Seattle Sounders FC vs. LA Galaxy
July 31, 2016 · CenturyLink Field
PRESENTED BY
3 Matchup
4 Sounders FC Central 6 Match Preview 8 Storylines 10 Team Rosters 12 Posters by the People 15 The NINETY
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18 Sounders FC Signs Midfield Playmaker Nicolás Lodeiro 23 Sounders Reunite with “Flaco” Fernández 26 2016 Season Stats 28 Schmetzer Steps in as Interim Head Coach Amid Mixed Emotions
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© 2016 by the Seattle Sounders FC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written consent of the publisher is prohibited.
MATCHDAY · 1
For the third time across all competitions this month, Sounders FC (6-12-2, 20 points) takes on Western Conference rival LA Galaxy (9-3-8, 35 points), this time in front of a full-stadium crowd Sunday afternoon on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field. Earlier this month, the Galaxy came up to the Emerald City and escaped with a 1-0 win on July 9 before earning a 4-2 win over Seattle last Wednesday in the Quarterfinals of the 2016 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup down in Southern California. The two most successful MLS teams since the Rave Green entered the league in 2009, Seattle and LA have met 19 times in regular season action, with the Galaxy holding an 9-4-6 advantage. They have also facedoff in four separate instances in the MLS Cup Playoffs, including last season in the Knockout Round when Sounders FC eliminated the Galaxy for the first time in the postseason.
DID YOU KNOW??? Sounders FC goalkeeper Stefan Frei has accumulated 262 career saves in MLS regular season action since joining the Rave Green prior to the 2014 season. The Swiss netminder is only eight saves shy of the Kasey Keller’s career franchise record of 270, set from 2009-2011.
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ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW:
Sounders Take on LA Galaxy for Third Time in July The Seattle Sounders square off against the LA Galaxy in the second full bowl match of the season. Here’s a breakdown of everything you need to know about the game by Cam Rizzardini
WHEN AND WHERE: Kickoff is
Sunday at 1:00 p.m. PT at CenturyLink Field.
WHERE TO WATCH: The game
will be telecast on ESPN, with radio coverage on KIRO Radio 97.3 FM and El Rey 1360 AM (pregame show for each begins at 12:30 p.m.).
RECORDS AND STANDINGS:
Sounders (6-12-2, 20 pts., 9th in Western Conference), Galaxy (9-3-8, 35 pts., 3rd in Western Conference).
ALL-TIME HISTORY: The LA Galaxy are one of the few teams in MLS that the Sounders don’t have a winning record against. At 4-9-6, the Galaxy have been a thorn in the side of the Rave Green since they entered the league in 2009. Furthermore, the Galaxy are currently on a six-game unbeaten run and are 3-0-2 against Cascadia teams this season. THIRD TIME’S THE CHARM:
Sunday marks the third time this month that the Sounders will meet the Galaxy. LA earned a 1-0 victory at CenturyLink Field on July 9 despite a season-high shot count for the Sounders. LA also claimed victory in California in the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open
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Cup, scoring three goals in the last 15 minutes to topple the Sounders.
TO THE BRIM: Sunday also marks the second match in the full bowl stadium series of 2016. With attendance reaching 48,000 in last month’s full bowl match against New York City FC, this match offers an opportunity to get those numbers even higher before Portland comes to town on Aug. 21. THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES:
The Sounders added another tally to the loss column on Sunday falling 3-0 to Sporting Kansas City. The Sounders head into Sunday’s match with a league-high and franchise-record five losses at home this season, and the league’s second-fewest goals scored at 20. With one win in the last seven matches, time is quickly running out on the Sounders’ playoff hopes.
INJURY UPDATE: Forward Aaron Kovar (fractured clavicle) and defender Román Torres (ACL) will continue to sit out on Sunday. On the other side, the Galaxy have a few injuries of their own, missing defenders Robbie Rogers (ankle) and Ashley Cole (hamstring). Midfielder Steven Gerrard is also
present on the injury report having sat out last weekend’s match at Portland with an undisclosed injury. His status for Sunday is unclear.
