Sitting atop the league table and unbeaten in the past three outings, Seattle Sounders FC visits the Chicago Fire on Saturday in the team’s final game before the three-week World Cup break. Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m. PT at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill.

Saturday’s match will be televised locally on JOEtv (KZJO, channel 22/cable 10) with Ross Fletcher and Taylor Graham on the call, and can be heard on KIRO Radio 97.3 FM. The match will also be televised live in Spanish on THIS-TV (KOMO2) with Jaime Mendez and Diego Arrioja on the call, and Spanish radio is available on ESPN Deportes 1490 AM with Rene Aleman and Noe Menendez.

Sounders FC (9-3-2, 29 points) extended its lead atop the Supporters’ Shield standings to five points with Saturday’s resounding 4-nil win over second-place Real Salt Lake. Seattle has held the top spot for a club record six straight weeks, and a win or draw on Saturdaywould allow the team to retain first place through the World Cup break.

Four different players scored for Sounders FC against RSL as the team won its league-best fifth consecutive home match. Chad Barrett and Gonzalo Pineda scored in their second straight game while Marco Pappa’s outstanding free kick marked his first goal in Rave Green. Obafemi Martins continues to lead the Seattle attack with his sixth goal of the campaign, ranking in the top 10 in MLS in both goals and assists.

Saturday’s match against the Chicago Fire (2-3-7, 13 points) marks the lone meeting of the season between the two sides. After starting the season with a seven-game winless streak, Chicago has gone 2-1-1 over the past four weeks, including a 1-1 home draw against the LA Galaxy on Sunday.

Sounders FC has dominated the all-time series against Chicago, going 5-0-3 in league play and winning the 2011 U.S. Open Cup Final. Chicago is the only MLS team without a win against Seattle, and Sounders FC has posted a 2-0-2 record at Toyota Park.

Following Saturday’s match, Sounders FC will take the week off of training before returning on June 14 to prepare for Open Cup play against PSA Elite on June 18 at Starfire Stadium.

Sounders FC will resume MLS regular season play on June 28 at D.C. United, and will stay on the road for the July 5 match against the Vancouver Whitecaps FC. The next home match is set for July 13 against the Portland Timbers on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field.

Tickets for Sounders FC home matches, including the Tottenham Hotspur friendly, are available now at www.SoundersFC.com and 1-877-MLS-GOAL. The 5-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)

June 7, 5:30 p.m. – Sounders FC at Chicago Fire, Toyota Park

June 18, 7 p.m. – Sounders FC vs. PSA Elite, Starfire Stadium

June 28, 4 p.m. – Sounders FC at D.C. United, RFK Stadium

July 5, 7 p.m. – Sounders FC at Vancouver Whitecaps FC, BC Place

July 13, 7 p.m. – Sounders FC vs. Portland Timbers, CenturyLink Field

First-Place Sounders

With last Saturday’s thumping 4-nil win over Real Salt Lake, Sounders FC extended its lead atop the Supporters’ Shield standings to five points. Seattle has amassed two more wins (9) than any other MLS side and is the only team to average over two points per game (2.07). Seattle has held the top spot since the 4-1 win over Colorado on April 26, marking six straight weeks in first-place – the longest stretch in club history. A win or draw on Saturday would allow Sounders FC to remain first in the standings through the World Cup break.

League Leaders

Category Total (Rank) Points 29 (1st) Points Per Game 2.07 (1st) Wins 9 (1st) Goals Scored 29 (1st) Goal Differential 8 (1st) Home Goals Scored 16 (1st) Road Goals Scored 13 (2nd) Assists 27 (1st) Shots 202 (2nd) Shots on Goal 82 (1st) Scoring Pct. 14.4 (2nd) Shots on Goal Pct. 40.6 (2nd) Multi-goal Games 9 (1st) Fouls Suffered 240 (1st)

Goals Galore

Sounders FC netted its league-leading ninth multi-goal game of the season in Saturday’s 4-0 win over Real Salt Lake, marking the most multi-goal games by Week 14 in club history. Seattle scored four goals for the third time this season, matching the club record for a full season set in 2011. The goals per game average of 2.07 would set the club record and, if the team continues at its current pace, would rank third in MLS history behind the 1998 seasons of the LA Galaxy (2.75) and D.C. United (2.13). The last team to average two or more goals per game for an entire season was the LA Galaxy in 2001, led by Sounders FC Head Coach Sigi Schmid.

Year Multi-goal Games Multi-goal Games in Opening 14 Games 4+ Goal Games GPG 2009 13 6 0 1.27 2010 12 5 1 1.30 2011 16 4 3 1.65 2012 16 6 2 1.50 2013 11 5 2 1.24 2014 9 9 3 2.07

Going for 10

Sounders FC has the opportunity to claim its league-best 10th win of the season on Saturday at Chicago. Just 14 games into the 2014 season, Seattle has hit the nine-win mark fastest in club history. The previous record was 2013 when it took 20 games (August 3) to amass nine wins, and in 2009 it took 25 games (September 12) to secure nine wins. The club record for most wins in a season is 18 (2011) with the fewest wins (12) coming in the 30-match inaugural season.

