The home-and-road, aggregate-score series begins March 6-8 at CenturyLink Field and will resolve March 13-15 at Estadio Corona in Torreon, Mexico.
“We are looking forward to the quarterfinal meeting,” Sounders coach Sigi Schmid said in a news release. “At this stage of the competition, it’s never going to be an easy draw. Santos will be a difficult opponent, but we’re looking forward to the challenge and excited we’re in this round.”
Santos went 4-1-1 in winning CCL Group B. Seattle went 3-1-2, finishing second in Group D behind defending champion Monterrey.
During group play, Santos was led by midfielder Jose Maria Cardenas, who scored five goals.
In the current Mexican Apertura, Santos is 8-6-3. The club is led by former Mexican national team goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez, Colombian forward Carlos Quintero and Mexican forward Oribe Peralta.
Seattle reached the tournament by winning the 2010 U.S. Open Cup. Santos got in by taking the 2010 Mexican Apertura.
The Seattle-Santos winner will advance to a semifinal series in late March and early April against the winner of the all-MLS quarterfinal between Los Angeles and Toronto.
The other quarterfinals feature the all-Mexico match of Monterrey vs. Morelia, and Pumas of Mexico against Metapan of El Salvador.
The championship series will be April 17-19 and 24-26.
Exact dates and times are expected to be announced this week.
ADDED TIME
Major League Soccer began handing out its postseason awards Tuesday. Kansas City striker C.J. Sapong was named rookie of the year, former Sounder Sebastien Le Toux of Philadelphia won the individual fair-play award, and the Portland Timbers took the team fair-play award. Awards for top defender, humanitarian, referee and assistant referee will be announced today. No Sounders are among the finalists for any awards until Monday, when Schmid is in the running for coach of the year.
Don Ruiz: 253-597-8808 don.ruiz@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/soccer Twitter: @donruiztnt