ALL-STARS’ BREAK: Five
players will come into this match on short rest due to MLS All-Star festivities mid-week. From Seattle, forward Clint Dempsey will play in the All-Star game on Thursday and forward Jordan Morris will play in the Chipotle Homegrown game on Wednesday. From LA, Giovani dos Santos will play in the All-Star game on Thursday, while Jack McBean and Raul Mendiola will play in the Homegrown game on Wednesday.
ROBBIE KEEN IN SEATTLE:
It’s no secret that forward Robbie Keane has a knack for scoring on the Sounders. In 10 career regular-season matches against Seattle, Keane has seven goals and three assists, second only to San Jose’s Chris Wondolowski (9). Keane also recorded the lone goal against the Sounders when LA came to town on July 9. Not only that, but Keane has three goals in four games since returning from the Euros in early July and the Galaxy are 6-0-0 when he scores. Stopping Keane will be paramount for the Sounders if they are to come out on top on Sunday.
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MATCHDAY STORYLINES Radio Play-by-Play Commentator Matt Johnson tells you his three storylines to follow in this evening’s match vs. LA Galaxy. Roller Coaster Week Let’s be really honest, it will be a very interesting feeling headed into the stadium on Sunday. With the departure of Coach Sigi Schmid on Tuesday and the announcement of DP Nicolás Lodeiro on Wednesday, the match vs. the LA Galaxy couldn’t come soon enough. The low point of the season might have come last Sunday at Sporting KC and the week provided more twists and turns. It is now Brian Schmetzer’s turn at the helm.
Brian Schmetzer Outside of a few matches in the past seven and a half years, Brian Schmetzer has been the top assistant to Sigi Schmid. He now is the #1 man for the next 14
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matches. Brian is Seattle. He is a Sounder. He wants nothing more than Sounders success. On numerous occasions the past few years he would speak eloquently about the rivalry with the Portland Timbers (if Zach Scott wasn’t available). We now get to see him put his stamp on the squad. I do think too much is made of formations, but as he said during a mid-week press conference he’s going to put the best players on the pitch and put them in the best possible places to succeed. I love when he talked about having strong mental players on his squad. He also talked about the squad receiving a “bump” with a new coach. That bump is players looking to impress the new boss or possibly getting a chance they don’t believe they had under the old boss. Again, with 14 left and 12 against the Western Conference, let’s
see if Coach Schmetzer can get this squad to make a run.
New DP What Brian Schmetzer was given in his first few days as Head Coach was one of the more talented midfielders in the league. With the signing of Boca Juniors’ Nicolás Lodeiro as a Designated Player, the Sounders are immediately better. I know that sounds simple but that’s the idea. Adding pieces and putting productive players on the pitch together will provide the squad with more chances for success. For a 27-year-old that wants to be here and squarely in the prime of his career can only excite the coaching staff, current squad members and fans of the Rave Green. It has been a tough week, but three points over the Galaxy on Sunday can start the mending process.
