SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC v. CHICAGO FIRE FC

Greetings to my brothers and sisters in Green. Chicago Fire are the visitors in Saturday night’s matchup between two of the most storied football cities in the nation. In the old NASL days, the Chicago Sting won two championships, in 1981 and 1984, which was the last season of the troubled league. Chicago Fire have won one MLS league title, an MLS Cup and four US Open Cups. Those successes being a far cry from the current iteration of the team that currently resides in the league table’s 27th place. Chicago haven’t won a domestic trophy since 2006. Former Sounders FC coach, Ante Razov, remains far and away Chicago Fire’s all-time top goal-scorer having hit 94 goals in all competitions.

What: MLS league match, Seattle Sounders FC v. Chicago Fire FC.

Where: Royal Brougham Park, Occidental Avenue, Seattle, Washington.

When: 7:30 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time, Saturday 29 June 2024 CE.

At Stake: With a victory over Chicago, Sounders can rise as high as 12th place in the league. Should we be defeated, we might drop to 18th place. For those closely following MLS Cup qualification, Sounders are just outside the last cup berth in the Western pseudo-league, tied on points and goal difference with Vancouver. Vancouver currently wins that tie-breaker on league victories. Sounders FC are currently 17th place in the league on 25 points, 16 points adrift of leaders, Inter Miami.

Where to Watch: MLS Season Pass via Apple TV. Remember you can listen to the KJR simulcast by selecting alternate audio in the control layer of the Apple TV app.

Where to Listen: 93.3 KJR FM and El Rey 1360 AM.

Time flies when you’re having a blast. I wonder how many times the NASL Sounders and Chicago Sting used to square off back in the day. Time and football wait for no person though, and here we are in 2024 facing Chicago Fire.

Sounders FC appear to have turned the corner on their lackluster 1-3-5 start to the season, and have returned to winning ways. Support, is as it always is, vital. If you can gather your mates and jam the Brougham End with your voices, it is always a very, very good thing. Failing this, we follow along on telly, and attempt to will the side to victory through sheer psychic force. Pubs, dwellings, houses, flats, boats, ships, you know how this works you rascally lot! Good on ye, and good on the Sounders FC for mending their form this mid-season. I’m fairly certain we can expect a wooly one, as Chicago are second-bottom in the league and teams with their backs to the wall are often dangerous adversaries.

It’s MLS football under the Saturday night lights of Royal Brougham Park. A clash of two titanic classic football cities. GO ON YOU SOUNDERS! GET IN!

Before kick-off, please join me in the auld toast: “TO THE SEATTLE SOUNDERS FOOTBALL CLUB…AND VICTORY!!!”

In theory and by the statistics and metrics, we beat Chicago definitively. In the reality of MLS…we’ll just have to see.

The Good News

Sounders on good form. You can’t argue with 5-4-2 in our last 11 matches. More of this, please.

We’re scoring goals again. Although our season average is 1.35 goals/match, we are scoring an average of 2.33 goals over our last three matches. The trend is upward, and I’m here for it.

Jordo looks keen to score lately, having scored four goals in his last four matches, and two in last week’s epic clap-back against the Dallas. More of this, please.

Alex and Pedro have been declared fit to play. The Gaffer said in a press conference on Friday that Alex has fully cleared the concussion protocols, and said that both Alex and Pedro will feature in Saturday night’s match. Hopefully Alex will have no lingering symptoms, and it will be good to see Pedro back after a long stretch where he was hampered by a severe hamstring issue.

Chicago has struggled mightily this season, and are missing Shaquiri, arguably their best player, who is currently in the team for Switzerland at UEFA Euro 2024.

On the basis of statistics and metrics, we should defeat Chicago definitively.

The Bad News

Hugo Cuypers plays for them not us. The Belgian forward, with an estimated transfer value of €10M, was a regular goal threat with both Mechelen and Gent. So Jackson and Yeimar are going to have their hands full.

Our swashbuckling comeback against the Dallas was breathtaking…but how did we manage to go down 0:2? Questions were asked of our defence, and we had no answers.

