2010 Seattle Sounders FC season
Encyclopedia
The 2010 Seattle Sounders FC season was the club's second season in Major League Soccer
, the United States' top-tier of professional soccer. For the Sounders FC franchise, it was their third year of existence, and including all previous franchises, it would be the 30th season of a soccer team bearing the Sounders name. The first game was played on March 25, 2010, at Qwest Field in Seattle, Washington against the Philadelphia Union, were the Sounders emerged victorious 2–0. They closed out the regular season on October 23, 2010, with a 1–2 loss against Houston Dynamo
. In playoff action, Seattle lost to Los Angeles Galaxy on aggregate on November 6, 2010.
. In their inaugural season, Sounders FC became the second MLS expansion team in league history (Chicago
was first) to win the U.S. Open Cup tournament in their first season. They did so by defeating D.C. United
2–1 on the road at RFK Stadium
. In winning the U.S. Open Cup tournament, Sounders FC qualified for the preliminary round of the 2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League
.
In 2009 Sounders FC became the second MLS expansion team in league history (Chicago again was first) to qualify for the playoffs in their first season. Seattle finished the regular season with a record of 12 wins, 7 losses, and 11 ties and set an all-time MLS record for average attendance of 30,943 fans per game. Sounders FC's inaugural season came to an end in the 2009 MLS Cup Playoffs
when they lost in the conference semifinals to the Houston Dynamo
with a 1–0 aggregate score in a two-legged series
. During the 2009 season, all 15 Sounders FC MLS regular season home matches, their home playoff match, and their 4 home U.S. Open Cup matches (played at Starfire Sports Complex
) were sold out.
, and waived midfielder Michael Fucito
and defenders Evan Brown
and Lamar Neagle
. Le Toux had been acquired the previous year as Sounders FC's first ever signing.
Seattle's preseason was broken up into two stages. The team went to Arizona for preseason fitness and then to Murcia
in Spain for the La Manga Cup
, a preseason tournament.
In the 2010 MLS SuperDraft
the Sounders chose UCLA
forward David Estrada
in the first round, Villanova
midfielder/forward Mike Seamon
in the second round, and San Diego State
midfielder Jamel Wallace
. On March 4, the club announced the signing of Swiss International
striker Blaise Nkufo. He will be joining the club after the FC Twente
season is over and the 2010 FIFA World Cup
. On March 11, the inaugural Seattle Sounders FC Community Shield preseason match was played against the Portland Timbers
continuing the Portland-Seattle rivalry
. Seattle lost to Portland 1–0 in front of 18,606 supporters while rain poured down.
, Sounders FC Majority Owner stated, "Being selected to participate in the first match of the season is a testament to the passion and energy of our fans." Their opponent was the expansion franchise Philadelphia Union, the league's 16th team as they played in their inaugural match. Seattle won the match 2–0 with goals scored by Brad Evans
in the 12th minute and Freddy Montero
in the 43rd minute. The attendance of 36,241 set a team record for an MLS regular-season or postseason game.
scoring the lone goal off a corner kick. Seattle had several scoring chances later including a club record 12 corner kicks, but was unable to equalize.
On April 9, Seattle played their first road match of the season, facing the defending MLS Cup
champion, Real Salt Lake
, in Sandy, Utah
. Sounders FC scored twice in the match, first on a Steve Zakuani
counter-attack goal in the 11th minute and then again in the 73rd minute when Tyrone Marshall
headed in a free kick from Freddie Ljungberg. Salt Lake was able to answer each with a goal of their own, the latter coming in the final moments of extra time. The match ended in a 2–2 draw.
The following week, on April 17, Seattle returned home to face the undefeated Kansas City Wizards
. The game appeared to be ending a scoreless tie until late substitute Michael Fucito scored his first career goal in 92nd minute of the match off a throw in from Brad Evans. Sounders FC defeated Kansas City 1–0. The following week, Seattle had two road games in a 4 day period. First they traveled to Frisco, Texas
to face FC Dallas
on April 22. Steve Zakuani and Fredy Montero scored for Sounders FC while Jeff Cunningham
scored two penalty kick
s for Dallas, the second of which coming in extra time on a questionable call. The Dallas game ended in a 2–2 tie. During the second leg of the road trip on April 25, Sounders FC was defeated 2–0 by Toronto FC
at BMO Field
. Seattle conceded their first ever goal to Toronto when Dwayne De Rosario
scored in the 58th minute. He later assisted O'Brian White
on a second goal in the 76th minute.
The following week, on May 8, Sounders FC hosted the Los Angeles Galaxy. Seattle's continued inability to score and their recent trend of defensive breakdowns culminated in an embarrassing 4–0 loss to the Galaxy. This was Seattle's worst ever defeat at home and it was played in front of a team record attendance for a regular season match of 36,273 fans. Sounders FC newcomer Miguel Montaño made his debut with the club in the defeat to the Galaxy. The day after the lopsided defeat to Los Angeles, Sounders FC owner Adrian Hanauer announced a refund for all 32,000 season ticket holders for the embarrassment and indicated that changes were in the works for the club.
Sounders FC regrouped from the difficult loss to LA the next week when they visited the New York Red Bulls. Fredy Montero's absence from the starting lineup was a surprising change in the match. Montero, however, was subbed on late in the game and provided the winning goal in the 85th minute for a 1–0 victory. During the first game of the 2010 Heritage Cup on May 22, the team lost 1–0 to the San Jose Earthquakes
at Qwest. Chris Wondolowski
scored 11 minutes in the match, lengthening the "scoring drought" for the Sounders FC at home.
Three days later, May 26, the team participated in their first friendly match of the season, winning it 3–0 in a shutout against Boca Juniors
. Roger Levesque
, Pat Noonan
and Mike Seamon each scored goals, the latter in his debut for the team. The team ended the month with another 1–0 loss on May 29, this one against the Colorado Rapids
, on the road; Conor Casey
scored the only goal of the match.
at home, ending the scoreless pattern. Leo González
scored in the fifth minute and started a 3 goal streak. Steve Zakuani volleyed
in another goal in the 24th minute off of a kick by Brad Evans. The final goal of the match was scored by Fredy Montero in the 42nd minute, while the second half was more defensive. During the final MLS match before the World Cup
break, D.C. United
defeated the team 3–2 in a nationally-televised game. Chris Pontius
scored all three of D.C.'s goals, two in the first half and one in the second. In the 90th minute, James Riley scored a goal and was accompanied by Montero's goal one minute later.
After the World Cup break, the Sounders FC went to play the Philadelphia Union at the new PPL Park in front of a crowd of 18,755 during a humid day. Pat Noonan scored the first ever goal at the stadium shortly before halftime, putting the team ahead 1–0. Former Sounders FC player Sebastian Le Toux scored the equalizer on a penalty kick
in the 55th minute and later assisted in the two following goals in the 79th and 84th minutes, making the team lose 3–1 to the Union.
The Sounders FC began their U.S. Open Cup
defense in a rematch against rivals to the south Portland Timbers
at a sold-out PGE Park
. Nate Jaqua
scored in the 13th minute, but Portland's Bright Dike
scored the equalizer in the 37th minute. The game was tied 1–1 and went into the franchise's first penalty shootout
. Defender Zach Scott
scored the final penalty to give the team a 4–3 win on penalties.
on July 4 to play the Los Angeles Galaxy
, who they previously lost to 4–0 at home in May. The game was also the first game for Landon Donovan
and Edson Buddle
since the World Cup
. LA took an early lead, with Buddle scoring off a corner by Donovan in the 18th minute, followed by a goal by Juninho
in the 48th minute. Steve Zakuani scored the team's only goal of the match, in the 66th minute, before an own goal
by James Riley in the 78th minute.
After the loss to LA, both teams traveled to the Starfire Sports Complex
for a rematch, in the U.S. Open Cup
. The game was scoreless until Nate Jaqua scored in the 50th minute, repeating in the 62nd minute. The game ended in a 2–0 victory for the Sounders FC, ensuring a semifinal spot aganist Chivas USA. The following Sunday, the team played their first post-World Cup home game against FC Dallas
, drawing 1–1 in front of a crowd of 36,091. Montero headed in the ball in the 14th minute to lead 1–0. In the 56th minute, Miguel Montaño
, playing in his first MLS start, was sent off the field and the Sounders FC played a man down for the rest of the match, eventually conceding a goal by David Ferreira
in the 87th minute.
Following the tie to FC Dallas, the team traveled east to play D.C. United
, who they previously lost to 3–2 at home in June. The game remained scoreless until the 89th minute, when Roger Levesque headed in the game winner, winning 1–0 and ending a 4-game MLS winless streak. During the second and final friendly of the season, the Sounders FC suffered a 2–1 loss to Celtic F.C.
in front of a crowd of 45,631 at home. In the 30th minute, goalkeeper Terry Boss
was sent off after tripping Georgios Samaras
and Fredy Montero was taken out of the game to make way for the debut of third goalkeeper Jordan Jennings. Samaras converted a penalty kick
and was joined by a goal by Patrick McCourt
for a 2–0 lead for Celtic. David Estrada attempted to tie it up in the 64th minute, but the game ended at 2–1.
