Matchday Magazine: Sounders FC vs. New York City FC - June 25, 2016

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Seattle Sounders FC vs. New York City FC

June 25, 2016 · CenturyLink Field

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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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16 Sounders FC Celebrates Pride Week 21 Joevin Jones Shifts to the Attack as Seattle Tinkers with Starting XI 26 2016 Season Stats 29 Dempsey Shines at COPA America Centenario

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Seattle Sounders FC Editorial Offices 159 South Jackson, Suite 200 Seattle, WA 98104 (206) 512-1200 Editorial · Sounders FC Communications Advertising · JT Newton Program Design · Janet Jensen, Jensen Graphics Photography · Corky Trewin, USA TODAY Sports Images, Rod Mar, Jane Gershovich, Josh Weisberg, Jeff Marsch and Dan Poss

© 2016 by the Seattle Sounders FC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written consent of the publisher is prohibited.

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Sounders FC (5-8-1, 16 points) returns to the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field to take on New York City FC on Saturday afternoon. Last Sunday, the Rave Green fell on the road to the New York Red Bulls 2-0 due to a brace from Mike Grella. It will be NYCFC’s first appearance in Seattle, as the Sounders topped NYCFC by a score

of 3-1 during the host side’s inaugural 2015 season at Yankee Stadium. NYCFC currently sits in third place in the Eastern Conference with 21 points. The club comes off a 3-2 victory at the Philadelphia Union on June 18. Designated Player David Villa leads MLS with 11 goals, including one in each of his past three appearances.

DID YOU KNOW??? Last Sunday at the New York Red Bulls, Sigi Schmid became the first coach in MLS history to reach 500 games coached. With an all-time regular season record of 227-161-112, Schmid also has the most wins in the league’s history. He began his MLS coaching career with the LA Galaxy from 1999-2004, before managing the Columbus Crew from 2006-2008. He has manned the sidelines for Sounders FC since the team’s inception in 2009. MATCHDAY · 3


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LY 4P U C J F Y, AT S R URDA RTS E N D SAT STA U GE SO A R VE O C

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MATCH PREVIEW:

Seattle Sounders FC Set for Home Clash with New York City FC

The Seattle Sounders return home from a long road trip to face New York City FC in the first of five full stadium matches this season. Here’s a breakdown of everything you need to know about the game. by Cam Rizzardini

WHEN AND WHERE: Kickoff is

Saturday at 2:00 p.m. PT at CenturyLink Field.

WHERE TO WATCH: The

game will be telecast on ESPN. Visit SoundersFC.com for a full list of Sounders FC Pub Partners.

WHERE TO LISTEN: The game will be aired on KIRO Radio 97.3 FM with a pregame show beginning at 1:30 p.m. PT and El Rey 1360AM in Spanish. RECORDS AND STANDINGS:

Sounders (5-8-1, 16 pts., 9th in Western Conference), NYC (5-5-6, 21 pts., 3rd in Eastern Conference).

ALL-TIME HISTORY: The history is brief between these two sides after NYCFC entered the league as an expansion franchise just last year. The Sounders won the teams’ only meeting 3-1 at Yankee Stadium in May 2015. FIRST OF FIVE: The full-bowl

stadium series is back for 2016, and Saturday’s match against NYCFC will be the first of five this season. With over 68,000 seats at CenturyLink Field, Seattle will play host to the most electrifying atmosphere in MLS this weekend.

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SEATTLE PRIDE: In addition to the stadium atmosphere, Saturday’s match will also be the Sounders’ second annual Pride Match in recognition of the club’s support for the LGBTQ community. As a trailblazer of support for LGBTQ rights in the sports industry, the Sounders launched their annual Pride match campaign in 2015 in collaboration with Seattle Mayor Ed Murray. Fans can expect extra events and activities surrounding the match both at the stadium and outside at the March to the Match and The NINETY on Occidental Ave.

