, they may have to accomplish a feat without the services of João Paulo. He received his champions medal on crutches after leaving the match with a season-ending ACL injury midway in the first half.

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Captain Nico celebrates a Sounders win
Seattle Sounders

Sounders Advance to CCL Final

by Michael Martinez
written by Michael Martinez

The Sounders have done it! For the first time in club history, the Sounders advanced to the CONCACAF Champions League final after a 1-1 draw last Wednesday against NYCFC. The Sounders withstood heavy pressure from NYCFC in the second half to advance to the final against Pumas UNAM.

Seattle is looking to become the first MLS team ever to win the tournament after the previous four sides from the MLS failed in the final. The top-tier Mexican soccer league, a club from Liga MX, has won the last 16 CONCACAF Champions League finals.

The Sounders have been dominant in this year’s tournament, scoring 13 goals and allowing just three goals in six fixtures.

Lineups:

Seattle Sounders: 4-2-3-1

New York City FC: 4-2-3-1

Match Report

The Sounders took the lead through yet another beautifully worked team goal that included a gorgeous diagonal ball from Jackson Ragen to Nouhou and a great cross into the box from Nouhou that Raúl Ruidíaz knocked home.

NYCFC tied the game, bringing the aggregate deficit back to two early in the second half. Seattle had an excellent opportunity to close the door minutes later as Jordan Morris and Cristian Roldan got out on the counter. Still, when Roldan found Morris with a great look inside the area, his shot was right at the one defender standing on the goal line.

NYCFC continued to push for more goals to get back into the series, but try as they might, they weren’t going to beat Stefan Frei. As New York racked up 25 shots, Frei recorded seven saves, with more than a few stops coming spectacularly. With Frei making his best brick wall impression and the rest of the squad doing their best to limit the danger of the shots that New York got off, Seattle held off the Pigeons for the better part of an hour and secured their place in the finals.

After that, they will face UNAMs on the road before hosting them in the second leg for a chance to lift another trophy at Lumen Field. Finally, the dates are confirmed, with the first leg on April 27th in Mexico and the second leg at home on May 4th. Tickets for the home leg sold out within an hour!

Key moments

1’ — Taty Castellanos slams into Xavier Arreaga as the Sounder wins a header to draw a yellow.

28’ — Sounders goal! Raúl Ruidíaz opens the scoring with a first-time finish after an excellent pass from Nouhou. 1-0 (4-1) Sounders

44’ — Nico Lodeiro wins the ball outside NYCFC’s area and finds Ruidíaz inside the box. Ruidíaz takes a touch to create space, which leads to nothing.

51’ — New York pulls one back. After hitting the post twice, Alex Roldan gets beat coming into the box, allowing a cutback and a finish through traffic. 1-1 (4-2)

60’ — Jordan Morris and Cristian Roldan play a fantastic sequence down the field, and Roldan finds Morris for a great chance, but the shot hits a body on the goal line.

63’ — Another good chance for NYCFC, but Stefan Frei stands his ground and blocks the shot before the ball goes out for a goal kick.

73’ — Stefan Frei! Talles Magno with another great look on a New York counter, but Frei drops and blocks the shot from point-blank range!

88’ — Another close one for NYCFC, but Frei dives across the goal and paws the ball away, then Kelyn Rowe draws a foul to stop the danger.

Post Match Thoughts

Sounders celebrate Ruidiaz's goal in CCL

Image via Seattle Sounders FC Twitter

STEFAN FREI. ENOUGH SAID. Everyone outside the Greater Seattle Metro area has criminally underappreciated and underrated Stefan Frei. He’s been one of, if not the best goalkeeper in MLS for years. He passes the eye test, too, frequently making highlight-reel saves and repeatedly ruining MLS attackers’ lives.

He rightfully won the MLS Cup Final MVP in 2016 but has little love for Goalkeeper of the Year. After missing time to injury in 2021, there were questions about how he’d do in his return. Tonight’s performance was no indication that Stefan Frei’s decline was exaggerated. However, this could finally get the glory that he deserves.

There have been plenty of complaints about the Sounders’ slow start or poor record to begin the MLS season. But fans have every reason to be okay with that because the Sounders are cruising through the Champions League. While they’ve gone 2-2-1 with a goal differential of 0 in MLS play, Seattle has yet to lose a game in CCL play, outscoring their opponents 13-3 while going 3-0-3.

Despite that, they’ve done it while rotating players in and out of the lineup. This is a team built for great things, for making history. As they advance to the CCL Finals, they’ll get to do it at home in front of their fans.

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ECS reveals memorable TIFO in Sounders home opener
Seattle Sounders

Sounders Extend League Winless Streak

by Michael Martinez
written by Michael Martinez

The conditions for the season opener may have been straight from the Sounders’ playbook. But it was Nashville SC who basked in the “Seattle Sunshine” at the end of 90 at Lumen Field. Nashville showed they were up for the fight from the get-go, strategically pressing into turnovers. And while they didn’t create many opportunities, they certainly kept the Sounders from doing much to start the game.