The team returned to action on July 25 at home against the Colorado Rapids
in a game nationally televised on Fox Soccer Channel
. Steve Zakuani got the Sounders on the board in the eighth minute, but Colorado's Omar Cummings
answered thirty seconds later, technically in the ninth. Zakuani converted an opportunity in the 18th minute. The game ended 2–1, before the second-largest crowd of the season, 36,333. The Sounders continued their winning streak at home with a 1–0 victory against Isidro Metapán
in the CONCACAF Champions League
preliminary round
. Seven yellow cards were given, four of which to the team, and the game was scoreless at halftime. Substitute Fredy Montero shot from 35 yards out in the 60th minute and the ball bounced into the net.
Uruguay midfielder Álvaro Fernández
was signed on July 29, meanwhile Freddie Ljungberg was traded to the Chicago Fire on July 30. After Fernández addition the trade of Ljungberg, the team won 1–0 in San Jose
by a header in the 26th minute by Fredy Montero.
in San Salvador
, El Salvador
against Isidro Metapán
for the second match of a two-legged series for the preliminary round
of the CONCACAF Champions League
, which they led 1–0 on aggregate. Anel Canales
of Metapán scored in the 17th minute and Metapán led 1–0 at halftime. Newly-signed midfielder Álvaro Fernández headed a pass from James Riley in the 74th minute, which equalized the score and let the team advance 2–1 on aggregate.
After the win over Metapán, the team returned home to a 2–0 win over the Houston Dynamo
. The match remained scoreless at halftime, meanwhile two Sounders were given yellow cards: Sanna Nyassi
and James Riley. Blaise Nkufo was also given a yellow card minutes into the second half and two Houston players also received them. In the 64th minute, Fredy Montero received a goal kick from Kasey Keller
and scored, giving the team a 1–0 lead. Álvaro Fernández made the lead 2–0 shortly after subbing on in the 88th minute.
The following Saturday, the Sounders traveled to the Home Depot Center to play against Chivas USA. The game ended in a 0–0 draw, with Jeff Parke
earning his first yellow card of the season in the 89th minute and Leo González was sent off, along with Mariano Trujillo
of Chivas in the 91st minute after aggressive play.
On August 28, Freddie Ljungberg returned to Qwest Field as a member of the visiting Chicago Fire. While Ljungberg was applauded before and after the game, the crowd jeered each time he touched the ball. In a rough first half that included 19 combined fouls and three yellow cards, Chicago struck first when Jeff Parke was deemed to have handled the ball in his own penalty area. John Thorrington converted the penalty in the 28th minute. Seattle responded soon thereafter with Fredy Montero scoring in the 36th minute with a far post strike to beat Sean Johnson. The teams stayed level through the second half and into stoppage time. In the 92nd minute, however, James Riley took a quick throw in on the right side to Nathan Sturgis who found Montero open on the far post. Montero headed the ball down and past the Chicago goalkeeper for the game-winner making the final scoreline 2–1.
.
On September 4, the Sounders traveled to Gillette Stadium
to face the New England Revolution
. Following an altercation between Patrick Ianni
and Shalrie Joseph
, New England scored three goals in 11 minutes to win the match by a score of 3–1
Returning to Qwest Field, the Sounders played to a 0–0 draw with Real Salt Lake
on September 9.
Sounders owners chartered an airplane to take the team to Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá
in San José, Costa Rica
to face C.D. Saprissa
in Champions League play on September 14. Leo Gonzalez was sent off in the 38th minute and the home side capitalized on the man advantage to win the match 2–0
The team flew directly from San José to face the Columbus Crew
on September 18. Striker Blaise Nkufo scored his first goal as a Sounder and added two more to record a hat trick. Nathan Sturgis converted a penalty kick after Sanna Nassi was fouled in the penalty area to make the final score 0–4.
Again chartering a plane for the Champions League campaign, on September 22 Seattle flew to Monterrey
, Mexico
to face C.F. Monterrey of the Primera División de México
at Estadio Tecnológico
. With an own goal from Monterrey midfielder Hiram Ricardo Mier and a goal from Michael Fucito
just before halftime, Seattle had a 0–2 lead going into the second half and it looked that Seattle might become the first MLS team to win a match in Mexico. Seattle could not maintain the lead though, and gave up three goals in a span of four minutes. Monterrey won the match 3–2
Continuing their travels, the Sounders again flew directly to their next destination. This time, to face the Chicago Fire, they flew directly to Toyota Park
in Bridgeview, Illinois
on September 25. Kasey Keller was tested repeatedly but kept a clean sheet and Blase Nkufo scored in the 88th minute to give the Sounders the 0–1 win.
In their final match of the month, on September 29, Sounders FC returned home face C.D. Marathón in Champions League play. The Sounders recorded their first points in group play as Michael Fucito scored goals in the 21st and 68th minutes. Even though the Sounders earned three points, they were eliminated from the competition due to the 2–2 draw between Monterrey and Saprissa.
. They would need to win against incoming Toronto FC
, whom were looking for one of the final seeds in the playoffs, and then travel out to Kansas City to take on the Wizards, another team longing for postseason action.
On October 2, a 3-2 victory over the Reds gave Rave Green one win closer to post-season action. Seattle would then travel out to Kansas City and nab a 2-1 victory, securing the Sounders playoff action. Goals from Gambian international Sanna Nyassi
and Uruguayan
international, Álvaro Fernández
led the Sounders over the Wizards.
From there, the Sounders would take a comfortable 2-1 victory over Chivas USA before losing their season finale in Houston 1-2.
Finishing 6th overall, Seattle won the fourth-seed in the Western Conference championship in the MLS Cup playoffs going against Supporters' Shield
-winners, Los Angeles Galaxy
. The Sounders hosted the first game in front of a crowd of 35,000; the highest ever for a quarterfinal match in MLS playoff history. The records were hindered, thanks to a 38th-minute goal from Golden Boot
-runner up, Edson Buddle
; who scored a volley from a third of the pitch out that caught Kasey Keller
off-guard. The Sounders would then head into Los Angeles down a goal in the aggregate series.
and Edson Buddle
, giving the Galaxy a 3-0 aggregate lead over the Sounders.
Throughout most of the game the Sounders continuously pressed the Galaxy hoping to pull close to their lead. Steve Zakuani
managed to score a late 85th-minute goal, but it was too little too late as the Galaxy would defeat the Sounders 3-1 on aggregate.
over D.C. United
. It was the first time in club's history or in any previous Seattle Sounders franchise, that they entered an international competition such as the Champions League. The draw for the preliminary round took place on May 19, 2010, at the CONCACAF headquarters in New York City. Seattle was paired against Isidro Metapán
, a Salvadorian
club that won the 2010 Salvadorian Clausura
.
The two sides met in Seattle on July 28, 2010. The Sounders set another attendance record of 17,688; which became the highest crowd to watch a preliminary round draw in the Champions League, the number also remained the highest crowd an MLS-side drew for Champions League play for a month. There, a 60th-minute goal from Freddy Montero
gave the Sounders a 1-0 win and a goal advantage on aggregate going down to Metapán
, El Salvador
. The second leg of Champions League action saw the Sounders go down 1-0 to Metapán in the match, and level on aggregate, due to a 18th-minute opener from retired Panamanian
international Anel Canales
. Recently acquired Álvaro Fernández
tied the game in the 74th minute, to level the match at one, and to give the Sounders a 2-1 lead on aggregate. Ultimately, the Sounders would win the match and secure a group stage spot in Champions League play.
Series Results
's Marathón, Seattle was placed into Group C along with 2009 Mexican Apertura champions, Monterrey and 2010 Costa Rican Verano champions Saprissa
. On August 19, 2010, the Sounders opened up Group Stage against Marathón at Estadio Rosenthal
in San Pedro Sula
. There, the Sounders opened up the score sheet with a 17th-minute goal from Roger Levesque
. In spite of the early goal, the Sounders could not hold the lead and relinquished it late in the first half, when Marathón's Orvin Paz leveled the game ten minutes later. In first-half injury time, Marathón took the lead with a converted penalty kick
from Nicolas Cardozo. The goal ultimately led to the 2-1 victory for the Verdolagas.
Chances to earn a quarterfinal berth became slim for the Sounders as they dropped their next two consecutive games, a 2-0 loss at home to Monterrey and an away loss to Saprissa by the same margin. With an 0-3-0 record, the Sounders stood in last place in their group and had the weakest record of all group stage clubs in the Champions League. Needing a win to keep their knockout stage hopes alive, the Sounders would have to travel south to Estadio Tecnológico
in Mexico
to take on red-hot Monterrey. After Real Salt Lake
lost at Cruz Azul 5-4, and Columbus Crew
lost 1-0 at Santos Laguna
, the Sounders were the last hope for an American team to have a win in Mexico in a meaningful competition. For awhile, it seemed like they would accomplish the feat. An own goal from Monterrey's Sergio Pérez
gave the Sounders an unlikely lead over the Rayados. The Sounders built upon that lead when Michael Fucito
doubled it in the 44th minute, giving the Sounders 2-0 advantage at halftime. However, a pair of quick goals from Mexican
international Aldo de Nigris
and Chilean
-international Humberto Suazo
leveled the game at two apiece. Perez avenged his own goal minutes following the stalemate with a converted penalty kick in the 75th minute of play. The game ended in a 3-2 defeat, which ultimately led to the Sounders FC being eliminated from quarterfinal contention. The win gave Monterrey a guaranteed first place finish in Group C.