No. Name 1 Tyler Miller
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 20 21 22 23 24 25 29 31 33 39 80 91 99
Clint Dempsey Brad Evans Tyrone Mears Jimmy Ockford Osvaldo Alonso Cristian Roldan Erik Friberg Herculez Gomez Nicolás Lodeiro Aaron Kovar Michael Farfan Jordan Morris Chad Marshall Dylan Remick Nelson Valdez Darwin Jones Nathan Sturgis Zach Scott Álvaro Fernández Charlie Lyon Andreas Ivanschitz Stefan Frei Tony Alfaro Román Torres Damion Lowe Joevin Jones Oalex Anderson Victor Mansaray Oniel Fisher Andy Craven
No. Name 1 Dan Kennedy
2 Ashley Cole 5 Jose Villareal 6 Baggio Husidic 7 Robbie Keane 8 Steven Gerrard 9 Alan Gordon 10 Giovani dos Santos 11 Gyasi Zardes 12 Brian Rowe 14 Robbie Rogers 15 Ariel Lassiter 17 Sebastian Lletget 18 Mike Magee 20 A.J. DeLaGarza 21 Jeff Larentowicz 22 Leonardo 24 Emmanuel Boateng 25 Rafael Garcia 27 Dave Romney 31 Clement Diop 32 Jack McBean 34 Nigel de Jong 36 Oscar Sorto 37 Jelle Van Damme 38 Bradford Jamieson IV 40 Raul Mendiola 44 Daniel Steres
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Pos. Height Weight Age GK F M/D D D M M M F M M M F D D F F M D M GK M GK D D D D F F M/D F
6-4 6-1 6-1 5-11 6-1 5-11 5-8 5-11 5-10 5-7 5-10 5-19 6-0 6-4 6-0 5-10 5-10 5-10 5-11 6-1 6-2 6-0 6-3 6-2 6-2 6-3 5-11 5-8 5-11 5-9 5-11
195 170 170 163 185 155 165 154 160 150 155 160 185 190 165 160 175 160 175 159 215 180 195 190 195 175 160 155 180 155 167
23 33 31 33 23 30 20 30 34 27 22 27 21 31 25 32 24 29 34 30 24 32 30 23 30 23 24 20 19 24 24
Pos. Height Weight Age GK 6-1 200 34 D 5-9 146 35 F 5-8 160 22 M 6-1 172 29 F 5-9 160 36 M 6-0 183 36 F 6-1 190 34 F 5-10 157 27 F 6-2 175 24 GK 6-1 185 27 M 5-10 165 29 F 5-10 155 21 M 5-10 165 23 M 5-10 160 31 D 5-9 150 28 M 6-1 175 32 D 6-2 185 28 F 5-6 150 22 M 5-6 150 27 D 6-2 190 23 GK 6-1 165 22 F 6-0 175 21 M 5-9 160 31 D 5-8 155 21 D 6-3 198 32 F 6-1 165 19 F 5-8 150 22 D 6-0 175 25
Make URBANE part of your game day ritual. Featuring sustainable and farm-to-table fresh ingredients found locally in the Pacific Northwest, Urbane is the perfect location for pre and post match gatherings. Offering easy access to the Link Light Rail, join us for our daily happy hour specials. Urbane is located in Hyatt at Olive 8, the official hotel of Seattle Sounders FC and the only dual LEED and Green Seal certified hotel in town. Happy Hour 4p – 6:30p (daily) 1639 8th Ave (at Olive) 206.676.4600 urbaneseattle.com
2016 Hyatt Corporation. All rights reserved. The LEED Certification Mark is a registered trademark owned by the U.S. Green Building Council and is used by permission.
Presented by:
Presented by:
ARTIST: JAKE WEGESIN Jake Wegesin is a local freelance artist, specializing in 3D design and animation. Jake grew up in Atlanta and attended university in Nashville, only moving to Seattle two years ago. The Posters by the People program provided Jake with a unique chance to blend two of his interests, art and soccer, while also contributing to a community that is becoming a larger part of who he is. See more of Jake’s work at www.jakein3d.com. BUY NOW: Sunday’s Matchday Poster
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MATCHDAY · 11
LET THE
MARCH BEGIN. THE STARTING XI IS READY. Delta is proud to kick off the season as the presenting partner of the Starting XI. Here’s to another raving season.
SCARVES UP!
What is THE NINETY? THE NINETY, located at 406 Occidental Avenue S., is a cultural hub of soccer and a gathering place for all soccer fans to celebrate the world’s game.
What type of events are held at THE NINETY? Be on the lookout for new events every week! We will host radio shows and podcasts, Sounders FC player autograph sessions, chalk talks, speaker series and more. THE NINETY is also open before every home match and hosts away match viewing parties while the team is on the road. Follow along at #TheNINETY and check our calendar frequently to plan your next visit!