INJURY UPDATE: Reinforcements arrived for the ailing Sounders after the Copa America break as defenders Chad Marshall and Brad Evans both returned to the starting lineup on Sunday against the New York Red Bulls and forwards Nelson Valdez and Oalex Anderson both came off of the bench. Only defender Román Torres remains on the Sounders injury list with a torn ACL from last September. BIG NAMES FOR A BIG STAGE: When NYCFC came into the

league in 2015, they brought some of the biggest names in the world with them. Starting with Spain’s David Villa, who has since become one of the league’s most prolific goalscorers, then


adding Italy’s Andrea Pirlo, England’s Frank Lampard, and now with former French international Patrick Viera at the helm. Saturday’s full-bowl match marks NYCFC’s debut in Seattle and offers some of the nation’s most passionate soccer fans their first look at the European stars of MLS who have captivated the world over their long and illustrious careers.

LEAGUE LEADER: If Seattle is to shut down the NYCFC attack, they need look no further than Villa. With 11 goals already in 16 games, Villa sits alone atop the MLS Golden Boot standings and nearly matches the entire team’s scoring efforts combined.

Villa also leads the league in total shots and shots on target.

A POROUS FOUR: The goals have not come easy for the Sounders this season. With only 13 in 14 matches, the Rave Green have the fewest in the league. This weekend however, the front line faces their easiest challenge yet in an NYCFC defense that has conceded a league-high 31 goals in 16 matches. While Villa and Co. have been plenty comfortable in front of net, their teammates in the rear haven’t been so much, and the Sounders will need to exploit this weakness in front of their home crowd.

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MATCHDAY STORYLINES Radio Play-by-Play Commentator Matt Johnson tells you his three storylines to follow in this afternoon’s match vs. New York City FC. with big drives from on top of the box.

Chances kept coming on Sunday As much as Sunday’s 2-0 loss to the New York Red Bulls was a bummer, when a team is afforded that many chances in one half, there is reason for optimism when the worst defense in MLS strolls into town this weekend. As many as seven clear cut goal-scoring opportunities were worked out by the Rave Green, but they could not take advantage. On top of that there were numerous players involved and the offense was not limited to just one or two players. Aaron Kovar and Jordan Morris had a couple of chances each, with Andreas Ivanschitz and Erik Friberg

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Chatting with a Red Bull official after the game he noted that no team had come into Red Bull Arena and carved up their defense like Seattle was able to do on Sunday. If the Sounders can continue the onslaught of 10 shots in the first half as they did vs. the Red Bulls, I guarantee 3 points this weekend vs. the other club from NY.

Not giving up goals at home

NYCFC’s Goals Against

As I mentioned above, NYCFC are giving up goals at an alarming rate. I do realize that Despite their position in the their 7-0 loss to rival NY Red Western Conference, the Bulls does pad their number, Sounders defense continues but even if you were to make to be a strength, especially at that a 3-0 win they would home. The squad has given still be close to the top of up only five goals in seven the league. 31 goals allowed matches at Century Link Field with two of them coming from is four more than any other squad that have played the PK’s in the Vancouver match. same amount of games (16). A grand total of two goals in the run of play have been given Even teams that have played up thus far which tells me that one game more than the New Yorkers have far less (SKC – teams are finding it hard to 18 and FC Dallas – 24). The break down Ozzie, Marshall, Sounders should be able to Frei, and the rest of the group capitalize on this. Along with in the back. David Villa, who how the offense was flowing hasn’t missed a match for his in the first half last week I look club, should find it difficult to for a good start to the match get on the score sheet if this and a great beginning to the continues. weekend for Sounders fans.