As a result of being knocked out the championship round in the Champions League, the Sounders began to emphasize more on the U.S. Open Cup final
against Columbus
and their push for the playoffs
. Because of this, the Sounders fielded a primarily second-tier squad in their final two games, both at home against Marathón and Saprissa
, respectively. Fucito, who scored against Monterrey on September 22, scored both of Seattle's goals in their 2-0 triumph over visiting Marathon. Seattle would conclude their Champions League campaign by hosting Saprissa on October 19. Nate Jaqua
opened the scoring for the Sounders, but just as they opened Group Stage, they would relinquish their lead, falling 2-1 to Saprissa.
Match results
Results summary
Overall
(Injured Reserve)
(Injured Reserve)
(Injured Reserve)
MLS Player of the Month
MLS Player of the Week
MLS Goal of the Week
NAPA Save of the Week
MLS W.O.R.K.S. Humanitarian of the Month
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
, the United States' top-tier of professional soccer. For the Sounders FC franchise, it was their third year of existence, and including all previous franchises, it would be the 30th season of a soccer team bearing the Sounders name. The first game was played on March 25, 2010, at Qwest Field in Seattle, Washington against the Philadelphia Union, were the Sounders emerged victorious 2–0. They closed out the regular season on October 23, 2010, with a 1–2 loss against Houston Dynamo
Houston Dynamo
The Houston Dynamo is an American professional soccer club, based in Houston, Texas, that plays in Major League Soccer, the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Founded in 2005 as Houston 1836, the team name was renamed to Houston Dynamo following protests from Hispanic...
. In playoff action, Seattle lost to Los Angeles Galaxy on aggregate on November 6, 2010.
Background
The 2010 season is the second season for Seattle Sounders FC who began play in 2009 as the league's 15th team. Seattle is the defending champion of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open CupLamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is a knockout tournament in American soccer. The tournament is the oldest ongoing American soccer competition and is presently open to all United States Soccer Federation affiliated teams, from amateur adult club teams to the professional clubs of Major League...
. In their inaugural season, Sounders FC became the second MLS expansion team in league history (Chicago
Chicago Fire (soccer)
Chicago Fire Soccer Club is an American professional soccer club based in the Chicago suburb of Bridgeview, Illinois. The team competes in Major League Soccer , the top soccer league in the United States and Canada...
was first) to win the U.S. Open Cup tournament in their first season. They did so by defeating D.C. United
D.C. United
D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league since its inception, in 1996.Over the...
2–1 on the road at RFK Stadium
Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium
Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in Washington, D.C., United States, and the current home of MLS's D.C. United....
. In winning the U.S. Open Cup tournament, Sounders FC qualified for the preliminary round of the 2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League
2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League
The 2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League was the 3rd edition of the CONCACAF Champions League under its current format. The tournament began on July 27, 2010 and ended on April 27, 2011. Monterrey of Mexico won their first title, defeating Real Salt Lake of the United States 3-2 on aggregate in the...
.
In 2009 Sounders FC became the second MLS expansion team in league history (Chicago again was first) to qualify for the playoffs in their first season. Seattle finished the regular season with a record of 12 wins, 7 losses, and 11 ties and set an all-time MLS record for average attendance of 30,943 fans per game. Sounders FC's inaugural season came to an end in the 2009 MLS Cup Playoffs
2009 MLS Cup Playoffs
The 2009 MLS Cup Playoffs is the postseason to Major League Soccer's 2009 season. MLS Cup 2009 concluded the season on November 22, 2009 at Qwest Field in Seattle, Washington. Real Salt Lake won the Cup in penalties over the L.A...
when they lost in the conference semifinals to the Houston Dynamo
Houston Dynamo
The Houston Dynamo is an American professional soccer club, based in Houston, Texas, that plays in Major League Soccer, the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Founded in 2005 as Houston 1836, the team name was renamed to Houston Dynamo following protests from Hispanic...
with a 1–0 aggregate score in a two-legged series
Two-legged match
In sport , a two-legged tie is a contest between two teams which comprises two matches or legs, with each team as the home team in one leg. The winning team is usually determined by aggregate score, the sum of the scores of the two legs...
. During the 2009 season, all 15 Sounders FC MLS regular season home matches, their home playoff match, and their 4 home U.S. Open Cup matches (played at Starfire Sports Complex
Starfire Sports Complex
Starfire Sports Complex is a sporting facility in Tukwila, Washington, on the banks of the Green River, near Seattle. It is operated by the non-profit corporation Starfire Sports. At the time of its opening, CEO Chris Slatt believed it to be "the largest synthetic-turf soccer complex in the...
) were sold out.
Preseason
On November 25, 2009, Sebastian Le Toux was drafted away from Seattle by the Philadelphia Union as part of the 2009 MLS Expansion Draft2009 MLS Expansion Draft
The 2009 MLS Expansion Draft took place on November 25, 2009, and was a special draft for the Major League Soccer expansion team Philadelphia Union.-Format:...
, and waived midfielder Michael Fucito
Michael Fucito
Michael Fucito is an American soccer player who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-High School and College:...
and defenders Evan Brown
Evan Brown
Evan Brown is an American soccer player who currently plays for USASA amateur team CASL Elite.-High School:...
and Lamar Neagle
Lamar Neagle
Lamar Justin Neagle is an American soccer player who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-Youth and college:...
. Le Toux had been acquired the previous year as Sounders FC's first ever signing.
Seattle's preseason was broken up into two stages. The team went to Arizona for preseason fitness and then to Murcia
Murcia
-History:It is widely believed that Murcia's name is derived from the Latin words of Myrtea or Murtea, meaning land of Myrtle , although it may also be a derivation of the word Murtia, which would mean Murtius Village...
in Spain for the La Manga Cup
La Manga Cup
La Manga Cup is a winter football tournament played in La Manga del Mar Menor . Usual participants are clubs from countries with a summer football season: Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Russia, Ukraine, and the United States and Canada. The first cup was played in 1999 which was won by Rosenborg...
, a preseason tournament.
In the 2010 MLS SuperDraft
2010 MLS SuperDraft
The 2010 MLS SuperDraft was the eleventh annual SuperDraft presented by Major League Soccer. It was held on January 14, 2010 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during the 2010 NSCAA Convention. The 2010 SuperDraft consisted of four rounds with sixteen selections each, for a total of 64 players...
the Sounders chose UCLA
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
forward David Estrada
David Estrada (soccer)
David Estrada is a Mexican-born American soccer player who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-College and Amateur:...
in the first round, Villanova
Villanova University
Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
midfielder/forward Mike Seamon
Mike Seamon
Mike Seamon is an American soccer player who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-College and Amateur:Seamon was born in New Jersey and attended Union Catholic Regional High School....
in the second round, and San Diego State
San Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
midfielder Jamel Wallace
Jamel Wallace
Jamel Anthony Wallace , is an American soccer player currently playing for Richmond Kickers in the USL Professional Division.-Youth and College:...
. On March 4, the club announced the signing of Swiss International
Switzerland national football team
The Swiss national football team is the national football team of Switzerland...
striker Blaise Nkufo. He will be joining the club after the FC Twente
FC Twente
FC Twente is a Dutch professional football club from the city of Enschede, playing in the Eredivisie. The club was formed in 1965 by the merger of 1926 Eredivisie Champions, Sportclub Enschede and Enschedese Boys...
season is over and the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
. On March 11, the inaugural Seattle Sounders FC Community Shield preseason match was played against the Portland Timbers
Portland Timbers (USL)
Portland Timbers was an American professional soccer team based in Portland, Oregon, United States. Founded in 2001, the team played in various leagues at the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, including the USL First Division and the USSF Division 2 Professional League, until the end of...
continuing the Portland-Seattle rivalry
Seattle Sounders – Portland Timbers rivalry
The Seattle–Portland rivalry is a soccer rivalry between the Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers soccer teams. The rivalry pre-dates the current teams in both cities, back to the North American Soccer League days, and has since grown into one of the largest and most bitter rivalries in...
. Seattle lost to Portland 1–0 in front of 18,606 supporters while rain poured down.
March
Seattle was chosen for the second consecutive season to host MLS First Kick, the first match of the MLS season, which was held on Thursday, March 25 and nationally televised on ESPN2. Joe RothJoe Roth
Joe Roth is an American film executive, producer and film director. He co-founded Morgan Creek Productions in 1987 and was chairman of 20th Century Fox , Caravan Pictures , and Walt Disney Studios before founding Revolution Studios in 2000.-Life and career:Roth was born in New York, New York,...
