Sounders FC Visits Charleston for Carolina Challenge Cup

Just 19 days remain until the March to Soccer Opening Match against the MLS Cup champions Sporting Kansas City on March 8 on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field. In preparation for the club’s sixth season in Major League Soccer, Seattle Sounders FC will visit Charleston, SC, to participate in its first-ever Carolina Challenge Cup.

The team departs for South Carolina on Wednesday, February 19 and will return to Seattle on Sunday, March 2. While in Charleston, Sounders FC will play tournament matches against the Charleston Battery (February 22), Houston Dynamo (February 26) and D.C. United (March 1). The team has also scheduled an additional match against the College of Charleston on February 23.

All three of Seattle’s matches in the Carolina Challenge Cup will be streamed live on CharlestonBattery.com and YouTube.com/thechsbattery.

After opening preseason training camp on January 25, Sounders FC has held 20 training sessions and played in four matches over the past 24 days. The team spent the first four days of preseason camp conducting fitness testing in Seattle before heading to Tucson, Ariz., for 12 days.

Sounders FC played four matches in Arizona, going 3-0-1 and outscoring opponents 6-3, posting wins against Vancouver (February 6 and 9) and San Jose (February 5), and playing to a scoreless draw against the Portland Timbers (February 8). Forward Obafemi Martins and trialist Kevin Parsemain lead the team with two goals each this season.

Since returning from Arizona, Sounders FC has trained locally at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center, Starfire Sports and CenturyLink Field. The trip to Charleston, will mark the conclusion of preseason training as the team will return to Seattle six days prior to the season opener on March 8.

A limited number of season ticket memberships are still available. Single match tickets are also on sale now. Tickets can be purchased by visiting www.SoundersFC.com or by phoning 1-877-MLS-GOAL.

Competition Schedule (All times Pacific; subject to change)

Carolina Challenge Cup

February 22, 4:15 p.m. – Sounders FC vs. Charleston Battery at Blackbaud Stadium

February 26, 2 p.m. – Sounders FC vs. Houston Dynamo at Blackbaud Stadium

March 1, 2 p.m. – Sounders FC vs. DC United at Blackbaud Stadium

Preseason Friendlies

February 23, 7:30 a.m. – Sounders FC vs. College of Charleston at Patriots Point Athletics Complex

MLS Regular Season

March 8, 12 p.m. – Sounders FC vs. Sporting Kansas City at CenturyLink Field

Preseason Friendly Added

Sounders FC has added a preseason match against the College of Charleston on February 23. Kickoff is set for 7:30 a.m. PT at the College of Charleston’s Patriots Point Soccer Stadium in Mt. Pleasant, SC. Fans are encouraged to follow @LiveSounders on Twitter for live in-game updates.

On a Saturday Schedule

Sounders FC will play matches on the next two Saturdays with intentions to get the players in a rhythm for the season opener against Sporting Kansas City on March 8. Seattle will play the Charleston Battery of the USL-Pro on February 22 and will face DC United the following Saturday (March 1). Sounders FC also played a match against the Portland Timbers in Tucson, Ariz., on Saturday, February 8 and the team held a intrasquad scrimmage on February 15 at CenturyLink Field, making it four straight Saturdays of competition prior to the opener.

Carolina Challenge Cup Preview

The Carolina Challenge Cup is hosted by the Charleston Battery of USL-Pro at Blackbaud Stadium in Charleston, SC, from February 22-March 1. Sounders FC is making its first appearance in the 11th edition of the week-long, round-robin tournament. Seattle will be joined by the Battery, U.S. Open Cup champions D.C. United and the Houston Dynamo. Sounders FC is the only newcomer to the 2014 tournament as D.C. United (seven appearances) and Houston (three) have previously played in the cup.

Review of Tournaments Past

Sounders FC has played in three preseason tournaments over the past five years. In 2010, the team participated in the La Manga Cup in Spain, beating Stabaek IF, 2-1, and Brann, 1-0, while falling to Rosenborg BK, 3-0. The next year, Sounders FC hosted the Cascadia Summit at Starfire Stadium, dropping matches to the Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps FC. In the team’s most recent preseason tournament, Sounders FC won the 2013 FC Tucson Desert Diamond Cup, ousting the New England Revolution (2-0), Real Salt Lake (2-1) and New York Red Bulls (2-0) before beating RSL, 1-0, in the final.

Tournament Opponents

Charleston Battery

One of the most successful clubs in minor league soccer in the United States, the Charleston Battery finished third in the 2013 USL-Pro regular season, reaching the semifinals of the playoffs and fourth round of the U.S. Open Cup. In 2012, the team won the USL-Pro Championship, marking the fourth title in club history. The Battery plays its home games at the soccer-specific Blackbaud Stadium and are coached by former Battery midfielder Michael Anhaeuser. Charleston has competed in all 10 editions of the tournament, with its best finishes (second-place) in 2008 and 2011.