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No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 20 22 23 24 25 29 31 33 39 80 91 99

Name Tyler Miller Clint Dempsey Brad Evans Tyrone Mears Jimmy Ockford Osvaldo Alonso Cristian Roldan Erik Friberg Herculez Gomez Aaron Kovar Michael Farfan Jordan Morris Chad Marshall Dylan Remick Nelson Valdez Darwin Jones Nathan Sturgis Zach Scott Charlie Lyon Andreas Ivanschitz Stefan Frei Tony Alfaro RomĂĄn Torres Damion Lowe Joevin Jones Oalex Anderson Victor Mansaray Oniel Fisher Andy Craven

Pos. Height Weight Age GK 6-4 195 23 F 6-1 170 33 M/D 6-1 170 31 D 5-11 163 33 D 6-1 185 23 M 5-11 155 30 M 5-8 165 20 M 5-11 154 30 F 5-10 160 34 M 5-10 155 22 M 5-19 160 27 F 6-0 185 21 D 6-4 190 31 D 6-0 165 25 F 5-10 160 32 F 5-10 175 24 M 5-10 160 28 D 5-11 175 34 GK 6-2 215 24 M 6-0 180 32 GK 6-3 195 30 D 6-2 190 23 D 6-2 195 30 D 6-3 175 23 D 5-11 160 24 F 5-8 155 20 F 5-11 180 19 M/D 5-9 155 24 F 5-11 167 24

No. 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 27 30 51 52 88 99

Name Jason Hernandez Ethan White Mikey Lopez Federico Bravo David Villa Frank Lampard Steven Mendoza Mix Diskerud Jack Harrison Josh Saunders Frederic Brillant Patrick Mullins Thomas McNamara Connor Brandt Khiry Shelton Mehdi Ballouchy Andrea Pirlo Ronald Matarria Jefferson Mena Andre Rawls Eirik Johansen RJ Allen Diego Martinez Andoni Iraola Shannon Gomez Kwadwo Poku Tony Taylor

Pos. Height Weight Age D 5-10 176 32 D 6-0 183 25 M 5-8 183 25 M 6-1 156 22 F 5-9 152 34 M 6-0 202 38 F 5-7 160 23 M 6-0 161 25 M 5-9 155 19 GK 6-4 213 35 D 6-3 186 30 F 6-1 176 24 M 5-9 170 25 M/D 6-1 165 23 F 6-3 191 22 M 5-11 167 33 M 5-9 150 37 D 5-9 154 21 D 6-0 174 27 GK 6-2 182 24 GK 6-7 235 23 D 6-0 177 26 D 5-10 158 24 D 5-10 171 33 D 5-7 140 19 M 6-1 187 24 F 6-0 180 26


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: MARK STRAUS Mark Straus currently designs from his home in Seattle, WA but will be returning to Germany this fall after 13 years stateside (we’ll see if his German comes back!). Mark is an illustrator, graphic designer and screen printer who likes loud colors and loud stadiums, clean lines and a Sounders FC clean sheet. For this poster, Mark wanted to create a design that clearly celebrates Pride and also encompasses the appreciation he has toward Sounders FC for supporting the LGBTQ community. This poster is a representation of a united march toward equality, fairness and love. Mark chose to use the iconic flag and the skylines of both Seattle and NYC meeting and replaced “versus” with “welcomes” because this weekend is all about inclusion and creating a community that is welcoming to all. BUY NOW: Saturday’s View more of Mark’s work at markstraus.com.

Matchday Poster

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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 Saturday for a pre-match party ahead of Sounders FC’s Pride Day clash with New York City FC. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. PT with beer available for purchase and a portion of the proceeds benefitting the club’s community partners. Additionally, to help celebrate the occasion, a limited number of Pride-themed cupcakes are available for fans on a first-come, first-serve basis. MATCHDAY · 15