, Sounders FC Majority Owner stated, "Being selected to participate in the first match of the season is a testament to the passion and energy of our fans." Their opponent was the expansion franchise Philadelphia Union, the league's 16th team as they played in their inaugural match. Seattle won the match 2–0 with goals scored by Brad Evans
Brad Evans
Brad Evans is an American soccer player who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-College and Amateur:...
in the 12th minute and Freddy Montero
Freddy Montero
Fredy Henkyer Montero Muñoz is a Colombian footballer who plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-Deportivo Cali:...
in the 43rd minute. The attendance of 36,241 set a team record for an MLS regular-season or postseason game.
April
On April 2, Sounders FC hosted the New York Red Bulls for their second league match. New York prevailed 1–0 with Macoumba KandjiMacoumba Kandji
Macoumba Kandji is a Senegalese footballer who currently plays for the Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer.-Early Life and College:Kandji was born in Senegal, raised in The Gambia, and came to the United States in 2003...
scoring the lone goal off a corner kick. Seattle had several scoring chances later including a club record 12 corner kicks, but was unable to equalize.
On April 9, Seattle played their first road match of the season, facing the defending MLS Cup
MLS Cup
The MLS Cup is the championship match of Major League Soccer, the highest tier of professional soccer in the United States and Canada. As the final match of the MLS Cup playoffs, the winner is crowned the season champion in the same manner as other North American sports leagues...
champion, Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake is an American professional soccer club based in Sandy, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City. The team competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. They currently play their home games at Rio Tinto Stadium. Real Salt Lake won...
, in Sandy, Utah
Sandy, Utah
Sandy is a city in Salt Lake County, Utah, United States. It is a suburb of Salt Lake City. The population was 87,461 at the 2010 census, making it the sixth-largest city in Utah....
. Sounders FC scored twice in the match, first on a Steve Zakuani
Steve Zakuani
Steve Zakuani is a Congolese footballer who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer. Born in Zaire , Zakuani grew up in London before attending the University of Akron on a soccer scholarship...
counter-attack goal in the 11th minute and then again in the 73rd minute when Tyrone Marshall
Tyrone Marshall
Tyrone Marshall is a Jamaican footballer who currently plays for Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:Marshall moved to the Fort Lauderdale, Florida area when he was twelve years old...
headed in a free kick from Freddie Ljungberg. Salt Lake was able to answer each with a goal of their own, the latter coming in the final moments of extra time. The match ended in a 2–2 draw.
The following week, on April 17, Seattle returned home to face the undefeated Kansas City Wizards
Kansas City Wizards
Sporting Kansas City is an American professional soccer club based in Kansas City, Kansas that competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
. The game appeared to be ending a scoreless tie until late substitute Michael Fucito scored his first career goal in 92nd minute of the match off a throw in from Brad Evans. Sounders FC defeated Kansas City 1–0. The following week, Seattle had two road games in a 4 day period. First they traveled to Frisco, Texas
Frisco, Texas
Frisco is an affluent city in Collin and Denton Counties in the U.S. state of Texas and a rapidly growing suburb of Dallas. As of the 2010 Census, 116,989 people were living in Frisco up from 33,714 in the previous census. Frisco was the fastest growing city in the United States in 2009, and also...
to face FC Dallas
FC Dallas
FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
on April 22. Steve Zakuani and Fredy Montero scored for Sounders FC while Jeff Cunningham
Jeff Cunningham
Jeff Cunningham is a Jamaican-born American soccer player who played on multiple Major League Soccer teams. He is the MLS all-time leader in goals scored with 134.-College:...
scored two penalty kick
Penalty kick
A penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
s for Dallas, the second of which coming in extra time on a questionable call. The Dallas game ended in a 2–2 tie. During the second leg of the road trip on April 25, Sounders FC was defeated 2–0 by Toronto FC
Toronto FC
Toronto FC is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada....
at BMO Field
BMO Field
BMO Field is a Canadian soccer stadium located in Exhibition Place in the city of Toronto. The open-air structure can seat up to 21,800 spectators, depending on seating configurations. It is owned by the City of Toronto, and managed by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd...
. Seattle conceded their first ever goal to Toronto when Dwayne De Rosario
Dwayne De Rosario
Dwayne Anthony De Rosario is a Canadian soccer player who currently plays for D.C. United in Major League Soccer. He also plays for the Canadian national team.-Early career:...
scored in the 58th minute. He later assisted O'Brian White
O'Brian White
O'Brian White is a Jamaica footballer who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-Youth and college:...
on a second goal in the 76th minute.
May
Sounders FC began May with a tie at home against the Columbus Crew. Steve Zakuani scored an early breakaway goal in the 8th minute to take the lead. However, Seattle's stoppage time problems continued as the Crew's Steven Lenhart scored off a header in the first minute of stoppage time before the half. The game ended 1–1.The following week, on May 8, Sounders FC hosted the Los Angeles Galaxy. Seattle's continued inability to score and their recent trend of defensive breakdowns culminated in an embarrassing 4–0 loss to the Galaxy. This was Seattle's worst ever defeat at home and it was played in front of a team record attendance for a regular season match of 36,273 fans. Sounders FC newcomer Miguel Montaño made his debut with the club in the defeat to the Galaxy. The day after the lopsided defeat to Los Angeles, Sounders FC owner Adrian Hanauer announced a refund for all 32,000 season ticket holders for the embarrassment and indicated that changes were in the works for the club.
Sounders FC regrouped from the difficult loss to LA the next week when they visited the New York Red Bulls. Fredy Montero's absence from the starting lineup was a surprising change in the match. Montero, however, was subbed on late in the game and provided the winning goal in the 85th minute for a 1–0 victory. During the first game of the 2010 Heritage Cup on May 22, the team lost 1–0 to the San Jose Earthquakes
San Jose Earthquakes
The San Jose Earthquakes professional soccer team is located in the San Jose, California, United States suburb of Santa Clara, and participates in Major League Soccer , the top level soccer league in the United States and Canada....
at Qwest. Chris Wondolowski
Chris Wondolowski
Christopher Elliott Wondolowski is an American soccer player who currently plays for San Jose Earthquakes in Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:...
scored 11 minutes in the match, lengthening the "scoring drought" for the Sounders FC at home.
Three days later, May 26, the team participated in their first friendly match of the season, winning it 3–0 in a shutout against Boca Juniors
Boca Juniors
Club Atlético Boca Juniors is an Argentine sports club based in La Boca neighborhood of Buenos Aires. It is best known for its professional football team, which currently plays in the Primera División....
. Roger Levesque
Roger Levesque
Roger Levesque is an American soccer player who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer....
, Pat Noonan
Pat Noonan
Pat Noonan is an American soccer player who last played for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-College and Amateur:...
and Mike Seamon each scored goals, the latter in his debut for the team. The team ended the month with another 1–0 loss on May 29, this one against the Colorado Rapids
Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league...
, on the road; Conor Casey
Conor Casey
Conor Casey is an American soccer player who currently plays for the Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:...
scored the only goal of the match.
June
The Sounders FC began June with a 3–0 win against the New England RevolutionNew England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
at home, ending the scoreless pattern. Leo González
Leonardo González
Leonardo González Arce is a Costa Rican footballer. He currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-Club:...
scored in the fifth minute and started a 3 goal streak. Steve Zakuani volleyed
Volley (football)
A volley is an air-borne strike in association football, where a player's feet meets and directs the ball in an angled direction before it has time to reach the ground...
in another goal in the 24th minute off of a kick by Brad Evans. The final goal of the match was scored by Fredy Montero in the 42nd minute, while the second half was more defensive. During the final MLS match before the World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
break, D.C. United
D.C. United
D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league since its inception, in 1996.Over the...
defeated the team 3–2 in a nationally-televised game. Chris Pontius
Chris Pontius (soccer)
Christopher Richard Pontius is an American soccer player who currently plays for D.C. United in Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:...
scored all three of D.C.'s goals, two in the first half and one in the second. In the 90th minute, James Riley scored a goal and was accompanied by Montero's goal one minute later.
After the World Cup break, the Sounders FC went to play the Philadelphia Union at the new PPL Park in front of a crowd of 18,755 during a humid day. Pat Noonan scored the first ever goal at the stadium shortly before halftime, putting the team ahead 1–0. Former Sounders FC player Sebastian Le Toux scored the equalizer on a penalty kick
Penalty kick
A penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
in the 55th minute and later assisted in the two following goals in the 79th and 84th minutes, making the team lose 3–1 to the Union.
The Sounders FC began their U.S. Open Cup
Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is a knockout tournament in American soccer. The tournament is the oldest ongoing American soccer competition and is presently open to all United States Soccer Federation affiliated teams, from amateur adult club teams to the professional clubs of Major League...
defense in a rematch against rivals to the south Portland Timbers
Portland Timbers (USL)
Portland Timbers was an American professional soccer team based in Portland, Oregon, United States. Founded in 2001, the team played in various leagues at the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, including the USL First Division and the USSF Division 2 Professional League, until the end of...
at a sold-out PGE Park
PGE Park
Jeld-Wen Field is an outdoor sports stadium located in Portland, Oregon, United States that is used primarily for soccer and American football...
