By Mazvita Maraire Posted on

Sounders looking to advance to Western Conference Semifinals with a game three win over Loons.

With each team holding serve on their home field, the Seattle Sounders will look to be rude guests in Game 3 of the MLS First Round playoff match against the Minnesota Loons.

Sounders   confident they can score more goals

After losing the two-game season series and the first-round playoff match at Allianz Field, in penalties, the Sounders rebounded with an emphatic 4-2 home win.  The extension of the playoff series, along with the four goals, boosted the Sounders’ confidence. After struggling to score against the Loons, a narrative emerged that the Sounders were unable to break down the Loons’ back line of five.   Until they broke the dam in Game Two, one could deduce the notion.

 Tactically speaking, teams that play a back line of five with a bank of four players are challenging to break down. The cure is to score the first goal and make the bunkered-down opponent leave its shell. That happened in game two. The question for the Sounders is whether they can repeat a similar performance of scoring first.

Getting guys in the box will be the key.

In the second game, the Sounders flooded players inside the Loons’ goal box, putting pressure on Minnesota defenders Michael Boxall, Nicolas Romero, Jefferson Diaz, and Anthony Markanich.  The multiple runners confused and overwhelmed the Loons.

“Well, it works for a lot of different reasons. 
I mean, obviously, this stuff on the right side was good, but then even on the left-hand side, you know, you got moose ( Danny Musovski) in there, you got Jordan Morris coming in the back post,” said Schmetzer. It should be noted that both Morris and Musovski scored in game two.

In addition to Morris and Musovski looking for pockets in the Loons’ goal mouth, Schmetzer implored Obed Vargas to play in an advanced midfield role and poach atop the goal box.

“It was Obed arriving late.  Albert Rusnàk needed to push or the opposite winger early on, we were really clean on the center forward, number nine, getting to the near post, and the opposite winger had to get at the back post,” said Schmetzer of his so-called KAOS in the box.

Loons are also feeling confident.

 For Minnesota, game three provides another shot at redemption. The Loons will not lack confidence after scoring two goals before the first half, narrowing the Sounders’ lead to 3-2 after the home side took a commanding 3-0 lead.

With us [coming from behind], I now look forward really positively to Saturday,”  said Loons head coach Eric Ramsey. “I think the players will, and that is ultimately, if we weren’t going to win Game 2, that is the consolation. We have home advantage, and playing at home in the Allianz, we’ll certainly give ourselves the best chance.”

Both teams will add nuances to their game.

While both teams will stick to their bread and butter, both coaches will add a nuance to their game plan.   While they are known for their stacked defense in their half of the field, Ramsey could very well have his team press the Sounders higher up the pitch and fight for possession. Schmetzer has always preached a resolute defense and a clinical counterattack that begins with a forward pass to initiate the break. That forward pass is then followed by line-breaking passes to free runners who are galloping towards the goal.   

“ If your team’s playing a certain way, and Eric has this, you know, does he come out and change, kind of drastically, the way his team goes? Do I change my team drastically? No, I think consistently reflect back on what your team has done well all year long, “ said Schmetzer.  “That’s gonna give you the best chance of success. Yeah, you make little tweaks for every opponent, you make little tweaks for who we play, and you know, certainly if there’s an injury or a guy’s got a knock or things like that. Still, overall, if you’re happy with the way your team has been playing, over the course of the year or a stretch of games leading into the playoffs, that’s what you do.”

Seize the moment

Whoever wins the game will have taken advantage of that moment that separates victory from defeat.  To that end, Schmezter has been reminding his team how rare opportunities to compete for an MLS Championship are.

“But at the end of the day, your career, your time as a professional athlete, is something they have; they’ve got a great job.. Their time as a professional athlete is very short, and it’s also even shorter when you think about how many teams actually put themselves in an opportunity to challenge for trophies and championship games. We’ve been really fortunate that we’ve, through our existence, have had a lot of those opportunities, but your plan for some other teams around the league or stuff like that, you might get one or two chances your entire career. 
And so they have to really take that and grab a hold of it and say, “You know what? I’m gonna do whatever it frickin’ takes to make sure I get us into the MLS Cup final.

Leave a Reply