Sounders FC Celebrates Pride Week Seattle Sounders FC celebrates the club’s second annual Pride Day this Saturday during a nationally televised match against New York City FC. Leading up to Saturday’s match, Sounders FC players appeared in the community this week to promote messages of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer pride, as the club also prepares for its first of five full-season matches of the season at CenturyLink Field. Sounders FC is proud to welcome Seattle Mayor Ed Murray to receive a Golden Scarf during a pre-match ceremony on June 25. The Aberdeen, Washington native was elected Mayor of Seattle in 2013, becoming the first openly gay mayoral leader of the Emerald City. Since 2009, Sounders FC has honored soccer tradition and community empowerment before select home matches by presenting a Golden Scarf to a group or individual who has made an impact in their community. Last year’s Pride Day

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featured a Golden Scarf presentation to Jason Collins, a 13-year NBA veteran who became one of the first openly gay athletes in a major American team sport when he came out in a cover story for Sports Illustrated in 2013. Additional aspects of the pre-match ceremonies include members of the LGBTQ community displaying rainbow flags and banners on the field, with participants wearing a special Sounders FC Pride Day shirt. Saturday’s national anthem singer is singer / songwriter Vicci Martinez, a Tacoma native who finished third in the NBC singing competition The Voice in 2011. Prior to the anthem, a moment of silence will be observed to honor the victims of the June 12 shooting in Orlando and their families. Continues on next page


Other matchday festivities include a giveaway of 50,000 pride flags to fans upon entering the gates, while Sounders FC captain Brad Evans is once again set to wear a Pride-themed armband throughout the match against New York City FC. Further Pridethemed elements during the nationally televised contest include customized rainbow corner flags, LED graphics and Xbox Green Zone flags. Additionally, a limited quantity of Sounders FC pride scarves and other apparel will be sold at the stadium Pro Shop on Saturday. Fans are also invited to come to a prematch party from 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. PT at The NINETY, Sounders FC’s event space located at the club’s Pioneer Square headquarters (406 Occidental Avenue S.). The club will have Pridethemed cupcakes available on a first-come, first-serve basis, a photo booth, as well as beer available for purchase with a portion of the proceeds benefitting the club’s community partners. Sounders FC has proven to be a dominant host when playing in front of large crowds on its home turf. With crowds surpassing 45,000 or more, Sounders FC holds a record of 152-3, including postseason play. The June 25 match is Seattle’s first of five full-stadium matches in 2016, with the CenturyLink Field’s full capacity open for New York City FC’s first MLS visit to the Emerald City. Single-match tickets for the contest are now available via SoundersFC.com, while four-match packs for the remaining full-stadium games are also available on the club’s official website or by calling (877) MLS-GOAL. Starting at $25 per seat, the four-match pack includes tickets to each of the remaining full-stadium fixtures for the best possible value.

As part of a promotion with the Greater Seattle Business Association (GSBA), the largest LGBT and allied chamber of commerce in North America, fans had the opportunity to purchase tickets to Pride Day for $22, with $3 going back to the GSBA Scholarship Fund. Sounders FC has committed to match up to $5,000 of the funds raised to support GSBA Scholars. Additionally, a check will be presented to GSBA Scholars during pre-match ceremonies. Seattle Sounders FC (5-8-1, 16 points) returns home following a road loss to the New York Red Bulls to host New York City FC for the first time at CenturyLink Field. Kickoff is slated for 2:00 p.m. PT with a nationally-televised broadcast on ESPN.

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Joevin Jones Shifts to the Attack as Seattle Tinkers with Starting XI By Will Parchman As the scoreless match stretched into the 74th minute, Sigi Schmid needed to do something to inject his suddenly ascendent Sounders with an extra jolt of energy. And he turned to a most unlikely source to get it. First, let’s set the scene. May had not been particularly kind to Seattle, which had lost three games in a row at the close of the month and sat just off the cellar in the Western Conference. A D.C. United match in the nation’s capital on June 1 offered the chance for some respite. Seattle was on the precipice of a two week break in play

and a near three-week layoff from MLS action. A win would be vital for confidence, if nothing else. D.C. United began the game brightly but faded as the second half stretched on. Seattle, meanwhile, drew strength from its midfield but couldn’t find the breakthrough despite a bevy of chances. So it had gone in 2016. In the 74th minute, the game still scoreless and the Sounders desperately grasping for three points, Schmid turned to an unlikely attacking option. With Andreas Ivanschitz running out of gas on the left flank of the 4-3-3, Schmid inserted Joevin Jones at left

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mid. Jones has spent pretty much his entire MLS career playing as a marauding left fullback, but he’s played in the midfield for Trinidad & Tobago.

