After claiming six total points in back-to-back victories over New York City FC and the Houston Dynamo, Crew SC will look to make it three in a row when it faces the Seattle Sounders on the road Saturday at 4:00 p.m. The Black & Gold are gaining momentum from the two wins, but a matchup at CenturyLink Field against an experienced Sounders squad could bring challenges. That being said, here are three things to know about Seattle:
Finding their Form
Similar to Columbus, the Seattle Sounders had a shaky start to 2016. The Western Conference powerhouse dropped its first three matches by a combined three goals, opening the season with an 0-3 record for the first time in the club’s history. However, Seattle has been hitting its stride as of late, racking up seven points in its last four matches, including two home wins over current Eastern Conference leaders Montreal and Philadelphia.
Record Against the Black & Gold
The Rave Green and the Black & Gold have registered a pretty even record since Seattle began competing in MLS in 2009. In 10 total matches, the Sounders have a 4-3-3 record against the Black & Gold, going 1-2-2 at home. The 2015 Western Conference Semifinalists’ last time hosting Crew SC came on March 29, 2014, ending in a 3-2 come-from-behind victory. Justin Meram found the back of the net in stoppage time (94th minute) to seal the win for Columbus.
Crew SC Roots within Seattle
Along with having a roster peppered with popular names such as Clint Dempsey and Herculez Gomez, Seattle also contains three former Crew SC names in its organization. Defender Brad Evans was drafted 15th overall by the Black & Gold in the 2007 MLS SuperDraft, and played two seasons in Columbus. Co-centerback Chad Marshall recorded 253 appearances in his ten seasons with Crew SC (2004-13), where he won the 2008 and 2009 MLS Defender of the Year awards. Lastly, current Sounders Head Coach Sigi Schmid was the skipper for the Black & Gold from 2006-2008, and had both Evans and Marshall on his 2008 MLS Cup winning squad. Marshall’s had a hot start to the 2016 season scoring two goals for the Rave Green. But Evans won’t be available for selection on Saturday as he’s serving a red card suspension from the Colorado match last week.
