League-leading Sounders FC Hosts Dallas Wednesday, Visits New England Sunday

Sitting at the top of the MLS table, Seattle Sounders FC concludes a three-game home stand on Wednesday night against FC Dallas before traveling cross-country to visit the New England Revolution on Sunday. Kickoff for Wednesday’s match is set for 7 p.m. PT on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field.

Wednesday’s match will be televised locally on JOEtv (KZJO, channel 22/cable 10) and regionally on ROOT Sports with Ross Fletcher and Kasey Keller calling the action. Sunday’s match will kickoff at 3 p.m. PT and will be televised on Q-13 FOX. Both matches can be heard on KIRO Radio 97.3 FM and in Spanish on ESPN Deportes.

Sounders FC (6-2-1, 19 points) continued its league-leading form with a come-from-behind win over the Philadelphia Union last Saturday. Obafemi Martins scored the second-half equalizer and Chad Marshall headed in the late game-winner as Sounders FC rolled to its league-best fourth consecutive win.

Seattle sits first in the race for the Supporters’ Shield and boasts the most potent attack in MLS, featuring the league’s top goal scorer in Clint Dempsey and assists leader in Obafemi Martins. Seattle will look to extend its five-game (4-0-1) unbeaten streak with the first midweek match of the season.

Wednesday’s matchup against FC Dallas is the second meeting in four weeks as Sounders FC earned a 3-2 comeback win in Frisco, Tex., on April 12, sparking the club’s current four-game winning streak. The two sides will conclude the season series at Toyota Stadium on September 24.

FC Dallas (5-3-1, 16 points) sits third in the Western Conference following consecutive losses, including a 1-nil home defeat to New Yorkon Sunday. After starting the season unbeaten in its first five (4-0-1) outings, Dallas has dropped three of the last four and was held scoreless on Sunday for the first time this season.

The busy week continues for Sounders FC as the team will visit the New England Revolution on Sunday for the lone meeting of the season. Unbeaten in its past four (3-0-1) contests, New England (4-3-2, 14 points) is level with Kansas City and New York atop the Eastern Conference standings. The match will mark Dempsey’s return to his former club after he spent three seasons with the Revs before departing for Europe in 2007.

Sounders FC will return home next Monday to begin preparations for the San Jose Earthquakes match on May 17 at CenturyLink Field. Seattle will conclude the month of May with a Cascadia Cup match at Vancouver on May 24 and a home match against Real Salt Lake on May 31.

The club will continue to celebrate 40 years of professional soccer in Seattle by honoring the 1996 A-League champion Sounders, which featured current Sounders FC goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann.

Tickets for Sounders FC home matches, including the Tottenham Hotspur friendly, are available now at www.SoundersFC.com and 1-877-MLS-GOAL. The 6-Match ticket package is also available now with expanded seating to include the upper bowl at CenturyLink Field.

Competition Schedule (All times Pacific; subject to change)

May 7, 7 p.m. – Sounders FC vs. FC Dallas, CenturyLink Field

May 11, 3 p.m. – Sounders FC at New England Revolution, Gillette Stadium

May 17, 7 p.m. – Sounders FC vs. San Jose Earthquakes, CenturyLink Field

May 24, 4 p.m. – Sounders FC at Vancouver Whitecaps FC, BC Place

May 31, 1 p.m. – Sounders FC vs. Real Salt Lake, CenturyLink Field

Sounders FC Fast Facts

* 3 – Obafemi Martins and Chad Marshall have both recorded a goal or assist in the past three matches.

* 4 – Sounders FC has won four-straight games, marking the longest winning streak in MLS this season.

* 5 – Seattle has scored multiple goals in a club record five-straight games, averaging three goals per games in the stretch.

* 10 – Seattle is the best road team in MLS with 10 points from four games (3-0-1), including three-straight comeback results.

* 13 – Seattle leads MLS with 13 second-half goals, including six goals in the final 15 minutes.

* 19 – Sounders FC leads the race for the Supporters’ Shield with 19 points; two points clear of Real Salt Lake.

* 20 – Seattle has scored a league-best 20 goals and is one of two teams (Chicago Fire) to have scored in every game.

* 38 – It has been 38 days since Seattle’s last loss on March 29, going 4-0-1 with four come-from-behind results.