Lineups

Seattle Sounders: 4-2-3-1

Nashville SC: 4-2-3-1

Match Report

The city of Seattle had set the scene. The mood surrounding the Seattle Sounders was about as good as you could ask following a disappointing end to last season. They were coming off a resounding win over Motagua in Concacaf Champions League, seemingly shaking off the frustration that had carried over.

Nashville SC came out with a game plan to frustrate the Sounders and execute it flawlessly. However, their press was compelling enough that the Sounders struggled to get out of their end. The Sounders eventually started connecting passes, but it was mainly through their two fullbacks and rarely through the middle of the park.

After Nashville broke through for the game’s first goal in the 80th minute, the Sounders applied sustained pressure. And it wasn’t until the 87th minute that they put a shot on frame. A 0-0 score probably would have been a fair result, but it’s hard to argue the Sounders deserved any better than the 1-0 loss.

“Yeah, that’s an organized team; they are very cohesive in the way they play,” Sounders midfielder Cristian Roldan said of Nashville. “We didn’t get too many opportunities to run in behind the backline because of the way they play. It’s always frustrating to play a game like that, but I didn’t think we played very well. I felt that we were lacking a little bit today.”

Perhaps the best illustration of the Sounders’ struggles was the degree to which their two most attack-oriented starters were limited. Sam Adeniran replaced the injured Raúl Ruidíaz at forward. Jordan Morris combined for just 33 touches, one-shot, and zero dribbles inside the penalty area in 119 combined minutes.

Nashville deserves credit for executing their game plan. They were committed to not letting the Sounders break them down through the middle of the park and did an excellent job defending the zones in and around the penalty area.

What’s most frustrating is that it feels like a continuation of what happened through much of last year. When the Sounders had their worst-ever home record during the MLS era, they failed to win their final three home games.

The Sounders mostly rejected this concern. Similarly, they were unwilling to pin this result on having just played in the Champions League. Although, it does seem notable that the three other MLS teams who played a midweek CCL game all lost their openers as well.

Post Match Thoughts

The consensus post-match was Nashville’s defensive qualities aside was that the Sounders didn’t do themselves any favors. The lack of tempo from the Sounders was evident for most of the match. The failure to test Nashville early meant they were in for a grind. 

The Sounders were missing Raúl Ruidíaz and Nicolás Lodeiro starting on the bench certainly hurt. But hoping for a moment of magic as opposed to a consistent dynamic attack will leave you disappointed more often than not.

The Sounders’ home form was the subject of much consternation last season, and dropping the opening match in 2022 won’t do much to quell those concerns. Still, neither the players nor Schmetzer was overly concerned about the early-season loss. But, of course, one or two hiccups are bound to happen, though laying an egg in the opener doesn’t make that reality any easier to swallow.

Sounders will move on and try to right things on the road next weekend in a place they rarely have success, with a Champions League home-and-away series to navigate besides. After that, the team has a week to regroup and prepare for the next game to face Real Salt Lake. That game starts a 10-day run where the team will play four games against Leon in CCL, RSL, and a home game against the LA Galaxy.

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Seattle Sounders

Cascadia Clash ends with the Timbers on Top

by Michael Martinez
written by Michael Martinez

It was another beautiful Pacific Northwest night as the Seattle Sounders took on the Portland Timbers again in another Cascadia Cup clash. Last time out, fans saw an absolute beating from the Sounders as they topped their rivals 6-2 at Providence Park. Every match between these two is always a fun battle, so it was interesting to see who would come out on top this time.

Unfortunately for Sounders fans, the Timbers would get their revenge in the end. Thanks to horrible luck, poor finishing, and the post, the score would end 0-2 favor the visiting Timbers. So while the Sounders are still at the top of the table, things are potentially looking problematic for the would-be champions.

Lineups: 

Seattle Sounders: 5-2-2-1

Portland Timbers: 4-3-2-1

Match Report

“We are going to try and push past it. We have to. The team is not going to sit back and dwell on that.”

The setting was beautiful for this Cascadia Cup clash with the Portland Timbers. The prematch festivities were grand; Reign beat the Thorns, tributes for Jimi Hendrix and his family, and record-setting crowds in the stadium. Everything was setting up a potential Sounders win. So, what happened? 

The match started with the usual intensity you would expect with a Cascadia rivalry game. However, it looked like it could have gone either way. The Timbers began with the match’s first chance six minutes in as Dairon Asprilla lets off a wicked shot off the crossbar but ultimately leads to nothing. 

Only minutes later, tragedy struck the Timbers as defender Eryk Williamson suffered an ACL tear after getting his feet caught in the turf. From there, there was not much else that happened the rest of the half. A couple of decent chances for either team, but it was far from a dull fest. 

The second half was a bit of a different story. The Sounders came out ready to fight, but the Timbers came out wanting it. 

Overall, the Sounder’s defense, especially Xavi, was playing well. That was until the Timbers got their first goal after a disastrous back-pass from Yeimar. After that, Cleveland had no good choices to make as Blanco finished off a pass from Mora into an empty net to give Portland the lead in the 58th minute. 