From All Angles

Four different Sounders FC players found the back of the net on Saturday as Gonzalo Pineda, Marco Pappa, Chad Barrett and Obafemi Martins all contributed goals. It marked the second time in club history that four different players scored in the same game as Alvaro Fernandez, Roger Levesque, Fredy Montero and Mauro Rosales each scored in a 4-3 win over the Colorado Rapids on July 16, 2011.

A total of eight players have scored this season for Sounders FC, which is tied for the third-most in MLS. Seattle boasts six multi-goal scorers (Clint Dempsey, Martins, Lamar Neagle, Kenny Cooper, Barrett and Pineda), which ranks second this season behind Vancouver’s seven players with two or more tallies. The club record for most goal scorers in a single season is 15 players (set in 2011), 11 of which scored multiple goals. The 2014 team has already matched or surpassed the number of multi-goal scorers from 2010 (5), 2012 (6) and 2013 (5).

Player Spotlight

In the absence of Clint Dempsey, Djimi Traore and DeAndre Yedlin, several Sounders FC players had impressive shifts on Saturday, including the four goal scorers as well as midfielder Lamar Neagle and goalkeeper Stefan Frei.

Chad Barrett – With goals in back-to-back games, Barrett has become a key piece to Seattle’s attack in 2014. His three goals are tied fourth on Sounders FC, equaling his output from the past two seasons combined. Barrett ranks fourth in MLS with 1.10 goals per 90 minutes and has put six of his nine total shots on goal.

Stefan Frei – Frei has recorded shutouts in two of his past three outings, ranking tied-fourth in MLS with four clean sheets this season. He has already matched his career high with nine wins, set in his rookie season in 2009, and ranks sixth in MLS with 40 saves. Frei has not allowed a goal in the last 254 minutes at CenturyLink Field.

Obafemi Martins – Leading the league with six assists, Martins added his sixth goal of the season last Saturday, ranking second on Sounders FC and tied-seventh in MLS. He is one of three players (Fabian Espindola and Federico Higuain) to rank in the top 10 in both goals and assists this season. Martins is the fourth player in club history to record six goals and six assists in a single season, following Fredy Montero (2009-12), Nate Jaqua (2009) and Steve Zakuani (2010).

Lamar Neagle – Neagle notched his fourth assist of the season on Saturday, matching his career high set in 2013. He is one of six players league-wide to record at least four goals and four assists this season. Neagle has recorded 10 assists in his career with Sounders FC, tied eighth with Obafemi Martins.

Marco Pappa – Pappa scored his first goal for Sounders FC in impressive fashion on Saturday, curling a free kick over the wall and inside the near post. The strike marked his first MLS goal since August 4, 2012, and he also added his second assist of the season on Obafemi Martins’ late tally. Pappa ranks fourth on the team with 24 total shots, including seven on goal.

Gonzalo Pineda – After converting his penalty kick for the second straight game, Pineda became just the second player (Brad Evans) in club history to convert multiple penalty kicks in a single season. Pineda ranks sixth on Sounders FC with two goals and tied-second with four assists.

Unbeaten on JOEtv

Saturday’s match will be broadcast locally on JOEtv (KZJO, channel 22/cable 10) – a welcomed sight for Sounders FC and its supporters. In six matches televised on JOEtv this season, Sounders FC has five wins with one draw, and has outscored opponents 12-6.

World Cup Break

Major League Soccer will take a 17-day break following Week 14 action to accommodate the group stage of the FIFA World Cup. Following Saturday’s match at Chicago, Sounders FC will have a full three weeks before its next regular-season match at D.C. United onJune 28. Despite the break in league play, two Sounders FC players will remain busy as Clint Dempsey and DeAndre Yedlin are included on the 23-player roster for the U.S. Men’s National Team. The team will play one final match in the Send-Off Series before traveling to Brazil to begin tournament play.

USMNT Competition Schedule

Date Time (PT) Home Team Away Team Stadium Broadcast * Sat., June 7 3 p.m. USA Nigeria EverBank Field ESPN2 Mon., June 16 3 p.m. Ghana USA Arena das Dunas ESPN Sun., June 22 3 p.m. USA Portugal Arena da Amazonia ESPN Thurs., June 26 9 a.m. USA Germany Arena Pernambuco ESPN

*International Friendly

Series Notes

Sounders FC is unbeaten (5-0-3) in eight MLS meetings with Chicago, including a 2-0-2 record at Toyota Park. Seattle has won five of the previous six meetings (5-0-1), including its current two-match winning streak. Despite the discrepancy in wins and goals, the shooting has been relatively even with Seattle holding a slight advantage in shots (98-96) and shots on goal (33-30). Current Sounders FC midfielder Marco Pappa was previously the most lethal Chicago player in the series, as he is still the Fire’s series leader in goals (2), shots (16) and shots on goal (7). Seattle has netted five goals in the final half hour against Chicago while the Fire has scored three of its five goals in the opening half hour.