Yet again, Jones entered into a scoreless match, and yet again his outsize influence ripping down the left was the ultimate difference.

Why not give it a try?

Kitsap Pumas offered Seattle a stirring challenge in the fourth round of the U.S. Open Cup on June 15 at Starfire Stadium, and by the time Jones entered in the 63rd minute the Sounders had yet to break the deadlock. Thanks in part to his field-stretching ability, the Sounders broke the ice in the 71st minute through a flicked Cristian Roldan goal from close range.

The gambit paid off, and perhaps faster than anyone anticipated. Five minutes after subbing on, Jones overlapped on the left flank inside the box and smashed a far post shot that Bill Hamid pushed back out into the box. Jordan Morris was waiting for it and crushed the rebound back into the empty half of the net. Jones’ speed and guile created the chance, and Morris duly finished it. Four minutes later, Jones got on the scoresheet himself, pinching in from the left-center and finding some space in the net behind Hamid. In 16 minutes, Jones created the danger that led to the Sounders’ first goal and put in the second himself. Seattle went sprinting into its break with a vital three-pointer. The Sounders’ next game wouldn’t come until two weeks later, and yet again Jones rode in to more massive influence. And out of the midfield.

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Jones wasn’t far behind with the insurance. In stoppage time, Jones broke loose of Kitsap’s high press, got in behind the back line and finished coolly to set the final scoreline at 2-0. Two matches, 43 minutes off the bench, two goals, two wins. Perhaps there’s something to this Joevin Jones-as-amidfielder thing. Jones got his first start in this role in a 2-0 loss to the New York Red Bulls last weekend. Jones looked good at times, and it was clear he has a fair amount


of experience playing there from his career past. Jones couldn’t reprise his previous two stints off the bench and failed to get on the scoresheet before being taken off in the 68th minute. That doesn’t necessarily mean an end to the Jones-as-a-midfielder gambit, but it might’ve made it a bit more realistic in the end. The problem Schmid’s run into on the flanks is that he has plenty of options who’ve shown flashes in sub stints but few who’ve shown an ability to go a full 90 minutes as impactful wingers. In turns, Joevin Jones, Aaron Kovar, Oalex Anderson and Herculez Gomez have looked good in spurts, but rarely have they been as immense as, say, Marco Pappa was when he was in good form. Ivanschitz has largely filled that role in a first choice setup when everyone’s been healthy, but Ivanschitz isn’t a natural wide player and tends to come centrally to connect with the rest of his midfield. And he’s not the most fleet of

foot player either, leaving Seattle open to counters and breaks off their left flank. Jones would seem to be a good fit in that position with a quality left back like Dylan Remick on the roster, and it’s still early days with the experiment. Jones has certainly shown good things in space, and few MLS fullbacks have the agility to keep up with his stabbing movements. But he’ll need to prove he has the ability to do it over 90 minutes – and that his utility to the team isn’t better served on the back line as an overlapping wing back - before that position is assuredly his. If anything, the Jones experiment is proof that Schmid is still working over a lineup that’s currently ninth of 10 teams in the Western Conference as the summer stretch arrives. Jones is another arrow in Schmid’s quiver, and we’ll have to wait and see if it flies straight.