That was when the Sounders turned it on. Seattle took control of the half and had a couple of great chances courtesy of Shane O’Neil and Raul in the 61st and 86th minutes. Unfortunately, O’Neil’s header hit off the post, and Clark stopped Raul’s rocket of a shot. Things were not going their way all night. 

Caught sleeping once again, the defense and Yeimar left Clevland alone with Mora. Cleveland came out to win a ball in the air but misjudged the bounce. As a result, Mora was able to gain control and chip the goalkeeper to double Portland’s lead in the dying minutes of the game. 

Post Match Thoughts

Sounders centerback, Yeimar, clears the ball despite a Timbers push in the first half of this Cascadia Cup clash.

Image via Max Aquino

While the Sounders created decent chances, their overall performance was relatively poor for significant game stretches. Considering their usual standard, this was a poor result. Seattle struggled to connect passes, and players seemed to show an uncharacteristic lack of familiarity. 

This loss feels like quite the letdown after coming off of an exceptional three games away from home. To add to the frustration, Lumen Field was the fullest it’s been since Seattle hosted the 2019 MLS Cup Final, and the stadium played host to an OL Reign 2-1 win over the Portland Thorns earlier in the day with over 27,000 in attendance to make history and set an NWSL record.

The Sounders won the Cascadia Cup series thanks to two wins earlier in the season at Providence Park, but the loss tonight continues a strange trend. You have to go back to May  2017 to find Seattle’s last regular-season win at home against the rags. They’ve had five such successes at Providence Park in that time. It almost certainly doesn’t mean anything, but that won’t make anyone feel better about it. For now, it’s just an oddity.

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Vancouver Whitecaps

Cascadia Clash Ends in a Surprise Draw

by Michael Martinez
written by Michael Martinez

It may have only been a draw, but taking a point from the league leaders? This must feel like a major win for the Vancouver Whitecaps. 

The Whitecaps took on league leaders and Cascadia rivals, the Seattle Sounders. Heading into the match the Sounders were undefeated and the Whitecaps were on a 5 match losing streak. All the odds were stacked up against the Whitecaps. 

Against the Sounders, a team that they haven’t beaten since 2017, it felt like anything but a loss would be seen as positive for a team that was quickly fading after a bright start. 

Lineups

Vancouver Whitecaps: 4-3-3

Seattle Sounders: 5-3-2

Match Details

Scoring Summary

40′ – SEA – Raúl Ruidíaz (assisted by Brad Smith)

49′ – VAN – Cristian Dájome (assisted by Caio Alexandre)

56′ – VAN – Lucas Cavallini (assisted by Cristian Dájome)

71′ – SEA – Jimmy Medranda (assisted by Fredy Montero)

Statistics

Possession: SEA 61.6 – VAN 38.4

Shots: SEA 19 – VAN 11

Shots on Goal: SEA 5 – VAN 4

Saves: SEA 2 – VAN 3

Fouls: SEA 9 – VAN 13

Offsides: SEA 0 – VAN 2

Corners: SEA 2 – VAN 1

Cautions

22′ – VAN – Lucas Cavallini (yellow)

45’+4 – VAN – Caio Alexandre (yellow)

89′ – VAN – Maxime Crépeau (yellow)

 

Match Report

“There’s two things that we addressed the last two days,” “It’s the why of coming out and sometimes lacking little things to dictate the game, and we also spoke about making big plays at the end of games.”

Image via Vancouver Whitecaps Twitter

It was that execution and determination that were most important for the Whitecaps. While it may not have been pretty, they fought hard and climbed their way back for the draw. This is not something that can be said for most of this 2021 season. 

Cristian Dájome and Lucas Cavallini scored the goals for the Whitecaps they finally snapped a five-match losing streak. The first 45 minutes saw Vancouver and Seattle evenly matched. The Whitecaps came at the league leaders hard from the get go and did not make it easy. Again, something we really haven’t really seen much of this season.

Despite a strong showing to start the half, the Sounders opened up the scoring thanks to Golden Boot candidate, Raul Ruidiaz. The Peruvian nets it home to make 0-1 for the league leaders. 

The goal resulted from a poor giveaway in the midfield and some questionable positioning by goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau.

The Whitecaps came out just as strong and surprisingly found a bit of life in the second half. Despite being down, away from “home”, AND against the team at the top of the league standings, they fought their way back into the game.

Vancouver found their opening goal in the 46th minute after a beautiful through ball from Alexandre to Dájome. After making an incredible run behind the defense, Dájome slips the ball around the keeper for an easy shot right on goal. This goal could not have come at a better time just as momentum was building.

Thanks to the momentum picked up after that first goal, the Whitecaps then picked up the lead in the 56th minute.  Dájome continued his strong 2nd half. After a wonderful ball out wide from Andy Rose, Dajome looked up and whipped in a cross into the box. The cross came and bounced off of striker Lucas Cavallini and in. Truthfully the striker needed a little extra luck as he had to stick out a limb and just hope that the ball would roll in.