. Nate Jaqua
Nate Jaqua
Jonathan "Nate" Jaqua is an American soccer player who last played for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-High School:...
scored in the 13th minute, but Portland's Bright Dike
Bright Dike
Chinedu "Bright" Dike is an American soccer player who currently plays for Portland Timbers of Major League Soccer.-College and Amateur:...
scored the equalizer in the 37th minute. The game was tied 1–1 and went into the franchise's first penalty shootout
Penalty shootout (football)
A penalty shoot-out, referred to as kicks from the penalty mark in the Laws of the Game, is the FIFA official term for a method used in association football to decide which team progresses to the next stage of a tournament following a tied game...
. Defender Zach Scott
Zach Scott
Zach Scott is an American soccer player who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-Youth and College:...
scored the final penalty to give the team a 4–3 win on penalties.
July
The Sounders FC went down to Carson, CaliforniaCarson, California
Carson is a city in Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, Carson had a total population of 91,714. Located south of downtown Los Angeles and approximately 14 miles away from the Los Angeles International Airport, it is known as a suburb of the city....
on July 4 to play the Los Angeles Galaxy
Los Angeles Galaxy
The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second...
, who they previously lost to 4–0 at home in May. The game was also the first game for Landon Donovan
Landon Donovan
Landon Timothy Donovan is an American soccer player for the Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer in the United States. He usually plays as a withdrawn forward, and can also be used as an attacking midfielder on either wing....
and Edson Buddle
Edson Buddle
Edson Buddle is an American soccer player who currently plays for Ingolstadt 04 in Second Bundesliga, the second-highest level of competition of soccer in Germany. Buddle previously spent his entire career in North America, beginning in 2000 with the Long Island Rough Riders, who played in the USL...
since the World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
. LA took an early lead, with Buddle scoring off a corner by Donovan in the 18th minute, followed by a goal by Juninho
Juninho Pernambucano
Antônio Augusto Ribeiro Reis Jr. , commonly known as Juninho or Juninho Pernambucano, is a Brazilian footballer and dead-ball specialist, currently playing as a midfielder for Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A club CR Vasco da Gama. He is considered to be one of the greatest free kick takers of all time...
in the 48th minute. Steve Zakuani scored the team's only goal of the match, in the 66th minute, before an own goal
Own goal
An own net occurs in goal-scoring games when a player scores a goal that is registered against his or her own team. It is usually accidental, and may be a result of an attempt at defensive play that failed or was spoiled by opponents....
by James Riley in the 78th minute.
After the loss to LA, both teams traveled to the Starfire Sports Complex
Starfire Sports Complex
Starfire Sports Complex is a sporting facility in Tukwila, Washington, on the banks of the Green River, near Seattle. It is operated by the non-profit corporation Starfire Sports. At the time of its opening, CEO Chris Slatt believed it to be "the largest synthetic-turf soccer complex in the...
for a rematch, in the U.S. Open Cup
2010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
The 2010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup was the 97th edition of the oldest competition in American soccer, running from June through early October.The tournament proper featured teams from the top five levels of the American Soccer Pyramid...
. The game was scoreless until Nate Jaqua scored in the 50th minute, repeating in the 62nd minute. The game ended in a 2–0 victory for the Sounders FC, ensuring a semifinal spot aganist Chivas USA. The following Sunday, the team played their first post-World Cup home game against FC Dallas
FC Dallas
FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
, drawing 1–1 in front of a crowd of 36,091. Montero headed in the ball in the 14th minute to lead 1–0. In the 56th minute, Miguel Montaño
Miguel Montaño
Miguel Montaño is a Colombian footballer currently playing for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-Career:...
, playing in his first MLS start, was sent off the field and the Sounders FC played a man down for the rest of the match, eventually conceding a goal by David Ferreira
David Ferreira
David Ferreira is a Colombian footballer who currently plays for FC Dallas in Major League Soccer.-Professional:...
in the 87th minute.
Following the tie to FC Dallas, the team traveled east to play D.C. United
D.C. United
D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league since its inception, in 1996.Over the...
, who they previously lost to 3–2 at home in June. The game remained scoreless until the 89th minute, when Roger Levesque headed in the game winner, winning 1–0 and ending a 4-game MLS winless streak. During the second and final friendly of the season, the Sounders FC suffered a 2–1 loss to Celtic F.C.
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
in front of a crowd of 45,631 at home. In the 30th minute, goalkeeper Terry Boss
Terry Boss
Terrence "Terry" Boss is a former American-born Puerto Rican international soccer goalkeeper.-College and Amateur:...
was sent off after tripping Georgios Samaras
Georgios Samaras
Georgios Samaras is a Greek footballer who plays for Scottish Premier League club Celtic and the Greek national football team. He is predominantly a left winger but can also play as a striker....
and Fredy Montero was taken out of the game to make way for the debut of third goalkeeper Jordan Jennings. Samaras converted a penalty kick
Penalty kick
A penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
and was joined by a goal by Patrick McCourt
Patrick McCourt
Patrick James "Paddy" McCourt is a Northern Irish footballer who plays as a left winger for Scottish Premier League club Celtic and the Northern Ireland national football team....
for a 2–0 lead for Celtic. David Estrada attempted to tie it up in the 64th minute, but the game ended at 2–1.
The team returned to action on July 25 at home against the Colorado Rapids
Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league...
in a game nationally televised on Fox Soccer Channel
Fox Soccer Channel
Fox Soccer is an American television specialty channel, owned by News Corporation's Fox Entertainment Group, that specializes in soccer. It formerly broadcast rugby and Australian rules football, but is now dedicated strictly to soccer...
. Steve Zakuani got the Sounders on the board in the eighth minute, but Colorado's Omar Cummings
Omar Cummings
Omar Cummings is a Jamaican international footballer who plays professionally for the Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer, as a forward.-Youth and amateur:...
answered thirty seconds later, technically in the ninth. Zakuani converted an opportunity in the 18th minute. The game ended 2–1, before the second-largest crowd of the season, 36,333. The Sounders continued their winning streak at home with a 1–0 victory against Isidro Metapán
A.D. Isidro Metapán
Asociación Deportiva Isidro Metapán, also known simply as Isidro Metapán, is a Salvadoran football club based in Metapán, El Salvador. The club currently plays in the Primera División, which is the top tier football league in the country...
in the CONCACAF Champions League
2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League
The 2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League was the 3rd edition of the CONCACAF Champions League under its current format. The tournament began on July 27, 2010 and ended on April 27, 2011. Monterrey of Mexico won their first title, defeating Real Salt Lake of the United States 3-2 on aggregate in the...
preliminary round
2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League Preliminary Round
The 2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League Preliminary Round was played from July to August 2010. The first legs were played July 27–29, 2010, and the second legs were played August 3–5, 2010....
. Seven yellow cards were given, four of which to the team, and the game was scoreless at halftime. Substitute Fredy Montero shot from 35 yards out in the 60th minute and the ball bounced into the net.
Uruguay midfielder Álvaro Fernández
Álvaro Fernández
Álvaro Fernández is a Uruguayan footballer. He currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer and the Uruguay national football team.-Club:...
was signed on July 29, meanwhile Freddie Ljungberg was traded to the Chicago Fire on July 30. After Fernández addition the trade of Ljungberg, the team won 1–0 in San Jose
San Jose Earthquakes
The San Jose Earthquakes professional soccer team is located in the San Jose, California, United States suburb of Santa Clara, and participates in Major League Soccer , the top level soccer league in the United States and Canada....
by a header in the 26th minute by Fredy Montero.
August
The Sounders began August at Estadio CuscatlánEstadio Cuscatlán
Monumental Estadio Cuscatlán is a football stadium located in San Salvador, El Salvador. It is the largest stadium in Central America with a capacity of 45,000...
in San Salvador
San Salvador
The city of San Salvador the capital and largest city of El Salvador, which has been designated a Gamma World City. Its complete name is La Ciudad de Gran San Salvador...
, El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
against Isidro Metapán
A.D. Isidro Metapán
Asociación Deportiva Isidro Metapán, also known simply as Isidro Metapán, is a Salvadoran football club based in Metapán, El Salvador. The club currently plays in the Primera División, which is the top tier football league in the country...
for the second match of a two-legged series for the preliminary round
2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League Preliminary Round
The 2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League Preliminary Round was played from July to August 2010. The first legs were played July 27–29, 2010, and the second legs were played August 3–5, 2010....
of the CONCACAF Champions League
2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League
The 2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League was the 3rd edition of the CONCACAF Champions League under its current format. The tournament began on July 27, 2010 and ended on April 27, 2011. Monterrey of Mexico won their first title, defeating Real Salt Lake of the United States 3-2 on aggregate in the...