Come Sunday for a pre-match party ahead of Sounders FC’s full-stadium home clash with the LA Galaxy. Doors open at 10:30 a.m. PT, with beer available for purchase and a portion of the proceeds benefitting the club’s community partners. Fans can enjoy the MLS action on TV or take on fellow supporters in FIFA 16 before the CenturyLink Field gates open at 11:30 a.m. PT. MATCHDAY · 15
SOUNDERS FC SIGNS MIDFIELD PLAYMAKER NICOLÁS LODEIRO AS DESIGNATED PLAYER Uruguayan National Team stalwart brings a decade of topflight professional experience in Argentina, Brazil, Holland and Uruguay to Rave Green
Seattle Sounders FC on Wednesday announced the signing of midfielder Nicolás Lodeiro as the club’s newest Designated Player. The 27-year-old midfielder comes to Seattle from Argentine powerhouse Boca Juniors, where the Uruguayan international has spent the last two seasons. Overall the attacking playmaker brings more than a decade of topflight international football experience to Seattle in both South America and Europe, in addition to two FIFA World Cup campaigns with the Uruguayan National Team. Most recently, Lodeiro represented his country at the Copa America Centenario this summer in the United
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States. He is being added to Sounders FC’s roster pending receipt of his P-1 Visa and International Transfer Clearance. “We have doggedly pursued our top target, Nicolás Lodeiro, for the past several months and we are delighted our persistence finally paid off with his signing. We were willing to wait for Nico because we believe in his character off the field as well as his abilities on it,” said Sounders FC General Manager & President of Soccer Garth Lagerwey. “Wherever he has played he has made his team better. We believe he can be a big piece of where we want to
take the Sounders long-term. For a player who has played in three Copa Americas, winning once, played in two World Cups and played in four Copa Libertadores, twice reaching the semifinal, to join us in the prime of his career reflects the growing stature of not only Seattle, but MLS as a whole.” Lodeiro joins Sounders FC following a decade of professional experience in South America and Europe. After coming up through the youth system of Uruguayan side Nacional, Lodeiro made his professional debut with the club as an 18-year-old in 2007, going on to make 43 appearances over three seasons, scoring nine goals and helping his hometown team to the 2008-2009 Copa Libertadores Semifinals. The Paysandú, Uruguay native then moved to Dutch side Ajax – joining countryman Luis Suárez – appearing 21 times for the Amsterdam power, helping the club to its 31st Eredivisie title. In July of 2012, Lodeiro moved back to South America, joining Botafogo in the Brazilian topflight for three seasons and leading the Rio de Janeiro-based club to its first Copa Libertadores appearance in 18 years. After moving to Corinthians for one season, Lodeiro signed with storied Argentine side Boca Juniors in 2015. He made 21 appearances with three goals in 2015, leading los Xeneizes to the Argentine Primera División title and a Round of 16 appearance at the Copa Libertadores. Lodeiro had three goals in nine appearances this season for Boca Juniors, with the club tied for 10th place on 20 points (5-5-6).
are confident we have found one in Lodeiro,” said Sounders FC Sporting Director Chris Henderson. “Lodeiro has proven himself to be an excellent player, fantastic teammate and beloved fan-favorite at every stage of his professional career, and we are very excited to have him as part of our organization.” Lodeiro is a regular on the Uruguayan National Team, compiling 48 caps and three goals since making his debut in 2010. His first appearance for Uruguay came in the CONCACAF-CONMEBOL 2010 FIFA World Cup Playoff, where he played both legs and was named player of the match in the second leg. He appeared in both the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups, as well as the 2012 Olympic Games in London. He has also appeared in three Copa America tournaments, most recently representing Uruguay at the 2016 Copa America Centenario. Lodeiro led Uruguay to the 2011 Copa America championship with a win in the final over Paraguay.