There it was, the Whitecaps were leading the league leaders 2-1 on their home turf! They had the chance to get their first win in 8 matches. Against their Cascadia rivals of all teams. No one would have expected that going into this match. Not even Whitecaps fans! 

Seattle had other plans…

Immediately after the Whitecaps’ second goal, the Sounders turned it on and then came the onslaught. Crépeau stayed busy in the second half with the Whitecaps holding onto dear life.  With three saves, the Canadian international was able to keep the Sounders off the board. 

It felt like a Sounders goal was inevitable and in the 71st minute, that proved to be the case. Jimmy Medranda found some space at the edge of the box with the ball being placed perfectly for him. After failing to close it down, he was able to settle and slam the ball home through a crowd of bodies to tie up the game for the Sounders.

It felt like a Sounders goal was inevitable and in the 71st minute, that proved to be the case. Jimmy Medranda found some space at the edge of the box with the ball being placed perfectly for him. After failing to close it down, he was able to settle and slam the ball home through a crowd of bodies to tie up the game for the Sounders. 

It was a gut wrenching goal as the Whitecaps dream of taking down the league leaders came crashing down. They sat back inviting pressure, so the goal was almost inevitable, but it still hurt. It is also hard to keep the Sounders down but everyone knows their quality. You never let them grow into the game. 

Surprisingly enough, the Whitecaps managed to hold off a late storm, keeping the match even at two a piece. Even more impressively, they almost scored a late winner! Cristian Gutierrez found Brian White with less than a minute to go, but the new striker’s header fell comfortably into Cleveland’s hands. 

Overall it was a solid showing from the boys. From a strong start, to being a goal down at the break, to coming back and taking points from the league leaders. Everything points to a solid performance. The Whitecaps were able to snap their 5-match losing streak. This will definitely be considered a positive performance all things considered. 

 

The Vancouver Whitecaps are back in action Sunday July 4th, when they visit FC Dallas at Toyota Stadium. Catch the game live on TSN 1/3 and ESPN+  starting at 5:30 p.m. PT.

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Seattle Sounders

Why Weren’t The Sounders Favorites for MLS Cup?

by Michael Martinez
written by Michael Martinez

The Seattle Sounders are first in the Supporter’s Shield race, first in the Western Conference, and they have yet to lose a game this season. So why did it take so long for the Sounders MLS Cup odds to go up? You would think they would have been favorites from the start.

The Sounders are having an excellent start to the season, their best ever in fact.  This has not come as a surprise because the Sounders are synonymous with winning. They have arguably been one of the best teams in MLS over the last 5 years. 

This year specifically has been great for the team. Best goal difference (+11), least goals allowed (3, ZERO from open play), and the second best goal scoring team on top of that (14 goals to SKC’s 15). 

So with all that in mind, you would think that they would have had the best odds to win MLS Cup right? Well, it took the bookies 7 games to finally put them at the top. Why? 

You could argue they should have been at the top from the beginning but it seems others have had their doubts. The reason for this could have been our injury problems to some key players. Many of which are out for a longer while.  

 We have yet to see Nico, our DP #10,  all season due to knee issues, JMO out for the season after picking up another torn ACL in Swansea, Delem out with an ACL tear, and now Frei out for the foreseeable future due to complications with his knee injury. All such key components to the team. 

For most teams, when you lose important players like that, your form has a tendency to take a big dip. That has to be exactly what they were thinking when the season started. That is why the Sounders were second on the list. No one knew what to expect, including Sounders fans. 

Thankfully, the team has stepped up so immensely in the absence of these players. Brian Schmetzler has changed the formation up and the team is performing. Playing a 5-3-2 has paid off immensely. Every single player has stepped into new roles and are playing with a tenacity I have not seen in a while. 

Image via Seattle Sounders FC Twitter

Even without Nico and JMO, the team is still creating plenty of chances and scoring goals. The new emergence of the kids is paying off as they look like they have been part of the team for years. I am excited to see how the team plays when Nico comes back, but for now fans can sleep comfortably knowing the team will still perform. 

As we speak, the Sounders are now getting the best odds in the league at +400 to win the MLS Cup, according to Sports Betting Dime. That’s higher than what LAFC had at the start of the season! 

Things can only get better from here for the Sounders. If they stay on this path, then there is no reason to believe that they won’t win the cup. They’ll also break some league records along the way. Let’s hope the bookies agree with us.

The Sounders now head into the upcoming FIFA international break, with the club pausing from league duty until Saturday, June 19 when they play LA Galaxy (6:00 p.m. PT / JOEtv, Prime Video, ESPN +)

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Seattle Sounders

How Will The Sounders Look Without Morris?

by Kevin Nesgoda
written by Kevin Nesgoda

Welp there it is. The inevitable has happened, Jordan Morris has left Seattle after 5 years with the club. He has gone across the pond to English Championship side Swansea City AFC on loan for the remainder of the season. There is also an option to buy in there as well. The rumored amount is $5-$7 million, but that has yet to be disclosed. All this depends on the Welsh side getting promoted to the Premier League. They are in second place, so it is very likely that they will make their way back to the top flight. 

