Seattle Sounders go full circle as they travel to Kansas City
By Paul Taylor
Just like last year, the Seattle Sounders again find themselves in a tough position, as they return to Children’s Mercy Park to face Sporting Kansas City.
One of the best and most fun aspects of sports, is how storylines often just write themselves. Wednesday night will present one of those delightful scenarios, as the Seattle Sounders face Sporting Kansas City in Missouri.
The last time the Rave Green traveled to Children’s Mercy Park, they came away with a 3-0 loss which resulted in the firing of Sigi Schmid. However, rather than putting the nail in the coffin for the Sounders’ season, this acted as the genesis for their revival, culminating in one of the most unlikely MLS Cup victories in league history.
Now, the Sounders return to Missouri in a similar situation, as they struggle to find points. While it’s still early(ish) in the season, they have already accumulated four defeats and won just twice.
Brian Schmetzer’s team obviously want (and need) to get back to winning ways, but it won’t be easy. Sporting KC are unbeaten at home this season and, as noted by mlssoccer.com’s Steve Brisendine, avoiding defeat on Wednesday night will guarantee an entire year without losing at Children’s Mercy Park.
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Making things even more difficult for the Sounders, is a horrific defensive casualty list. Roman Torres and Nouhou Tolo are definitely out, while Chad Marshall and Oniel Fisher are questionable.
Oh, and did we mention that Joevin Jones is suspended? Throw in the fact that Ted Unkel will be the referee — interpret that however you wish — and the Sounders almost face mission impossible.
Of course, as we discovered last season, the Sounders seem to thrive best when confronted with seemingly hopeless circumstances. In that respect, if they can find a way to win on Wednesday night, it could very well act as the genesis for another turnaround in fortune.
Certainly, the Rave Green deserve some good luck, with their season perhaps best highlighted by Clint Dempsey and Nicolas Lodeiro both hitting the woodwork on four occasions. As Brisendine notes, no other MLS player has achieved this feat more than twice.
Overall, there’s no denying the opponent and the venue will combine for a tall challenge, but we’re about to find out what the Sounders are made of. Hopefully for the team, they can once again prove their mental fortitude in the face of adversity.
Next: When is it acceptable to start panicking?
What’s your prediction for the Sounders’ game versus Sporting KC? What do you think the final outcome will be, and why? Share your thoughts in the comments section.