SOUNDERS GAMEDAY
SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC (13-7-9, 48 POINTS) AT VANCOUVER (10-12-8, 38)
6 p.m., BC Place, Vancouver, BC
TV: NBCSN. RADIO: 97.3-FM.
CLUB LEADERS: For Seattle: G 13, Eddie Johnson; A 13, Mauro Rosales; S 105, Fredy Montero; SOG 38, Montero; GAA 0.84, Michael Gspurning. For Vancouver: G 7, Darren Mattocks; A 5, Camilo; S 55, Camilo; SOG 21, Camilo; GAA 1.34, Joe Cannon.
HEAD TO HEAD: This is Seattle’s oldest rivalry, dating to 1974 in the North American Soccer League. Seattle has an all-time 62-46-20 lead, and 2-0-2 in MLS. This season, the clubs played to a 2-2 draw May 19 in Vancouver, and the Sounders won, 2-0, on Aug. 18 in Seattle.
NOTES: The Sounders, who lost to San Jose last weekend, haven’t lost consecutive MLS games over 61 matches – the longest stretch in league history. … These are the fourth- and fifth-place teams in the Western Conference. Seattle goes into the weekend one point behind second-place Los Angeles and Salt Lake, while the Whitecaps are two points ahead of sixth-place Dallas. … Vancouver is winless over its past six games (0-5-1). Seattle is 3-1-2 over that period. … The Whitecaps are 16th in the 19-team league in goals (31), 17th in shots on goal (104) and 18th in shots (318). They lead MLS in yellow cards (64). … Gspurning has dipped to second in goals-against average, .01 behind Kansas City’s Jimmy Nielsen. Cannon is tied for fourth with eight shutouts. … The Sounders are at near full-strength with the expected return of midfielder Rosales (quadriceps). … Vancouver is 0-2-2 in Cascadia Cup competition and must win today to remain in the running with Portland (2-0-2) and Seattle (1-1-2). … Vancouver midfielder Dane Richards is out because of yellow-card accumulation. Montero and Osvaldo Alonso are one card away from suspension. … The referee is Silviu Petrescu.
NEXT: The Portland Timbers visit CenturyLink Field at 6 p.m. Oct. 7.
don.ruiz@thenewstribune.com