Leading the Race

Sounders FC remained first in the race for the Supporters’ Shield with Saturday’s come-from-behind win over the Philadelphia Union. Seattle is two points clear of second place Real Salt Lake, averaging 2.11 points per game. With a league-best six wins, Sounders FC holds the best goal differential (+7) and has scored the most goals (20) in MLS. The record through the opening nine matches marks the second-best start in club history, trailing the 2012 season when the club started with a 7-1-1 record.

Four-straight Wins

Seattle’s four-game winning streak is the longest in MLS this season and is one short of tying the club record. There have been four occasions in club history when Seattle has won four or more consecutive games, including three five-game winning streaks. Sounders FC can match the club record with a win over FC Dallas on Wednesday.

Team Winning Streaks – 2014 season

Team Wins Dates

Sounders FC 4 April 12-present

Columbus 3 March 8-March 29

Dallas 3 March 22-April 5

8 Teams 2 (One Active: New England)

Multi-goal Games

Sounders FC has scored multiple goals in a club record five-straight games, dating back to the 4-4 draw at Portland on April 5. Seattle set the previous record from July 7 to August 5, 2012, scoring multiple goals in four-straight games. Sounders FC has scored multiple goals in six games this season, tied with FC Dallas for the league lead. The club record for most multi-goal games in a single season is 16, set in 2011 and 2012.

Multi-goal Games – 2014 season

Team GP Multi-goal Games

Sounders FC 9 6

FC Dallas 8 6

Salt Lake 9 5

Vancouver 9 5

Seattle’s Scoring Streak

Seattle has scored in every game this season to lead the league with 20 goals. The Chicago Fire is the only other side to score in every game, tallying 12 goals in the opening eight games. It is the first time in club history that Seattle has started a season with goals in the first nine games, and the club record for consecutive games with a goal is 14 (set in 2013). In 2010 and 2011, Sounders FC was held scoreless just seven times – the fewest in club history. The MLS record for fewest times shutout in one season is zero, set by D.C. United in 1998, while San Jose was shut out just twice in the 2012 season. Seattle’s scoring pace of 2.22 goals per game would rank third in MLS history behind the 1998 seasons of Los Angeles (2.66) and D.C. United (2.31).

Bouncing Back for Points

Saturday’s win over the Philadelphia Union marked the third victory when allowing the first goal. Seattle’s three wins and .750 winning percentage when allowing the first goal rank first in the league. Overall, Sounders FC is 3-1-0 when allowing the first goal, surpassing the 2013 season total of seven points (2-12-1). Seattle is one of just three teams (Salt Lake and Columbus) to win when trailing at the half this season, and the only team to accomplish the feat twice.

Second-half Sounders

Chad Marshall is the latest Sounders FC player to tally a late goal to help the club earn a result. Seattle has scored a league-high six goals in the final 15 minutes of the match, including four game-winners (Chad Barrett, Clint Dempsey, Marshall and Obafemi Martins) and Dempsey’s late two-goal effort to salvage a draw at Portland. Sounders FC leads the league with 11 second-half goals (2.75 average) and ranks fourth with five goals allowed (0.56) in the final 45 minutes, including a league-best one goal allowed in the final 15 minutes.

Martins Goes Four Four

Obafemi Martins’ second-half equalizer against Philadelphia last Saturday marked his fourth goal of the 2014 campaign, ranking second on the team and ninth in MLS. With his league-leading four assists, Martins is the only player to record four goals and four assists this season. Just seven players in club history have recorded at least four goals and four assists in a single season, including Fredy Montero (four times), Brad Evans (three), Martins (twice), Mauro Rosales (twice), Steve Zakuani (twice), Nate Jaqua (once) and Lamar Neagle (once).

A Balanced Attack

Seattle’s league-leading offense has had balanced production this season with goals from six different scorers and 11 different players recording an assist. Four players have scored multiple goals this season with Clint Dempsey, Obafemi Martins and Lamar Neagle each tallying at least three goals. Only two other sides (Dallas and Vancouver) have three or more players with at least three goals.

Top Road Team in MLS

Sounders FC will look to continue its impressive road form when it visits New England on Sunday night. Seattle is the top road team in MLS with 10 points through four games (3-0-1), including two-straight wins and three consecutive come-from-behind results. Seattle leads the league with 11 goals and a +4 goal differential on the road, and is one of two teams (Real Salt Lake) without a road loss this season.