About Chicago

With seven draws in the first 12 matches this season, the Fire currently sit ninth in the Eastern Conference with 13 points (2-3-7) – 10 points behind first-place New England. Chicago is 1-1-4 at Toyota Park, most recently playing to a 1-1 draw against the LA Galaxy on Sunday and defeating Kansas City, 2-1, on May 18. The club is tied-seventh in MLS with 20 goals scored-including an even (9-9) goal differential at home-and has been fouled the sixth-most in MLS (173). From March 16-April 29, the Fire recorded six consecutive draws, the longest streak in MLS this season. Half of the team’s 20 goals have been scored in the first 30 minutes of matches this season, while also conceding 10 of 22 goals in the final half hour.

Fire Notables

Quincy Amarikwa leads new Head Coach Frank Yallop’s attack with a career-high five goals this season, but the eight-year veteran has not scored since May 10. Defending MLS MVP Mike Magee is second with four goals in just eight starts, but suffered a calf injury and has not played for Chicago since scoring a brace in a 2-1 win over Kansas on May 18. Rookie Homegrown Player Harry Shipp leads the Fire with four assists to go along with three goals. The Notre Dame-product scored a hat trick and recorded an assist in a 5-4 win at New York on May 10. Veterans Jeff Larentowicz (three goals, two assists) and Patrick Nyarko (one goal, two assists) also provide support in the attack for Chicago, which has seen eight different players record a goal.

SEA/CHI Connections

Sounders FC has several ties to the Chicago Fire. On January 15, Seattle acquired defender Jalil Anibaba, the eighth overall selection in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft and a 2015 conditional third round SuperDraft pick from the Fire in exchange for Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Patrick Ianni and the 13th overall selection in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft. Anibaba started 93 of 96 appearances for Chicago over three seasons, including a league-high 34 starts in 2013. He has started three of five appearances this season for Sounders FC, recording one assist. Ianni and Hurtado were both on Seattle’s inaugural team in 2009. Ianni registered 83 appearances in his five seasons with Sounders FC while Hurtado made 108 appearances. Hurtado has started all 12 games for Chicago this season, scoring one goal, and Ianni has started three of four appearances.

In addition to Anibaba, Sounders FC also acquired former Fire midfielder Marco Pappa in the offseason. Seattle used its No. 1 selection in the Allocation Ranking Order to acquire Pappa, who made 112 appearances with 26 goals and 16 assists for the Fire from 2008-12.Saturday’s match will mark the first opportunity for all four players to play against their former team.



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Sounders FC to Host PSA Elite on June 18

Seattle Sounders FC will host PSA Elite (USASA) in the fourth round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on June 18. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. PT at Starfire Stadium in Tukwila, Wash., with a live stream on SoundersFC.com.

Sounders FC will attempt to win its fourth championship in six years after reaching the final four straight seasons (2009-12). In 2011, Seattle became the first club in 42 years and fourth altogether to win the Open Cup three consecutive years. PSA Elite beat the LA Galaxy II in a penalty shootout following a scoreless draw in the third round on May 28. PSA Elite advanced past the San Diego Flash (NPSL) in the second round on May 14 after ousting the LA Misioneros (PDL) in a penalty shootout in the first round on May 7.

The fifth round is scheduled for June 24-25, the quarterfinals for July 8-9, the semifinals for August 12-13, and the final for September 30 or October 1.

Sounders FC Academy

The Sounders FC Academy wrapped up the regular season this past weekend with a road trip at San Juan SC. The U-18’s came away with a 3-0 victory and the U-16’s drew, 1-1, in the last league game before the playoffs begin later this month.

The U-18’s (17-4-6, 57 points) got first-half goals from leading-scorer David Olsen and Isidro Prado-Huerta before John Dale made it 3-0 in the second half. Having already clinched the USSDA Northwest Division a week ago, the U-18’s capped their stellar season off with a strong road win, finishing four points clear of Vancouver Whitecaps FC for first place.

After going down 1-0 before the half on a San Juan penalty kick, the U-16’s (13-5-9, 48 points) equalized in the second half on a Diego Silvas free kick to the top corner of the net to force a 1-1 draw. The U-16’s finish the season third in the Northwest Division, just four points behind Vancouver, and will advance to the USSDA playoffs.

Scoring Change

Marco Pappa has been credited with an assist on Obafemi Martins’ late goal against Real Salt Lake. The updated scoring summary should read: SEA – Obafemi Martins (Kenny Cooper, Marco Pappa) 90′