Name
Nicolás Lodeiro
Position
Midfielder
Height
5-7
Weight
150
Born
March 21, 1989
Hometown
Paysandú, Uruguay
Citizenship
Uruguay
Jersey Number 10 Acquired
Signed on July 27, 2016 as a Designated Player
“The last several months allowed an opportunity for our staff to scour the globe to bring a high-caliber player to the Emerald City, and we
MATCHDAY · 19
Sounders Reunite With “Flaco” Fernandez One day after bringing on Nicolás Lodeiro to help shape the club’s future, the Seattle Sounders have reached into the past to add another World Cup veteran to the locker room for a potential playoff push. Uruguayan international and former Rave Green midfielder Álvaro Fernández re-signed with the club on Thursday afternoon. Fernández was a key cog for the club from 2010-12. Originally signed just days after Uruguay finished fourth in the 2010 World Cup, Fernández joined the Sounders as the third Designated Player in franchise history in July 2010. He scored 13 goals and added three assists in 55 MLS appearances with the Sounders and helped the club win U.S. Open Cup titles in 2010 and 2011 before he was traded to the Chicago Fire in July 2012.
Fernández didn’t stay long in Chicago and bounced from Qatari club AlRayyan SC to Nacional to Argentine side Gimnasia before signing with the Sounders this week. Fernández, 30, also brings the benefit of a close friendship with Lodeiro, the 27-year old midfielder who inked a multiyear Designated Player contract on Wednesday. Fernández and Lodeiro played together at Uruguayan club Nactional in 2009 and later with the Uruguayan national team at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and Lodeiro said this week Fernández spoke well of the club and encouraged him to make the move to MLS. “We are good friends,” Lodeiro said of Fernández. “We played together with Nacional in Uruguay and after then we played in the World Cup together. We had a lot of time with the national team, and that where’s the friendship - which is fairly big - came from.”
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MATCHDAY · 27
Schmetzer Steps in as Sounders FC Interim Head Coach Amid Mixed Emotions
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Forgive Brian Schmetzer if he’s struggling with exactly how he should feel right now. He’s suddenly the man in charge of saving his club’s season after the abrupt departure of Sigi Schmid on Tuesday, and the longtime assistant said dealing with that news and the challenge ahead brought some mixed emotions when he led the team for the first time at training at the team’s Starfire Sports facility. “Sigi and I always had a good relationship, and I have lot of respect for him,” Schmetzer said. “I’m certainly very thankful that I was able to be part of his staff for seven and a half years. I learned a lot. “Now, when I look at it, it’s an opportunity. It’s an opportunity for me. It’s kind of bittersweet. You lose a guy that you have a lot of respect for, but at the end of the day, it is an opportunity for me to impart some pride back in the club and make sure we try and win games.” Few familiar with Seattle soccer history aren’t already familiar with Schmetzer, who has been Schmid’s top assistant since the club’s MLS inception in 2009. A Seattle native, Schmetzer led the Sounders in USL-1 from 2002-08 and guided them to two league titles, and he played for the club in both the 1980s and 90s. The move to lift Schmetzer to Schmid’s old job for the duration of the season was a no-brainer, but still a dramatic first for the club. Schmid’s tenure of nearly eight seasons in the Emerald City was rare not just for MLS but for all Seattle sports, highlighted by four U.S. Open Cup titles, a Supporters’ Shield and seven consecutive postseason appearances.
Still, there have been cracks in the Sounders’ façade since opening day in March, and Schmetzer knows it. There are also some challenges coming via new signings – both Schmetzer and Sounders GM and President of Soccer Garth Lagerwey mentioned Uruguayan midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro, who was spotted at Sea-Tac Airport around the time Schmid was being let go – and a tough climb to reach an eighth consecutive postseason this fall. Schmetzer said a few players were emotional during training after the Schmid news broke, but he expects a potential burst of energy from the group while playing under a new head coach. “We’re gonna get a little bump because, ‘It’s a new guy, can I impress the new guy?’” Schmetzer said. “We’ll get that bump, and how we proceed with that and make it a long-term bump so that we close out the season on a positive, that will be the new challenge.” Lagerwey said it was too early to discuss a long-term replacement for Schmid and there was no timeline on when the Sounders would begin a coaching search. But he praised Schmetzer’s character and resolve, and recalled a conversation between the two men in 2015 when Schmetzer discussed at length the identity, culture and history of the club. “He’s someone who is going to look out for the club first and foremost,” Lagerwey said of Schmetzer. “He’s going to take an approach of accountability in our group, and I’m excited to work with Brian. He’s going to be a candidate for the job, and we’re also going to look far and wide for the next coaching candidate.”