Houston Dynamo

The Houston Dynamo have kept a fairly consistent group of players since falling to Sporting Kansas City in the Eastern Conference Championships of the 2013 MLS Cup Playoffs. The Dynamo have added just three new players, including defender David Horst in a trade with Portland and Tony Cascio via loan from Colorado. Six players have left the Dynamo over the offseason, most notably forwards Brian Ching (retired) and Cam Weaver (on trial with Sounders FC), and defender Bobby Boswell. Houston has played seven matches this preseason, going 5-2-0 and outscoring opponents 19-6. The team has played just three MLS sides, losing to the Colorado Rapids and Portland Timbers while beating the San Jose Earthquakes. Houston will play the Pittsburgh Riverhounds at Houston Sports Park before traveling to South Carolina. The Dynamo have competed in the Carolina Challenge Cup three times, winning back-to-back trophies in 2006 and 2007 and finishing fourth in the 2013 tournament.

D.C. United

The defending U.S. Open Cup champions finished at the bottom of the table in the 2013 regular season, prompting the club to a massive overhaul in the offseason. Overall, 11 players on last year’s roster are no longer with the team, including midfielder Dwayne De Rosario and former Sounders FC defender James Riley. To replace the talent that left, the Black and Red brought in 12 players this offseason, including former Sounders FC forward Eddie Johnson and defender Jeff Parke. D.C. United also acquired defenders Sean Franklin and Bobby Boswell and forward Fabian Espindola in the Re-Entry Process, and midfielder Davy Arnaud in a trade with Montreal. The new-look group has played three preseason games, falling 1-0 to Toronto FC and losing twice to the Chicago Fire. D.C. United have competed in the Carolina Challenge Cup seven times, winning three straight times from 2010-12, and did not compete in the 2013 edition.

Where to Watch

All three of Seattle’s matches in the Carolina Challenge Cup will be streamed live on CharlestonBattery.com and YouTube.com/thechsbattery. Tickets to every match of the Carolina Challenge Cup are on sale to the general public. Individual tickets priced at $15 and $25 will be available online or at the Charleston Battery Box Office (843) 971-4625. A limited number of discounted groups tickets (groups of 10 or more) are also available for purchase. Carolina Challenge Cup tickets are also included in all 2014 Charleston Battery season ticket packages.

Charleston Connections

Sounders FC has several connections to the Charleston Battery. Seattle’s four-time team MVP Osvaldo Alonso began his professional career in the United States with the Battery in 2008, earning USL-1 Rookie of the Year honors while leading the club to the final of the U.S. Open Cup. Lamar Neagle and Alex Caskey both had brief stints with Sounders FC before joining the Battery, where they each played one season before returning to Seattle. Neagle earned golden boot and MVP honors in 2010 when the team competed in USL-2, and Caskey scored once in 19 appearances in 2011. Assistant Coach Ezra Hendrickson played briefly for Charleston in 2003-04, and Sounders FC trialist Michael Azira is an active member of the Battery. In addition, former Sounders FC defender Amadou Sanyang currently plays for the Battery.

Roster Notes

Seattle’s roster features 28 players who are currently under contract. Midfielder Clint Dempsey is on loan at Fulham until the beginning of March. An additional seven trialists and two unsigned SuperDraft picks are with the team for a total of 35 players who are currently in camp.

Sounders FC Preseason Roster

Goalkeepers (4): Stefan Frei, Marcus Hahnemann, Josh Ford, John McCarthy#

Defenders (9): Jalil Anibaba, Leo Gonzalez, Damion Lowe, Chad Marshall, Jimmy Ockford*, Dylan Remick, Zach Scott, Djimi Traore, DeAndre Yedlin

Midfielders (14): John Arroyo#, Osvaldo Alonso, Michael Azira#, Alex Caskey, Clint Dempsey^, Brad Evans, Shalrie Joseph-, Aaron Kovar, Lamar Neagle, Danny O’Rourke#, Marco Pappa, Fabio Pereira*, Gonzalo Pineda#, Andy Rose

Forwards (10): Chad Barrett, Will Bates, Tristan Bowen, Kenny Cooper, David Estrada, Miguel Gonzalez#, Obafemi Martins, Sean Okoli, Kevin Parsemain#, Eriq Zavaleta

^On Loan

*Unsigned SuperDraft picks

#Training Camp Invitees

-Not with Team



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Academy Update: Unbeaten in California

The Sounders FC Academy returned to USSDA play on February 8 in California. The U-18 team picked up wins against Arsenal FC, 2-0, and Real So Cal, 4-0. Seyi Adekoya scored in both matches, David Olsen registered a brace against Real So Cal, and Henry Wingo and Satoshi Chaffin both added tallies. The U-18 team currently sits third in the Northwest Division.

The U-16 team went unbeaten in their California trip, downing Arsenal FC, 2-1, and playing Real So Cal to a scoreless draw. Bryce Ikeda and Ryan Schaefer were Seattle’s goal scorers against Arsenal. The U-16s are currently second in the Northwest Division.

Both teams continue play on February 22 against the San Juan Soccer Club at Starfire in Tukwila, Wash.