Seattle Sounders FC scheduled to face tough foes Real Salt Lake in Conference semi-finals – MLS News
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Seattle-Sounders-FC-c40474 are scheduled to play their two-legged Major League Soccer Conference semi-final against Real Salt Lake on October 29 and November 2 at Rio Tinto Stadium and CenturyLink Field respectively.
The Rave Green’s play-offs history has been disappointing ever since their inception into the MLS in 2007. Even though they played marvellous regular seasons, they were always thrashed in first rounds of the postseasons.
The home-away series with the RSL presents a difficult challenge for the Sounders FC. Even though the Rave Green have qualified for the playoffs after a successful regular season, they are still wary of the Claret and Cobalt, who have always taken the postseason
very seriously.
On the other hand, the RSL have not been in good form this year, with their last win coming on September 21, when they defeated New York Red Bulls 3-1 at the Red Bull Arena. The 5-match stint following the win was disappointing for the RSL – three of them
resulted in losses. The team ended their season on Saturday in Utah with a disappointing 1-1 draw with Portland Timbers.
However, RSL skipper http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Kyle-Beckerman-c21556 is back with the team to boost their morale in the postseason. The midfielder was suspended for three matches because of a head-butt foul on Chicago Fire’s Daniel Paladini.
“Beckerman makes a big difference to their team,” said head coach Sigi Schmid of the veteran defensive midfielder. “When he comes in there, he’s not only a good player, but he’s also, I think, their emotional leader.”
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Javier-Morales-c18076 is in his full health after recovering from a broken ankle injury. The attacking midfielder started the last three games and notched two assists, cementing his position in the starting eleven.
“When you look at their line-up, when they put out their starting 11, that’s a group that has played together for the last three years,” Schmid added. “It’s going to be a good series.”
Sounders, on the other hand, are missing the services of their playmaker, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Chivas-USA-c38798. He underwent an MRI test on Monday and the result will suggest whether the Rave Green feature the
Argentinean in the playoffs or not.
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