Now enough with the boring details of the transfer. It’s time to talk about the Sounders. Jordan Morris was a key component in the attack for 5 years. Especially once he made his move out on the left wing. His explosive speed and finishing will definitely be missed this next season. He had 43 goals and 21 assists across 131 matches. Finding a possible replacement will be tough to say the least. But the question is… What does this mean for the Sounders?  How will they look without him? 

Here’s what I think. We already know based on comments from boss man Garth Lagerwey that there won’t be any super exciting announcements regarding transfers. There is just not enough in the budget to do so. 2020 hit MLS, as a whole, HARD financially. Almost every club is going to struggle. But come on, this is the Sounders. They always have a plan and we know that they will deliver results. I do have a feeling the lineup will look a little different going forward though. 


lineup (2).png

Normally, Schmetz likes to stick to his 4-2-3-1 and does not stray from it unless truly necessary. But without any true winger depth, it might be time to bring the formation in a bit more and make it narrow. I’m thinking 4-3-1-2. The team plays with a much more possession style anyway, so might as well amp it up. With the official signings of Rowe and JP, this will be the perfect way to bring them both into the starting lineup. For those of you who have been watching football for a long while, surely you would remember the great AC Milan team from the early 2000’s. I could see the Sounders playing in a similar style. With the players they have at their disposal at this current moment, it makes the most sense. 

Another thing I think we can expect to see is the youth movement. The Sounders have some incredible youth players coming through the first team. The main ones to look out for are Leyva, the strong midfielder who can pick a pass and has some good defensive awareness for his age. This last season did not go as planned due to his injuries, but 2020 will be his year. I’m calling it now. 

Attencio is another young midfielder to look out for. He reminds of another Goose type player. A traditional #6 with an eye for a pass. He has impressed in his starts with the Defiance this season so it’s safe to assume he’ll make the jump as well. 

The last player I’ll mention is Ocampo-Chavez. While his numbers are not the best in terms of MLS level striker, he is still a top prospect for the academy. He has trained plenty with the first team and has even made the bench. In a two striker formation, it’s not out of the realm of possibility to see him getting some playing time. Once he learns from Raul and Bruin, he can be a solid MLS level striker. 

There are definitely some positives to take away from this move for the Sounders. Those are probably more obvious for Jordan but that’s okay. He plays well, Swansea get promoted, and then he’s playing in the Premier League or earns a move to an even bigger club in Europe. The positives are a bit harder to see in the short term for the Sounders, but doing right by our hometown hero is not something that should go unnoticed. We also can’t forget about the possibility of a potentially massive payday at the end of this, something that could be used to set up the Sounders for years to come.

This Sounders team is definitely going to look very different this season. With the departures of so many key players, mostly Morris and Goose, and the inability to make marquee signings, it’s going to be rough to start. One thing is for certain though, we will figure it out without Jordan. It might take a bit, but the team will be okay. We are still one of the best teams in the league and we will continue to be. That is without a doubt.

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Uncategorized

Third Time is Not The Charm… Whitecaps Fall to Sounders 2-0

by Kevin Nesgoda
written by Kevin Nesgoda


Image via MLS

Image via MLS

It was a short rest for the Whitecaps as they faced  Western Conference leaders, the Seattle Sounders last night. This match came after just 3 days of rest from their previous win against San Jose Earthquakes. The Whitecaps made wholesale changes to their lineup after Saturday, fielding a club MLS record seven Canadians in their starting XI. Let’s get into the rest of the match!

Lineups:

Vancouver Whitecaps: 3-4-3

Plenty of notes for the starting XI today!:

  • Second match in 4 days

  • An MLS record 7 Canadians in the starting XI

  • Formation Change to a defensive 3-4-3 (more like a 5-4-1)

  • Only 3 players from Saturday’s win in starting XI. Bush, Bikel, and Vanko

  • Club set record for most appearances played by Canadians in a single season (137)

Seattle Sounders: 4-2-3-1

Match Stats

VWFC Man of the Match: Derek Cornelius

Referee: Fotis Bazakos

Scoring Summary

54′ – SEA – Raúl Ruidíaz (assisted by Nouhou Tolo)

60′ – SEA – Nicolás Lodeiro (assisted by Raúl Ruidíaz)

Statistics

Possession: VAN 31.9% – SEA 68.1%

Shots: VAN 4 – SEA 11

Shots on Goal: VAN 0 – SEA 4

Saves: VAN 2 – SEA 0

Fouls: VAN 12 – SEA 6

Offsides: VAN 0 – SEA 3

Corners: VAN 4 – SEA 3

Cautions

62′ – VAN – Lucas Cavallini (yellow)

84′ – VAN – Cristian Dájome (yellow)

90′ – VAN – Derek Cornelius (yellow)

Match Review

A pair of second half goals sealed the deal as a tired out Whitecaps lose to the Seattle Sounders 2-0. DP striker Ruidiaz’s heroics for the Sounders take them back to the top of the West. To be 100% honest, the result was expected. The Sounders are arguably the best team in  the league. Even with us being on a good run of form, this was always going to be a tough match. With the loss, the Whitecaps were unable to climb up the table, staying put at seventh place and above the barely playoff line with two matches remaining. One against Portland and the other against LA Galaxy.