, which they led 1–0 on aggregate. Anel Canales
Anel Canales
Anthony Canales is a soccer forward who currently plays for Isidro Metapán of the Primera Division of El Salvador.-Club:*Liga Panameña de Fútbol :**2001-02*Primera División de Fútbol Profesional :...
of Metapán scored in the 17th minute and Metapán led 1–0 at halftime. Newly-signed midfielder Álvaro Fernández headed a pass from James Riley in the 74th minute, which equalized the score and let the team advance 2–1 on aggregate.
After the win over Metapán, the team returned home to a 2–0 win over the Houston Dynamo
Houston Dynamo
The Houston Dynamo is an American professional soccer club, based in Houston, Texas, that plays in Major League Soccer, the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Founded in 2005 as Houston 1836, the team name was renamed to Houston Dynamo following protests from Hispanic...
. The match remained scoreless at halftime, meanwhile two Sounders were given yellow cards: Sanna Nyassi
Sanna Nyassi
Sanna Nyassi is a Gambian footballer who currently plays for Montreal Impact in Major League Soccer.-Professional:Nyassi began his professional career in 2004 with Gambia Ports Authority of the GFA League First Division...
and James Riley. Blaise Nkufo was also given a yellow card minutes into the second half and two Houston players also received them. In the 64th minute, Fredy Montero received a goal kick from Kasey Keller
Kasey Keller
Kasey Keller is a retired American soccer player who last played for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer....
and scored, giving the team a 1–0 lead. Álvaro Fernández made the lead 2–0 shortly after subbing on in the 88th minute.
The following Saturday, the Sounders traveled to the Home Depot Center to play against Chivas USA. The game ended in a 0–0 draw, with Jeff Parke
Jeff Parke
Jeff Parke is an American soccer player who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-Career:...
earning his first yellow card of the season in the 89th minute and Leo González was sent off, along with Mariano Trujillo
Mariano Trujillo
Mariano Trujillo is a Mexican footballer who currently plays for Chivas USA in Major League Soccer.-Professional:...
of Chivas in the 91st minute after aggressive play.
On August 28, Freddie Ljungberg returned to Qwest Field as a member of the visiting Chicago Fire. While Ljungberg was applauded before and after the game, the crowd jeered each time he touched the ball. In a rough first half that included 19 combined fouls and three yellow cards, Chicago struck first when Jeff Parke was deemed to have handled the ball in his own penalty area. John Thorrington converted the penalty in the 28th minute. Seattle responded soon thereafter with Fredy Montero scoring in the 36th minute with a far post strike to beat Sean Johnson. The teams stayed level through the second half and into stoppage time. In the 92nd minute, however, James Riley took a quick throw in on the right side to Nathan Sturgis who found Montero open on the far post. Montero headed the ball down and past the Chicago goalkeeper for the game-winner making the final scoreline 2–1.
September
September would see Seattle playing matches in three competitions, six matches away from Seattle, and eight matches total. Continuing their U.S. Open Cup defense, Seattle took on Chivas USA at the Starfire Sports Complex on September 1. In front of a crowd of 4,547, the Sounders secured a 3–1 victory and their place in the 2010 U.S. Open Cup final2010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final
The 2010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final was played on October 5, 2010, at Qwest Field in Seattle, Washington. The match determined the winner of the 2010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, a tournament open to amateur and professional soccer teams affiliated with the United States Soccer Federation. This...
.
On September 4, the Sounders traveled to Gillette Stadium
Gillette Stadium
Gillette Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Foxborough, Massachusetts, 21 miles southwest of downtown Boston and from downtown Providence, Rhode Island. It serves as the home stadium and administrative offices for the New England Patriots football team and the New England Revolution...
to face the New England Revolution
New England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
. Following an altercation between Patrick Ianni
Patrick Ianni
Patrick Edward Joseph Ianni is an American soccer player who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-College and Amateur:...
and Shalrie Joseph
Shalrie Joseph
Shalrie Jamal Joseph is a Grenadian footballer who currently plays for New England Revolution in Major League Soccer.-College:...
, New England scored three goals in 11 minutes to win the match by a score of 3–1
Returning to Qwest Field, the Sounders played to a 0–0 draw with Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake is an American professional soccer club based in Sandy, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City. The team competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. They currently play their home games at Rio Tinto Stadium. Real Salt Lake won...
on September 9.
Sounders owners chartered an airplane to take the team to Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá
Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá
Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá is one of the main sports stadiums in Costa Rica. It is located in San Juan de Tibás, San José. With a capacity of 24,000, it has one of the highest capacity stadiums in the country. The stadium is the home of Deportivo Saprissa, and was named in honour of the team's...
in San José, Costa Rica
San José, Costa Rica
San José is the capital and largest city of Costa Rica. Located in the Central Valley, San José is the seat of national government, the focal point of political and economic activity, and the major transportation hub of this Central American nation.Founded in 1738 by order of Cabildo de León, San...
to face C.D. Saprissa
C.D. Saprissa
Deportivo Saprissa S.A.D. is a Costa Rican sports club, mostly known for its football team. The club is located in San Juan de Tibás, San José, and plays their home games at the Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá....
in Champions League play on September 14. Leo Gonzalez was sent off in the 38th minute and the home side capitalized on the man advantage to win the match 2–0
The team flew directly from San José to face the Columbus Crew
Columbus Crew
The Columbus Crew is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
on September 18. Striker Blaise Nkufo scored his first goal as a Sounder and added two more to record a hat trick. Nathan Sturgis converted a penalty kick after Sanna Nassi was fouled in the penalty area to make the final score 0–4.
Again chartering a plane for the Champions League campaign, on September 22 Seattle flew to Monterrey
Monterrey
Monterrey , is the capital city of the northeastern state of Nuevo León in the country of Mexico. The city is anchor to the third-largest metropolitan area in Mexico and is ranked as the ninth-largest city in the nation. Monterrey serves as a commercial center in the north of the country and is the...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
to face C.F. Monterrey of the Primera División de México
Primera División de México
The Primera División Profesional , known simply as the Primera División, is the top level of the Mexican football league system and is administered by the Mexican Football Federation. It was established in 1943 and as of 2011 has 18 clubs. Up to June 2011, it was divided into three groups competing...
at Estadio Tecnológico
Estadio Tecnológico
The Estadio Tecnológico is a stadium located in city of Monterrey, Mexico.It is the property of the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education. The Monterrey Football Club play their home games there, but only rent the space and are not affiliated with the Institute.The stadium was...
. With an own goal from Monterrey midfielder Hiram Ricardo Mier and a goal from Michael Fucito
Michael Fucito
Michael Fucito is an American soccer player who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-High School and College:...
just before halftime, Seattle had a 0–2 lead going into the second half and it looked that Seattle might become the first MLS team to win a match in Mexico. Seattle could not maintain the lead though, and gave up three goals in a span of four minutes. Monterrey won the match 3–2
Continuing their travels, the Sounders again flew directly to their next destination. This time, to face the Chicago Fire, they flew directly to Toyota Park
Toyota Park (Bridgeview)
Toyota Park is a soccer-specific stadium located at 71st Street and Harlem Avenue in Bridgeview, Illinois. It is the home stadium of the Chicago Fire Soccer Club, members of Major League Soccer . Toyota Park was developed at a cost of around $100 million. The facility opened June 11, 2006...
in Bridgeview, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
on September 25. Kasey Keller was tested repeatedly but kept a clean sheet and Blase Nkufo scored in the 88th minute to give the Sounders the 0–1 win.
In their final match of the month, on September 29, Sounders FC returned home face C.D. Marathón in Champions League play. The Sounders recorded their first points in group play as Michael Fucito scored goals in the 21st and 68th minutes. Even though the Sounders earned three points, they were eliminated from the competition due to the 2–2 draw between Monterrey and Saprissa.
October
The month of October started off with the Sounders needing only two wins to qualify for the playoffs2010 MLS Cup Playoffs
The 2010 MLS Cup Playoffs was the postseason tournament subsequent to Major League Soccer's 2010 season. The Colorado Rapids defeated FC Dallas 2–1 at BMO Field in Toronto, Ontario....
. They would need to win against incoming Toronto FC
Toronto FC
Toronto FC is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada....
, whom were looking for one of the final seeds in the playoffs, and then travel out to Kansas City to take on the Wizards, another team longing for postseason action.
On October 2, a 3-2 victory over the Reds gave Rave Green one win closer to post-season action. Seattle would then travel out to Kansas City and nab a 2-1 victory, securing the Sounders playoff action. Goals from Gambian international Sanna Nyassi
Sanna Nyassi
Sanna Nyassi is a Gambian footballer who currently plays for Montreal Impact in Major League Soccer.-Professional:Nyassi began his professional career in 2004 with Gambia Ports Authority of the GFA League First Division...
and Uruguayan
Uruguay national football team
The Uruguayan national football team represents Uruguay in international association football and is controlled by the Uruguayan Football Association, the governing body for football in Uruguay. The current head coach is Óscar Tabárez...
international, Álvaro Fernández
Álvaro Fernández
Álvaro Fernández is a Uruguayan footballer. He currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer and the Uruguay national football team.-Club:...
led the Sounders over the Wizards.