MATCHDAY · 29
2016 MLS REGULAR SEASON STATS UNF POS Player 13 F Jordan Morris
GP 20
GS
MIN G A SHT SOG
FC/FS OFF CK C/E
19 1663 7 1 42 22
13/15 10 0 0/0
2 F Clint Dempsey
13 13 1101 3 1 44 14 18/22 5 0 1/1
14 D Chad Marshall
17 17 1491 3 0 15 8
9/13 0 0 1/0
23 M Andreas Ivanschitz 18 15 1280 2 5 22 11
7/18 5 77 3/0
33 D Joevin Jones
19/8 0 0 4/0
20 17 1511 2 1 11 5
6 M Osvaldo Alonso
19 19 1682 1 4 26 7 30/45 0 0 5/0
7 M Cristian Roldan
19 14 1382 1 1 15 4 11/22 2 2 0/0
11 M Aaron Kovar
15 10 795 1 0 21 5
11/8 0 10 1/0
8 M Erik Friberg
15 13 1055 0 1 11 1
13/4 1 12 3/0
91 D Oniel Fisher
2
2 131 0 1 1 0
6/3 0 0 0/1
24 GK Stefan Frei
19 19 1710 0 0 0 0
0/1 0 0 0/0
4 D Tyrone Mears
18 18 1620 0 0 1 0 16/12 1 1 1/0
3 D Brad Evans
15 15 1295 0 0 4 0
5/9 0 0 1/1
20 D Zach Scott
10 8 735 0 0 4 1
4/13 0 0 1/0
16 F Nelson Valdez
12 6 598 0 0 17 6
9/14 6 0 1/0
9 F Herculez Gomez 13 6 515 0 0 12 6 10/10 1 19 1/0 15
D Dylan Remick
10
5
459
0
0
1
0
5/4
39 F Oalex Anderson
13 2 317 0 0 7 2
50 D Tony Alfaro
5
0 212 0 0 1 0
0
0
1/0
6/14 0 0 0/0 1/1 0 0 0/0
1 GK Tyler Miller
1
1 90 0 0 0 0
0/0 0 0 0/0
17 F Darwin Jones
2
0 22 0 0 0 0
1/0 0 0 0/0
Team totals
20
20 1800 20 15 255 92
195/252 31 121 24/3
Opponent totals
20
20 1800 27 26 244 83
252/195 32
80 37/2
GP-games played; GS-games started; MIN-minutes; G-goals; A-assists; P-points; SHT-shots; SOG-shots on goal; FC/FS-fouls committed/fouls suffered; CK-corner kicks; OFF-offsides; C/E-cautions/ejections
GAME-WINNING GOALS: Morris (3), Dempsey (3) GAME-WINNING ASSISTS: Ivanschitz (2), Morris (1), Friberg (1) PENALTY KICK GOALS/ATTEMPTS: Dempsey (1-1)
SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC INDIVIDUAL GOALKEEPING UNF POS Player
GP GS MIN SHTS SV GA
24 GK Stefan Frei
19 19 1710 79 52 25 1.32 4 6 6-11-2 5
1 GK Tyler Miller
1 1
Team totals
20 20 1800 83 54 27 1.35 4 6 6-12-2 5
Opponent totals
20 20 1800 92 68 20 1.00 1 1 12-6-2 7
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GAA PG PA W-L-D SO
90 4 2 2 2.00 0 0 0-1-0 0
MILK ISN’T ORANGE. SO WHY IS YOUR CHEESE?
NATURALLY
WHITE
Cheddar.