There will be plenty of motivation for the Seattle Sounders when they host Austin FC in Saturday’s 7:30 pm home opener at Lumen Field. One motivational factor is the prospect of starting the season 0-2 after last week’s 2-1 loss at LAFC. Playing in front of the home crowd will be another motivational factor. The Sounders are 10-5-0 in their home openers since 2009. The Rave Green’s most recent home opening loss was to Nashville SC in 2022. The Sounders opened last season with an emphatic 4-0 win against the Colorado Rapids. A similar goal fest would be a welcome start.
GOAL GOALS GOALS
The Sounders inability to score goals will be a thing until it isn’t. From last season to preseason and now one game into the 2024 season the Sounders must find a way to get the ball in the back of the net consistently. The addition of Pedro del la Vega paid some dividends last week. The gifted Argentinian came off the bench, showed his ability to take on defenders, and showed his finishing touch by converting the penalty kick for the clubs lone goal. Look for De la Vega to get the start playing inside with Leo Chu playing wide on the left side. To score more goals the Sounders must be decisive in the final third. Thinking too much and sometimes not enough has been the issue. The difference between the two is making decisive quick decisions and not overthinking it.
ANOTHER DEFENSIVE ADJUSTMENT?
Andrew Thomas will get his second consecutive start in goal. Against LAFC he played a decent game. His positioning , vision of shots, and delivery of the ball was good. He was a bit slow to leave his line on one particular play and it nearly cost the Sounders a goal were it not for the heady play of Nathan who cleared a sure goal off the backline after Thomas was caught out of position. With Nathan out ( getting his green card) head coach Brian Schmetzer will give Xavier Arreaga his first start of the season. Schmetzer will most likely go to a back three and push Alex Roldan up as a right-wing. Roldan’s ability to deliver long crosses inside the box and across the field will make the Sounders attack more diverse and dynamic.
POSSESSION BASED PLAY
Once an all-out pressing team the Sounders have added the element of possession on both halves of the pitch. More possession on the offensive half allows the team to be more dynamic and on the defensive end allows the team to get more players behind the ball in transition. Against LAFC short offensive possession left the Sounder’s defense unbalanced and susceptible to the Gold and Black’s lethal counterattack.
WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?
Schmetzer will employ a high press looking for a quick goal to game the home crowd behind his team. Josh Antecio and Obed Vargas will need to have another disciplined game in the middle of the field. Jordan Morris must stay in the game by making runs to pull defenders away from the goal and at times make runs toward the goal to create room for De la Vega and Chu.
- Storm defense paves the way in 85 to 49 win over Mercury
- Sounder sign Andrew Thomas to three three-year contract
- Seattle Reign Come Back to Defeat San Diego 2-1
- Seahawks Rookie Camp Day One report
- Seattle Reign FC Frustrated with Loss Streak
PREGAME MATCH NOTES
• Seattle Sounders FC plays in its home opener on Saturday, hosting
Austin FC on the Emerald Queen Casino Pitch at Lumen Field (7:30
p.m. PT / Apple TV, 93.3 KJR FM, El Rey 1360 AM).
• Seattle and Austin have faced off six times since the Texas side
joined the league in 2021, with Seattle holding a 3-1-2 record. The two
sides have yet to meet in the postseason.
• Seattle is coming off a 2-1 loss against LAFC in its season opener,
while Austin also suffered a 2-1 loss against Minnesota United FC.
• The Rave Green historically have been successful in home-opening
matches, compiling a 10-5-0 record in their first match of the season at
Lumen Field. Seattle has also never lost a home opener by more than
one goal.
• Club legend Osvaldo Alonso is being honored at Saturday’s match.
The former midfielder and club captain recently signed a one-day
contract to retire a Sounder. Alonso joined the club for its inaugural
season in 2009, playing 10 seasons for Seattle and winning eight major
trophies with the Rave Green.
• Pedro de la Vega scored a goal against LAFC in his club debut. De la
Vega joined Seattle this offseason as the club’s first Young Designated
Player, previously spending his entire professional career with Club
Lanús of Argentina’s top flight.
• Goalkeeper Andrew Thomas also made his MLS debut on Saturday
against LAFC, recording four saves.
• Following Saturday’s matchup, Seattle hits the road once again to
take on Eastern Conference side Philadelphia Union on Saturday,
March 9 at Subaru Park (4:30 p.m. PT / Apple TV, 950 KJR AM, El Rey
1360 AM).
