Two Slumps Collide in Seattle
Thirteen matches without a win. That’s the number hanging over Seattle heading into Wednesday night. The Sounders host Real Salt Lake in a match that could decide who keeps a real shot at the playoffs and who starts planning for next season.
Seattle (7-9-8, 29 points) sits 13th in the Western Conference, three points below the playoff line. The numbers look rough, but the mood inside the locker room isn’t. After losing eight straight, the Sounders have drawn five in a row. That’s progress, even if it hasn’t shown up in the standings yet.
“We feel that every game is an opportunity, whether it’s RSL with a dinged-up team, whether it’s Minnesota at home,” manager Brian Schmetzer said. “Every game is an opportunity where we need to collect points, and collecting three at home is critical.”
Try it for $0.99.
Salt Lake’s Injury Crisis Deepens
Real Salt Lake (8-12-5, 29 points) arrives in worse shape. Twelve matches without a win of their own, and now missing their most productive attacker. Diego Luna, five goals and five assists this season, underwent season-ending knee surgery this week after tearing his meniscus.
“Our job now is to provide structured, patient rehabilitation,” said Dave Tenney, RSL’s senior director of high performance. “Diego has the full support of our club’s performance and medical staff, as well as those of Dr. Anthony Beutler and Intermountain Health, and he is already approaching the recovery work the right way.”
The Claret and Cobalt will lean on Sergi Solans, their leading scorer with nine goals, to fill the void up front. Defensively, they’re stretched thin too. Lukas Engel is out with a hamstring problem and Justen Glad is nursing an adductor issue, leaving RSL’s back line patched together for a match they can’t afford to lose.
What’s at Stake
Seattle actually has the edge heading in. Striker Jordan Morris is expected to be available after a minor knock forced him off early in Saturday’s 3-3 draw with Colorado, while Dejan Joveljic and Snyder Brunell are away on international duty. RSL, missing Juan Manuel Sanabria to the same call-ups, has even less depth to work with.
Whoever blinks first in this one risks falling further behind in a Western Conference race that’s tightening by the week.
Discover the rest of our Football news on MathODDS!
in your pocket.
Real-time notifications & alerts
Leave a Reply