Image via Sounders FC twitter

Image via Sounders FC twitter

The first half started off fairly evenly as both teams almost seemed to want to play for a draw. The Whitecaps stayed defensively sound all half and did not let the Sounders through. Vanko and Cornellius shut everything down on that right hand side. There were a few times where Andy Rose was exposed by potential league MVP, Jordan Morris, on the left. On the other side of the ball, the Sounders seemed to be testing us to see how we would press and how we would react without the ball. Mostly playing out of the back and keeping possession. Ultimately, both sides stayed complacent as the half ended 0-0. 

The second half was a different story. After the break, the Sounders came out ready for a result. They  pressed the Whitecaps until they found the net not even 10 minutes into the half. 

Although initially ruled offside by the assistant referee, the Sounders struck in the 54th minute as Nouhou spun a deep cross into the box that Ruidíaz smashed into the back of the net. After some VAR review, the center referee ruled it onside making 1-0 for the Sounders. Seattle was able to put up one final goal as Yeimar sent a long ball down the middle of the pitch to find Ruidíaz in the box, where the Peruvian cut back a pass to the middle of the box where none other than Nicolás Lodeiro finished into the net in the 60th minute. 

The Whitecaps could not get anything going for them offensively after that. The Sounders bunkered down and did not allow anything to come through. This was even after MDS brought in our star front 3 of Dajome, Fredy, and Cava all at once. None of the subs had much impact on the match as the final score was 2-0 in favor of the visiting Sounders. 

Post Match Thoughts

The first half was probably the best defensive half of football I have seen the Whitecaps play in a while. Especially considering their opponent and their front 4. Things just seemed to be clicking tactically. On paper it started out with a typical 3-4-3, but then in transitions back, it would seemingly turn into a 5-4-1. I know it’s not the prettiest way to play, but hey, it worked for a half. 

Derek Cornellius and Vanko played their hearts out and left it all on the pitch. I have been sceptical on Vanko most of the season, but since we’ve signed him permanently, he’s easily been one of the better defenders. Both players are super young, so I know they can only get better. I still think Godoy and Vanko are our best CB pairing going forward, but in the eventuality that we lose Godoy, DC can easily slot right in. 

Second half was another story… The team looked like it had lost a bit of their shape. They tried to press too much and got caught in the counter press that the Sounders are so good at. It makes sense why we came out like that at the start. We initially were playing for the draw, but there were opportunities to go for the goal. The battle was lost in the midfield. That was evident in the stat line and heat map below.


This is the heat map for the Whitecaps

This is the heat map for the Whitecaps


This is for the Sounders

This is for the Sounders



whoscoredratings2.png

While I love Baldisimo, he is not a defensive midfielder. Maybe he would have been better suited for the wingback role, switching with Bikel.

The kids did alright. This was a learning match for most of them and I couldn’t be more happy with the result. 

Baldisimo balled out today. While DC was MOTM for the Whitecaps, I thought Baldi deserved a shout as well. He kept possession so well and picked passes like it was nothing. He looked like he belonged on that pitch. He has been fighting for a starting spot, and I feel that he is so close to getting it. MDS should look into finding a way to get him into the team. He deserves it. 

He even got a new fan! Kristian Jack of TSN had nothing but praise for the young Canadian. We’ve all been fans of the kid all season, but it’s still good to see him finally get some more recognition. 

The Whitecaps will be staying in Portland for their final two games of the regular season. Although this time around, they will be serving as the away side in another Cascadia clash with the Portland Timbers at Providence Park. Catch the match live on Sunday, November 1 at 7:00 p.m. PT on TSN and ESPN+

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Vancouver Whitecaps

Whitecaps Lose Back-to-Back Cascadia Matches

by Michael Martinez
written by Michael Martinez


Image via Whitecaps FC Twitter

Image via Whitecaps FC Twitter

This was another tough one to take in as the Whitecaps lose 3-1 in Seattle. This is the second time this season that the Sounders have put 3 past the Whitecaps. It was a tough game for the Whitecaps, who started out strong, nearly snatching an early lead, before ultimately falling apart early in the second half, as the Sounders scored their 3 goals in 15 minutes to close out the match.

Lineups:

Vancouver Whitecaps: 4-4-2

The Whitecaps made only two changes to the starting 11 after the loss to Portland last week.

  • Derek Cornelius for Cristian Gutierrez

  • David Milinkovic for Owusu

Besides the player changes, there were a couple of players moving positions as well.