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2016 MLS REGULAR SEASON STATS UNF POS Player

GP

13 F Jordan Morris

GS MIN

G

A SHT SOG FC/FS

OFF CK C/E

14 13 1144 5 1 28 17 10/11 9 0 0/0

14 D Chad Marshall

11 11 990 2 0 12 5

2 F Clint Dempsey

10 10 888 2 0 36 12 18/15 2 0 1/0

7/9 0 0 1/0

23 M Andreas Ivanschitz 13 11 907 1 3 19 9 5/16 4 54 3/0 6 M Osvaldo Alonso

14 14 1260 1 2 19 6 25/35 0 0 4/0

33 D Joevin Jones

14 11 989 1 0 7 4 13/3 0 0 2/0

11 M Aaron Kovar

11 8 581 1 0 18 5

7/5 0 9 1/0

7 M Cristian Roldan

13 9 915 0 1 7 0 8/15 1 0 0/0

8 M Erik Friberg

9 7 605 0 1 7 1

9/4 0 3 3/0

24 GK Stefan Frei

13 13 1170 0 0 0 0

0/1 0 0 0/0

4 D Tyrone Mears

13 13 1170 0 0 1 0 10/6 0 1 1/0

3 D Brad Evans

11 11 935 0 0 3 0

20 D Zach Scott

7 6 510 0 0 2 0 3/10 0 0 1/0

4/6 0 0 1/1

9 F Herculez Gomez 9 5 445 0 0 10 4

9/8 1 16 0/0

16 F Nelson Valdez

8 4 404 0 0 7 3

4/9 5 0 1/0

8

3/3

15

D Dylan Remick

39 F Oalex Anderson

4

384

0

0

1

0

0

0

1/0

10 2 257 0 0 7 2 5/11 0 0 0/0

50 D Tony Alfaro

2 0 100 0 0 1 0

0/1 0 0 0/0

1 GK Tyler Miller

1 1 90 0 0 0 0

0/0 0 0 0/0

91 D Oniel Fisher

1 1 41 0 0 0 0

2/1 0 0 0/1

17 F Darwin Jones

2 0 22 0 0 0 0

1/0 0 0 0/0

Team totals

14 14 1260 13 8 185 68 143/179 22 82 20/2

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Opponent totals

14 1260

17 15 177 57 179/143

20 59 28/1

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 (2), Dempsey (2) GAME-WINNING ASSISTS: Ivanschitz (2) PENALTY KICK GOALS/ATTEMPTS: None

SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC INDIVIDUAL GOALKEEPING UNF POS

Player

24

GK

Stefan Frei

13 13 1170

GK

Tyler Miller

1

1

GP GS 1

MIN

SHTS SV GA

GAA

PG PA W-L-D SO

53

37

15

1.15

4

6

5-7-1

4

90

4

2

2

2.00

0

0

0-1-0

0

Team totals

14 14 1260

57

39

17

1.21

4

6

5-8-1

4

Opponent totals

14 14 1260

68

54

13

0.93

0

0

8-5-1

4

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MILK ISN’T ORANGE. SO WHY IS YOUR CHEESE?

NATURALLY

WHITE

Cheddar.



Dempsey Shines at COPA America Centenario SOUNDERS FC FORWARD CLINT DEMPSEY led the charge for the U.S. Men’s National Team in its Semifinal run during this month’s Copa America Centenario, recording three goals and three assists in five matches heading into Saturday’s third-place fixture. After Jurgen Klinsmann’s side fell 2-0 to Colombia in the opener, Dempsey scored in three straight matches – all wins – as the Stars and Stripes won their group and advanced past Ecuador in the Quarterfinals. He converted a penalty kick for the opening goal in a 4-0 win over Costa Rica before scoring the lone strike in a 1-0 win over Paraguay to clinch the group. In a Quarterfinal matchup with Ecuador at CenturyLink Field, Dempsey scored the opening goal in front of the Seattle faithful as the U.S. cruised to a 2-1 win. The Nacogdoches, Texas native now has 52 career international goals, just five behind Landon Donovan for the most in USMNT history. After the USMNT fell 4-0 to Argentina in the Semifinals, Dempsey and Co. have a rematch with Colombia in the Third Place match on Saturday.

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