From there, the Sounders would take a comfortable 2-1 victory over Chivas USA before losing their season finale in Houston 1-2.
Finishing 6th overall, Seattle won the fourth-seed in the Western Conference championship in the MLS Cup playoffs going against Supporters' Shield
MLS Supporters' Shield
The Supporters' Shield is an annual award given to the Major League Soccer team with the best regular season record, as determined by the MLS points system...
-winners, Los Angeles Galaxy
Los Angeles Galaxy
The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second...
. The Sounders hosted the first game in front of a crowd of 35,000; the highest ever for a quarterfinal match in MLS playoff history. The records were hindered, thanks to a 38th-minute goal from Golden Boot
MLS Golden Boot
The MLS Golden Boot has been awarded since the 2005 season to Major League Soccer's regular season leading scorer...
-runner up, Edson Buddle
Edson Buddle
Edson Buddle is an American soccer player who currently plays for Ingolstadt 04 in Second Bundesliga, the second-highest level of competition of soccer in Germany. Buddle previously spent his entire career in North America, beginning in 2000 with the Long Island Rough Riders, who played in the USL...
; who scored a volley from a third of the pitch out that caught Kasey Keller
Kasey Keller
Kasey Keller is a retired American soccer player who last played for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer....
off-guard. The Sounders would then head into Los Angeles down a goal in the aggregate series.
November
On November 7, the Sounders traveled out to Los Angeles to take on the Galaxy. Down 1-0, the Sounders were hoping to salvage this by rallying to overcome the deficit. It seemingly faded off thanks to a pair of early first half goals from the Galaxy's Omar GonzalezOmar Gonzalez
Omar Gonzalez is an American soccer player. He played youth soccer for the Dallas Texans Soccer Club. He currently plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer.-College:...
and Edson Buddle
Edson Buddle
Edson Buddle is an American soccer player who currently plays for Ingolstadt 04 in Second Bundesliga, the second-highest level of competition of soccer in Germany. Buddle previously spent his entire career in North America, beginning in 2000 with the Long Island Rough Riders, who played in the USL...
, giving the Galaxy a 3-0 aggregate lead over the Sounders.
Throughout most of the game the Sounders continuously pressed the Galaxy hoping to pull close to their lead. Steve Zakuani
Steve Zakuani
Steve Zakuani is a Congolese footballer who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer. Born in Zaire , Zakuani grew up in London before attending the University of Akron on a soccer scholarship...
managed to score a late 85th-minute goal, but it was too little too late as the Galaxy would defeat the Sounders 3-1 on aggregate.
Match results
Preseason
La Manga Cup
Seattle Sounders FC Community Shield
MLS regular season
MLS Playoffs
US Open Cup
Preliminary round
Seattle earned a preliminary round spot in the 2010-11 edition of the CONCACAF Champions League by winning the 2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
The 2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup was the 96th edition of the oldest competition in American soccer, running from June through early September.The tournament proper features teams from the top five levels of the American Soccer Pyramid...
over D.C. United
D.C. United
D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league since its inception, in 1996.Over the...
. It was the first time in club's history or in any previous Seattle Sounders franchise, that they entered an international competition such as the Champions League. The draw for the preliminary round took place on May 19, 2010, at the CONCACAF headquarters in New York City. Seattle was paired against Isidro Metapán
A.D. Isidro Metapán
Asociación Deportiva Isidro Metapán, also known simply as Isidro Metapán, is a Salvadoran football club based in Metapán, El Salvador. The club currently plays in the Primera División, which is the top tier football league in the country...
, a Salvadorian
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
club that won the 2010 Salvadorian Clausura
Primera División de Fútbol Profesional – Clausura 2010
The Clausura 2010 season was the 24th edition of the Primera División de Fútbol Profesional since its establishment of an Apertura and Clausura format. Isidro Metapán won the tournament, claiming their fourth title in history. The season began on January 9, 2010 and concluded on May 23, 2010...
.
The two sides met in Seattle on July 28, 2010. The Sounders set another attendance record of 17,688; which became the highest crowd to watch a preliminary round draw in the Champions League, the number also remained the highest crowd an MLS-side drew for Champions League play for a month. There, a 60th-minute goal from Freddy Montero
Freddy Montero
Fredy Henkyer Montero Muñoz is a Colombian footballer who plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-Deportivo Cali:...
gave the Sounders a 1-0 win and a goal advantage on aggregate going down to Metapán
Metapán
Metapán is a municipality in the Santa Ana department of El Salvador.-Geography:The city of Metapan, next to the San Jose River, at 470 meters of height, is located at 46 kilometers to the north of Santa Ana city, joined together by a paved highway. The municipality extends beyond the city and into...
, El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
. The second leg of Champions League action saw the Sounders go down 1-0 to Metapán in the match, and level on aggregate, due to a 18th-minute opener from retired Panamanian
Panama national football team
The Panama national football team is the national team of Panama and is controlled by the Panamanian Football Federation. Panama reached the 2006 World Cup CONCACAF Final Round in the qualifiers and finished as runners-up at the final game of the 2005 Gold Cup...
international Anel Canales
Anel Canales
Anthony Canales is a soccer forward who currently plays for Isidro Metapán of the Primera Division of El Salvador.-Club:*Liga Panameña de Fútbol :**2001-02*Primera División de Fútbol Profesional :...
. Recently acquired Álvaro Fernández
Álvaro Fernández
Álvaro Fernández is a Uruguayan footballer. He currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer and the Uruguay national football team.-Club:...
tied the game in the 74th minute, to level the match at one, and to give the Sounders a 2-1 lead on aggregate. Ultimately, the Sounders would win the match and secure a group stage spot in Champions League play.
Series Results
Group stage
Along with HondurasHonduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
's Marathón, Seattle was placed into Group C along with 2009 Mexican Apertura champions, Monterrey and 2010 Costa Rican Verano champions Saprissa
C.D. Saprissa
Deportivo Saprissa S.A.D. is a Costa Rican sports club, mostly known for its football team. The club is located in San Juan de Tibás, San José, and plays their home games at the Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá....
. On August 19, 2010, the Sounders opened up Group Stage against Marathón at Estadio Rosenthal
Estadio Yankel Rosenthal
Estadio Yankel Rosenthal is a multi-purpose use stadium in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. It recently underwent construction and will now be used primarily for football matches....
in San Pedro Sula
San Pedro Sula
San Pedro Sula is a city in Honduras. It is located in the northwest corner of the country, in the Valle de Sula , about 60 km south of Puerto Cortés on the Caribbean. With an estimated population of 638,259 people in the main municipality, and 802,598 in its metro area , it is the second...
. There, the Sounders opened up the score sheet with a 17th-minute goal from Roger Levesque
Roger Levesque
Roger Levesque is an American soccer player who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer....
. In spite of the early goal, the Sounders could not hold the lead and relinquished it late in the first half, when Marathón's Orvin Paz leveled the game ten minutes later. In first-half injury time, Marathón took the lead with a converted penalty kick
Penalty kick
A penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
from Nicolas Cardozo. The goal ultimately led to the 2-1 victory for the Verdolagas.
Chances to earn a quarterfinal berth became slim for the Sounders as they dropped their next two consecutive games, a 2-0 loss at home to Monterrey and an away loss to Saprissa by the same margin. With an 0-3-0 record, the Sounders stood in last place in their group and had the weakest record of all group stage clubs in the Champions League. Needing a win to keep their knockout stage hopes alive, the Sounders would have to travel south to Estadio Tecnológico
Estadio Tecnológico
The Estadio Tecnológico is a stadium located in city of Monterrey, Mexico.It is the property of the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education. The Monterrey Football Club play their home games there, but only rent the space and are not affiliated with the Institute.The stadium was...
in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
to take on red-hot Monterrey. After Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake is an American professional soccer club based in Sandy, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City. The team competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. They currently play their home games at Rio Tinto Stadium. Real Salt Lake won...
lost at Cruz Azul 5-4, and Columbus Crew
Columbus Crew
The Columbus Crew is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
lost 1-0 at Santos Laguna
Santos Laguna
Club Santos Laguna is a Mexican football club. They represent the urban area of Comarca Lagunera, which is made up of Torreón, Gomez Palacio, and Lerdo. Santos Laguna currently plays in the Primera División. The club was founded in 1982, and reached Mexico's top division after buying the franchise...
, the Sounders were the last hope for an American team to have a win in Mexico in a meaningful competition. For awhile, it seemed like they would accomplish the feat. An own goal from Monterrey's Sergio Pérez
Sergio Pérez (footballer)
Sergio Pérez Moya Sometimes known as Cherokee is a Mexican footballer who currently plays for Monterrey in Mexico's First Division.-Career:...
gave the Sounders an unlikely lead over the Rayados. The Sounders built upon that lead when Michael Fucito
Michael Fucito
Michael Fucito is an American soccer player who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-High School and College:...
doubled it in the 44th minute, giving the Sounders 2-0 advantage at halftime. However, a pair of quick goals from Mexican
Mexico national football team
The Mexican national football team represents Mexico in association football and is governed by the Mexican Football Federation , the governing body for football in Mexico. Mexico's home stadium is the Estadio Azteca and their head coach is José Manuel de la Torre...
international Aldo de Nigris
Aldo de Nigris
Jesús Aldo de Nigris Guajardo is a Mexican footballer of Italian descent who currently plays for Monterrey in the Primera Division and the Mexico national football team.-Early career:...
and Chilean
Chile national football team
The Chilean national football team represents Chile in all major international football competitions. The team is controlled by the Federación de Fútbol de Chile which was established in 1895. They have appeared in eight World Cup tournaments and were hosts of the 1962 FIFA World Cup finishing in...