  • Andy Rose back to Center Midfield

  • Ali Adnan back to Left Back
    Seattle Sounders: 4-2-3-1


Match Stats:

VWFC Man of the Match: Fredy Montero

Referee: Timothy Ford

Scoring Summary
46′ – SEA – João Paulo
53′ – SEA – Érik Godoy (own goal)
58′ – SEA – Raúl Ruidíaz (assisted Jordan Morris)
65′ – VAN – Fredy Montero (penalty kick)

Statistics
Possession: SEA 69.6% – VAN 30.4%
Shots: SEA 22 – VAN 3
Shots on Goal: SEA 9 – VAN 2
Saves: SEA 1 – VAN 7
Fouls: SEA 10 – VAN 17
Offsides: SEA 0 – VAN 1
Corners: SEA 7 – VAN 0

Cautions
26′ – VAN – Janio Bikel (Yellow)
49′ – SEA – João Paulo (Yellow)
52′ – VAN – Lucas Cavallini (Yellow, misses next match)
65′ – SEA – Yeimar Gómez (Yellow)
68′ – VAN – Janio Bikel (Red)

MATCH REVIEW

This tends to be the story of the season. Another loss, another disappointing performance. The first half started out fairly solid to the Whitecaps standards. Just so as long as you ignore the stat line. Which do not favor the Whitecaps at all, but I digress. 

The Sounders would come out strong, nearly scoring inside the first minute. Which gave the Whitecaps a big scare. Especially considering they conceded goals in early minutes the last two matches. Anyways, after a nice Ruidiaz flick off of a nice Kelvin Leerdam cross, Lodeiro lined up for a shot just outside of the box, but his curled shot hit just outside the goal post. 

At the other end just minutes after, the Whitecaps would nearly break the deadlock with a surprise opener, as Ali Adnan sent in a pin point cross right into the box, finding Lucas Cavallini at the edge of the 6. The striker sent his shot right at Frei to give the Sounders some breathing room. 

After these semi exciting opening moments, the rest of the first half was a bit of a dull one. A few chances here and there for both teams, but it ultimately ended at 0-0 heading into the break. The Whitecaps stayed defensively sound for most of the half denying any chances that the Sounders brought into their final third. I was pretty impressed myself, considering the debacle that was the 6-0 bashing from LAFC just two matches ago. 

Unfortunately, the Sounders were gearing up and getting ready to lay it on for the second half. Thus, crushing the Whitecaps’ dreams of taking home a point in Seattle. The Sounders opened up the scoresheet just minutes after the second half whistle with a wonderful strike at the top of the box from Joao Paulo. Caps’ defense was too slow to react as Joao had all the time in the world to set that up. 

Not soon after, the boys conceded an own goal from CB Erik Godoy after a shot from Roldan. The shot itself was nothing special by any means, but knowing that Merideth got a hand on just for it to SLOWLY trickle in after rolling off of Godoy’s leg. 

Sounders would continue to rain down on the Whitecaps as a completely unmarked Ruidiaz scored a header after a flick from Jordan Morris. Making it 3-0 after 59 minutes. This goal sums up the Whitecaps struggles defensively. It’s the little things like marking that tend to just get away from them. 

Things start to get interesting for the Whitecaps. Throughout the second half, there were times where the Whitecaps looked dangerous and made some great passing sequences. Then came the 62nd minute when Cavallini got fouled by Yeimar  inside the box resulting in a red card for the Sounders defender. The ref had to take some time to look at VAR considering the foul and the fact that it was ruled a penalty. The red card was rescinded and changed to a yellow. But thing is, and this is coming from a Whitecaps writer, it was NOT a penalty. Nor was it even a foul. Don’t get me wrong, I love Cava, but the man did not get touched. 

This is a perfect example of how inept MLS referees are. The picture was right there in front of him. Yes Cava was through on goal, and yes Yeimar did come to defend, but there was not enough contact to warrant a penalty or a card. Despite the controversial call, the man Fredy Montero buried it from the spot making it 3-1.  With the penalty, this will make it 3 goals and 3 assists in 6 matches. He is a man on fire. Carrying this Whitecaps team over the line. 

POST MATCH THOUGHTS

It seems as though I say the same things regarding the team and what they need to do to improve. And until things do change, then I will continue to preach it. The lack of possession is what needs to be addressed now. I know that the Sounders are always a team that keeps possession well, but this match was just something else. 30% is all the Whitecaps had the whole match. The whole match, it wasn’t even a contest. I have said it before, and even MDS has said it, but there is a strong need for a #10 or some sort of creativity in this team. There is almost no identity. 

 The team started out really well in the opening 30 minutes. It’s just staying consistent that’s the problem. Minus the opening chance from Cava, there just was not much else going for the team. It almost feels like he’s lost the team as he isn’t seemingly able to sort out the defensive mistakes. MDS said it himself earlier today in a presser, 

“We defend too low, we’re not able to press the way I want us to press, as well”

That says it all right there. He just can’y get them to play how he wants. This is now the third loss in a row and I just hope we can get out of this rut. 

On a positive note, there is plenty of quality in the side. It’s just about using them correctly. The Whitecaps are only 3 points away from a playoff spot. All it takes is one win to get the momentum back and running. They play San Jose Earthquakes next, and this is the perfect time to start that run. They just have to want it more. 