Dallas Series Notes

Seattle leads the all-time series against Dallas 7-2-4 with a 23-14 goal advantage, and has lost just once (6-1-1) in the past eight meetings. Sounders FC is 4-1-1 at CenturyLink Field, out-scoring the Hoops 13-6, with Dallas’ lone win coming on May 25, 2011. The Rave Green have scored at least three goals in four of the past five matches against Dallas, while the Hoops have scored at least two goals in three of the previous four. Brad Evans leads current Seattle players with five goals (four with Seattle) in 12 games against Dallas, while Clint Dempsey has four goals in just six career games, and Cam Weaver has netted three goals in three appearances. In the first meeting this season, Seattle managed a come-from-behind 3-2 win at Dallas thanks to a brace from Dempsey, giving Oscar Pareja’s club its first loss of the season.

* Seattle has outscored Dallas 9-4 in the opening 30 minutes and 10-4 in the final 30 minutes.

* Despite being outshot 187-165, Seattle holds the advantage with 64 shots on goal to Dallas’ 54.

* Michel leads Dallas with three goals and two assists in just three appearances against Seattle. The Brazilian recorded both a goal and assist in each appearance against Sounders FC last season, then converted a penalty kick in the first meeting this season.

About FC Dallas

After starting out the season 4-0-1, Dallas has dropped three of its last four, most recently a 1-0 home loss to New York on Sunday. The Hoops sit third in the West with 16 points, one point behind Real Salt Lake and three shy of first-place Seattle. Dallas is 1-1-1 on the road this season with an even goal differential (6-6). They currently rank second in MLS with 18 goals scored despite ranking 16th in total shots (95) and 10th in shots on goal (36). However, the defense has surrendered 15 goals (tied-second in MLS), including nine in the past four games.

Dallas Notables

Oscar Pareja’s second-ranked attack is a balanced one, with four players tied for the team lead at three goals apiece. Blas Perez has three goals and two assists this season and has registered a point in three of his last four appearances. The Panamanian-international has paced the Dallas attack since joining the league in 2012, netting 23 goals in 52 career appearances. Argentine midfielder Mauro Diaz has three goals and three assists in his first full MLS season, earning Etihad Airways Player of the Month for March after scoring two goals–both game-winners–and an assist in four appearances. Also leading the way with three goals for FC Dallas are Je-Vaughn Watson and Michel, who has scored in each of his three appearances against Seattle.

About New England

The Revs are currently tied for first place in the Eastern Conference with 14 points (4-3-2) with Sporting KC and the New York Red Bulls. New England has bounced back after starting out the season 0-2-1, going unbeaten (3-0-1) in their past four, most recently a 2-1 road win over conference rival Toronto FC. Jay Heaps’ club has averaged just one goal per game this season, but have made up for it on the defensive end, allowing just ten goals all year and just six in the last eight games after surrendering four to Houston in the season opener. They are unbeaten (2-0-1) in three games and have yet to allow a goal this season at Gillette Stadium, including a 2-0 win over Kansas City on April 26.

Revolution Notables

Lee Nguyen leads the New England attack with four goals this season (tied-ninth in MLS), including a score in each of his last three games. The three year MLS veteran has been efficient with his shots, netting his four scores in just seven shots on goal. Daigo Kobayashi recorded his team-leading second assist on the season when he set up Patrick Mullins’ equalizer in a 2-1 win over Toronto on Saturday. Diego Fagundez leads the team with 23 shots and eight shots on goal this season, after the 19-year-old had 13 goals and seven assists in 2013. Forward Teal Bunbury has one goal and one assist in his first season with New England, after spending the previous four seasons in Kansas City. Keeper Bobby Shuttleworth mans the goal for the Revs and has allowed just 1.11 goals per game and kept three clean sheets.

Dempsey Returns to the Revs

Clint Dempsey makes his return to Foxborough on Sunday, marking his first ever appearance against his former team. After New England made Deuce the eighth overall selection in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft, he would go on to win 2004 MLS Rookie of the Year and be selected to MLS Best XI in 2005 and 2006. In all, Dempsey scored 25 goals and 14 assists in 61 appearances for the New England from 2004-06, helping Steve Nicol’s club reach the MLS Cup Final in 2005 and 2006.



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