-international Humberto Suazo
Humberto Suazo
Humberto Andrés Suazo Pontivo , nicknamed Chupete, is a Chilean football player, who currently plays as a striker in Monterrey. In 2006 he was awarded by IFFHS as the world's top goal scorer of the year....
leveled the game at two apiece. Perez avenged his own goal minutes following the stalemate with a converted penalty kick in the 75th minute of play. The game ended in a 3-2 defeat, which ultimately led to the Sounders FC being eliminated from quarterfinal contention. The win gave Monterrey a guaranteed first place finish in Group C.
As a result of being knocked out the championship round in the Champions League, the Sounders began to emphasize more on the U.S. Open Cup final
2010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final
The 2010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final was played on October 5, 2010, at Qwest Field in Seattle, Washington. The match determined the winner of the 2010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, a tournament open to amateur and professional soccer teams affiliated with the United States Soccer Federation. This...
against Columbus
Columbus Crew
The Columbus Crew is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
and their push for the playoffs
2010 MLS Cup Playoffs
The 2010 MLS Cup Playoffs was the postseason tournament subsequent to Major League Soccer's 2010 season. The Colorado Rapids defeated FC Dallas 2–1 at BMO Field in Toronto, Ontario....
. Because of this, the Sounders fielded a primarily second-tier squad in their final two games, both at home against Marathón and Saprissa
C.D. Saprissa
Deportivo Saprissa S.A.D. is a Costa Rican sports club, mostly known for its football team. The club is located in San Juan de Tibás, San José, and plays their home games at the Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá....
, respectively. Fucito, who scored against Monterrey on September 22, scored both of Seattle's goals in their 2-0 triumph over visiting Marathon. Seattle would conclude their Champions League campaign by hosting Saprissa on October 19. Nate Jaqua
Nate Jaqua
Jonathan "Nate" Jaqua is an American soccer player who last played for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-High School:...
opened the scoring for the Sounders, but just as they opened Group Stage, they would relinquish their lead, falling 2-1 to Saprissa.
Match results
EWLINE
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EWLINE
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Results summary
Friendlies
League table
ConferenceOverall
Results summary
Squad
As of February 23, 2010.(Injured Reserve)
(Injured Reserve)
(Injured Reserve)
In
Out
Player joined his new club on July 15, 2010.Current coaching staff
- As of April 24, 2010.
Position Name Nationality Manager Sigi Schmid Sigi SchmidSiegfried "Sigi" Schmid is a German-American soccer coach. Born in Tübingen, West Germany, he moved to the United States with his family when he was a child. He played college soccer from 1972 to 1975 at the University of California, Los Angeles , where he was a starting midfielder in each...Assistant Coach Brian Schmetzer Brian SchmetzerBrian Schmetzer is a retired U.S. soccer player who played in the North American Soccer League, Major Indoor Soccer League and Western Soccer League. He coached the Seattle Sounders in the USL First Division for seven seasons, winning two championships. He was the 2002 USL-1 Coach of the Year...Assistant Coach Ezra Hendrickson Ezra HendricksonEzra Hendrickson is a retired Vincentian footballer. He played professionally in the United States' Major League Soccer with New York MetroStars, Los Angeles Galaxy, Dallas Burn, and Chivas USA, and was also a member of the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines national team...Goalkeeping Coach Tom Dutra Tom DutraTom Dutra is a retired American soccer goalkeeper who is currently the goalkeeper coach for Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer-Youth:Dutra graduated from Timberline High School in 1991.-Professional:...Fitness Coach David Tenney Chief Scout Kurt Schmid Technical Director Chris Henderson Chris HendersonChristopher "Chris" Henderson is a former American soccer midfielder who earned 79 caps with the U.S. national team. He was part of the U.S...
Recognition
MLS Save of the Year| Player | Opponent | Link |
|---|---|---|
 Kasey KellerKasey Keller Kasey Keller is a retired American soccer player who last played for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.... |
Kansas City Wizards Kansas City Wizards Sporting Kansas City is an American professional soccer club based in Kansas City, Kansas that competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada... |
Save Week 4 |
MLS Player of the Month
| Month | Player | Link |
|---|---|---|
| July |  Fredy Montero |
Player of the Month |
MLS Player of the Week
| Week | Player | Opponent | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 |  Steve ZakuaniSteve Zakuani Steve Zakuani is a Congolese footballer who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer. Born in Zaire , Zakuani grew up in London before attending the University of Akron on a soccer scholarship... |
Colorado Rapids Colorado Rapids The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league... |
Player of the Week |
| 22 | Fredy Montero |
Chicago Fire | Player of the Week |
| 25 | Blaise Nkufo | Columbus Crew Columbus Crew The Columbus Crew is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada... |
Player of the Week |
| 29 | Steve Zakuani Steve Zakuani Steve Zakuani is a Congolese footballer who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer. Born in Zaire , Zakuani grew up in London before attending the University of Akron on a soccer scholarship... |
Chivas USA C.D. Chivas USA Club Deportivo Chivas USA is an American professional soccer club based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California that competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada.... |
Player of the Week |
MLS Goal of the Week
| Week | Player | Opponent | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Fredy Montero |
FC Dallas FC Dallas FC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada... |
Goal Week 5 |
| 11 |  Leonardo GonzálezLeonardo González Leonardo González Arce is a Costa Rican footballer. He currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.-Club:... |
New England Revolution New England Revolution The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada... |
Goal Week 11 |
| 16 | Roger Levesque Roger Levesque Roger Levesque is an American soccer player who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.... |
D.C. United D.C. United D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league since its inception, in 1996.Over the... |
Goal Week 16 |
| 19 | Fredy Montero |
Houston Dynamo Houston Dynamo The Houston Dynamo is an American professional soccer club, based in Houston, Texas, that plays in Major League Soccer, the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Founded in 2005 as Houston 1836, the team name was renamed to Houston Dynamo following protests from Hispanic... |
Goal Week 19 |
| 25 | Blaise Nkufo | Columbus Crew Columbus Crew The Columbus Crew is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada... |
|
| 27 | Steve Zakuani Steve Zakuani Steve Zakuani is a Congolese footballer who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer. Born in Zaire , Zakuani grew up in London before attending the University of Akron on a soccer scholarship... |
Toronto FC Toronto FC Toronto FC is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada.... |
Goal Week 27 |
| 28 |  Álvaro FernándezÁlvaro Fernández Álvaro Fernández is a Uruguayan footballer. He currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer and the Uruguay national football team.-Club:... |
Kansas City Wizards Kansas City Wizards Sporting Kansas City is an American professional soccer club based in Kansas City, Kansas that competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada... |
Goal Week 28 |
| 29 | Steve Zakuani Steve Zakuani Steve Zakuani is a Congolese footballer who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer. Born in Zaire , Zakuani grew up in London before attending the University of Akron on a soccer scholarship... |
Chivas USA C.D. Chivas USA Club Deportivo Chivas USA is an American professional soccer club based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California that competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada.... |
Goal Week 29 |
| 30 | James Riley |
Houston Dynamo Houston Dynamo The Houston Dynamo is an American professional soccer club, based in Houston, Texas, that plays in Major League Soccer, the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Founded in 2005 as Houston 1836, the team name was renamed to Houston Dynamo following protests from Hispanic... |
Goal Week 30 |
NAPA Save of the Week
| Week | Player | Opponent | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | Kasey Keller Kasey Keller Kasey Keller is a retired American soccer player who last played for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer.... |
Colorado Rapids Colorado Rapids The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league... |
Save of the Week |
| 24 | Real Salt Lake Real Salt Lake Real Salt Lake is an American professional soccer club based in Sandy, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City. The team competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. They currently play their home games at Rio Tinto Stadium. Real Salt Lake won... |
Save of the Week | |
| 25 | Columbus Crew Columbus Crew The Columbus Crew is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada... |
Save of the Week | |
| 26 | Chicago Fire | Save of the Week | |
MLS W.O.R.K.S. Humanitarian of the Month
| Month | Player | Link |
|---|---|---|
| April |  Sanna NyassiSanna Nyassi Sanna Nyassi is a Gambian footballer who currently plays for Montreal Impact in Major League Soccer.-Professional:Nyassi began his professional career in 2004 with Gambia Ports Authority of the GFA League First Division... |
April Humanitarian of the Month |
| October | James Riley |
October Humanitarian of the Month |