The Whitecaps look to bounce back without Cava and Bikel when they visit San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. PST live on TSN and ESPN+

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Uncategorized

MLS Cup preview: Toronto FC vs Sounders FC pt. 3

by Kevin Nesgoda
written by Kevin Nesgoda
2019_MLSCup_NextMatch_ArticleHeader_TOR.jpg

For the third time in 4 years, Toronto and Seattle will battle for the MLS Cup championship this Sunday. The difference this time, Seattle will be the ones hosting the MLS’ biggest match.

In the two previous matches, which took place in 2016 and ’17, the two teams split time with the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy. Seattle won the first meeting on penalties, while Toronto got their revenge the following year with a 2-0 win in regulation. The two squads seemed to be destined to meet for a third time, to break the “tie”.

The paths that led to this Cup Final were vastly different for Seattle and Toronto.

How We Got Here:

For Toronto, their season was nearly another wash. After starting the season with 5 wins in their first 8 MLS matches, the team went winless in the following 8. Toronto looked like a team that was on the outside looking in when it came to the MLS playoffs, let alone the MLS Cup. But, the team found their groove as the season progressed and thanks to some favorable results from other clubs, found themselves as the East 4 seed as the playoffs began.

Entering the playoffs Toronto was down their top striker in Jozy Altidore, who suffered an injury at the end of the regular season. Some would have written them off with that fact, but Toronto ended up playing their best football of the season once the playoffs began. In their only home playoff match, they took down D.C. United and Wayne Rooney 5-1. They then went on the road and took down the top two seeds in the East in back-to-back weeks, NYCFC 2-1 and Atlanta 2-1. The team is riding a wave that seems to be all momentum heading into Sunday.

The Sounders had a much different season. A team that is used to highs and lows, actually never found themselves below the playoff line at any point during the season. In typical Seattle fashion, they got two key wins at the end of the regular season that locked up the West 2nd seed for them. That was huge, as it made sure they would host the first two rounds at home.

First up was FC Dallas. A match that took everything the Sounders had, saw them get the 4-3 win. Next was Real Salt Lake, who Seattle shutout 2-0. The big West showdown was then set between the new age LAFC and old school Sounders. The experience was the difference as Rave Green got the 3-1 win at Banc of California Stadium.

The stage was set for a championship trilogy.

The Matchup:

These two teams only met once during the regular season with Seattle coming away with the 3-2 win at home. But considering that game was all the way back in April, not much stock can be held on that result.

On paper, these teams are very similar. Both are well run organizations that rely on veterans to lead the way. The teams have the experience of having their cores winning big games together, while adding new talent to help get them to the top of the mountain again.

With that being said, Seattle has the better of the two rosters when it comes to form and pure talent. Jordan Morris, who is in the best form of his career, has seemed to be unstoppable of late. Stefan Frei is arguably one of the best goalkeepers in all of MLS, and is known for big moments. Nicolás Lodeiro has been the MVP of Seattle since he came over in 2016. Raúl Ruidíaz is arguably the best player between both squads. Not too mention players like Torres, Roldan, Kee-hee, Svensson and Smith. Seattle will need contributions from all in order to win their second Cup.

Jozy Altidore, who is questionable for MLS Cup, would add a big punch to Toronto’s lineup.
Photo Courtesy of Mlssoccer.com

Toronto has plenty of talent of their own and like Seattle, they have been here before. Where Toronto is hurt, is the likely absence of Jozy Altidore. Their star striker was quoted saying “I’ll need a small miracle to play..”, and if that is the case they are at a disadvantage. Toronto still has Michael Bradley solidifying the midfield, but he isn’t the player he once was. Erickson Gallardo will more than likely be the forward for the team but isn’t a typical number 9 player. He is what they call a “false 9” meaning he will fall back to midfield more than he will play forward like Ruidíaz. He is great at creating opportunities but will have a struggle getting past Seattle’s backline. Alejandro Pozuelo, who has taken over for Sebastian Giovinco, is a star in the making and will be key for them in the matchup. He and Bradley will have to hold down the middle of the pitch.

Prediction:

70,000 plus will be inside CenturyLink field when these two teams clash. It will more than likely be the most attended sporting event in the stadium’s history and the second-largest crowd for an MLS Cup Final. Those fans will be expecting a win, but will they get it from their home team?

Both teams are coming off runs that very few outside of their own fanbases saw coming. Both teams have been in big matches before. Both teams have great coaching and stars that can make a difference in the matter of a second.

One team has an advantage though.

Seattle will be at home in front of a crowd that has never been seen before in the Pacific Northwest. They have the motivation of the 2017 loss to this same Toronto team and a roster that is healthier and in better overall form.

The Sounders will win this match, it will not come easily by any means though. The two clubs will feel each other out for much of the opening 45, with few great chances coming early. When the second half comes around, Seattle’s home-field advantage will be more prevalent. With the crowd behind them, the Sounders will score two second-half goals to win. Securing their second MLS Cup title in front of 70,000 Seattleites.

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