MLS’ Summer Transfer Window opens on 18 July. Are we buyers, sellers, or doing no business at all?

Despite statistical superiority over Chicago, MLS matches rarely conform to statistics and metrics.

Starting with the New England match, the schedule is going to be an absolute meat-grinder. Hopefully we can defeat both Chicago and New England and set our home form correct.

Although Chicago has had a miserable season generally, in recent days they doubled their victories total for the year defeating 3rd place LA Galaxy 2:1 at Soldier Field, and hitting four goals past Toronto on the road. Chicago are 2-2-1 in their last five and showing signs of life.

Sounders players at Euro 2024: Zero. Sounders players at Copa America: One.

The Side I Would Select

I think the team that finished the epic three-goal comeback, last Sat, played far stronger than the players that started it. That said, I like Ruidiaz coming off the bench.

Rationale: Baker-Whiting over Nouhou because everything good for the Sounders last match started five minutes after Reed entered the match. So we’ll let Nouhou have a rest as he’ll need it with five matches in a fortnight coming up starting with the New England match Saturday next. Cristian at right-back has been working, so no need to mess with that until Alex is fit enough to play 90 minutes. Rothrock has earned a chance in the team. Similar to Baker-Whiting’s insertion, the good things started to happen after Rothrock came on for Leo Chu. That isn’t to say that Leo isn’t a fine player, worthy of being in the team, and will be sorely needed during the absolutely battering schedule that looms ahead in a week’s time. I’ll have Musovski at right-forward. Danny is a decent goal-scorer in his own right, and can give way to Ruidiaz on the hour mark. Morris stays at the nine because he’s scoring goals.

GK     Frei

LB     Baker-Whiting

LCH    Ragen

RCH    Gomez Andrade

RB     Cristian

LDM    Joao Paulo

RDM    Vargas

LF     Rothrock

CAM   Rusnak

RF     Musovski

CF     Morris

The Side I Think The Gaffer Will Select

I’d imagine the team to be very similar if not exactly the same as the side we ran out against the Dallas. Expect de la Vega and Alex to come on as substitutes.

GK     Frei

LB     Nouhou

LCH    Ragen

RCH    Gomez Andrade

RB     Cristian

LDM    Joao Paulo

RDM   Vargas

LF     Leo Chu

CAM   Rusnak

RF     Musovski

CF     Morris

Intangibles

The referee for Saturday night’s match will be Joe Dickerson.

Sounders FC record with Dickerson as referee: 8-1-6.

Chicago record with Dickerson as referee: 3-2-3.

General notes on personnel

Chicago transfers IN:

Gutman (Colorado Rapids) €417,000

Barlow (New York RB) €229,000

Salquist (Silkeborg IF) €1M

Casas - re-signed

Arigoni (FC Lugano) loan

Dowd - draft

Gasper (Houston Dynamo) undisclosed fee

Cuypers (Gent) €11M

Acosta (Los Angeles FC) free

Chicago transfers OUT:

Aceves (Pachuca) end of loan

Doumbia (FC Lugano) end of loan

Kamara (Los Angeles FC) free

Burks (San Antonio FC) free

Monis (Rio Grande Valley FC Toros) loan

Allan Rodriguez - released

Navarro (Colorado Rapids) undisclosed

Torres (FC Juarez) free

Przybylko (FC Lugano) fee undisclosed

Reynolds (FC Lugano) loan

Missael Rodriguez (Union Omaha) loan

Bezerra (Detroit City) loan

Comparison against common opponents

PHI 2:3 SEA

PHI 2:2 CHI

(against PHI: SEA 1-0-0 +1, CHI 0-1-0 0) edge SEA

SEA 5:0 MTL

CHI 4:3 MTL

(against MTL: SEA 1-0-0 +5, CHI 1-0-0 +1) edge SEA

HOU 2:2 SEA

CHI 2:1 HOU

(against HOU: SEA 0-1-0 0, CHI 1-0-0 +1) edge CHI

RSL 2:0 SEA

SEA 1:1 RSL

CHI 0:4 RSL

(against RSL: SEA 0-1-1 -2, CHI 0-0-1 -4) edge SEA

STL 1:2 SEA

STL 3:1 CHI

(against STL: SEA 1-0-0 +1, CHI 0-0-1 -2) edge SEA

DC 2:1 SEA

DC 1:1 CHI

(against DC: SEA 0-0-1 -1, CHI 0-0-1 0) edge CHI

LAG 1:0 SEA

SEA 0:0 LAG

CHI 2:1 LAG

(against LAG: SEA 0-1-1 -1, CHI 1-0-0 +1) edge CHI

Know Thine Enemy

Chicago as they lined up in their 4:2 defeat to Orlando on 22 June at Church Street.

GOALKEEPER

Chris Brady, 20

United States

Notable Clubs: Chicago Fire (49/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €2.5M

Notes: Developed by Chicago Fire. Has played for United States (14/0) at youth levels. Won the 2022 CONCACAF U-20 Championship with United States. Named USL League One Player of the Year while with Forward Madison FC. Named to CONCACAF U-20 Championship Best XI. Won Golden Glove at CONCACAF U-20 Championship.

DEFENCE

Allan Arigoni, 25

Switzerland

Notable Clubs: Grasshopper (80/3), FC Lugano (40/1), Chicago Fire (17/1)

Estimated Transfer Value: €800,000

Notes: Developed by AS Riarena, Locarno, Bellinzona, FC Lugano, and Grasshopper.

Mauricio Pineda, 26

United States

Notable Clubs: Chicago Fire (119/7)

Estimated Transfer Value: €1.2M

Notes: Developed by Chicago Fire. Played his university football at North Carolina (79/17).

Carlos Teran, 23

Colombia

Notable Clubs: Envigado (17/0), Chicago Fire (74/4)

Estimated Transfer Value: €2M

Notes: Developed by Envigado. Has played at youth levels for Colombia (3/0).

Arnaud Soquet, 32

France

Notable Clubs: Lille (1/0), Paris FC (33/1), Mouscron (13/0), Dijon (27/0), Nice (55/1), Gent (31/0), Montpellier (93/4), Chicago Fire (36/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €1.2M

Notes: Developed by CO Vincennois and Lille.

Jonathan Dean, 27

United States

Notable Clubs: Birmingham Legion (81/4), Chicago Fire (35/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €350,000

Notes: Developed by Stratford Academy and Georgia United. Played his university football at Wofford (17/1) and Central Florida (50/1). Named to USL Championship All-League Second Team 2022.

MIDFIELD

Kellyn Acosta, 28

United States (58/2)

Notable Clubs: Dallas (117/9), Colorado Rapids (79/7), Los Angeles FC (56/2), Chicago Fire (19/2)

Estimated Transfer Value: €2M

Notes: Developed by FC Dallas. Won a US Open Cup and MLS Championship double with FC Dallas in 2016. Won two CONCACAF Gold Cups and a CONCACAF Nations League with United States. Won MLS league and MLS Cup double in 2022 with LAFC.

Fabian Herbers, 30

Germany

Notable Clubs: Philadelphia Union (53/4), Chicago Fire (141/14)

Estimated Transfer Value: €1M

Notes: Developed by FC Ottenstein, SuS Stadtlohn, FC Twente, and Preussen Munster. Played his university football at Creighton (62/28).

FORWARD

Brian Gutierrez, 21

United States

Notable Clubs: Chicago Fire (106/8)

Estimated Transfer Value: €4M

Notes: Developed by Chicago Fire. Has played for United States (12/2) at youth levels.

Maren Haile-Selassie, 25

Switzerland

Notable Clubs: FC Zurich (7/0), Rapperswil-Jona (18/2), Neuchatel Xamax (41/6), FC Wil (35/7), Lugano (32/3), Chicago Fire (46/9)

Estimated Transfer Value: €1.8M

Notes: Developed by FC Zurich and FC Volketswil. Won a Swiss Cup with Lugano.

Hugo Cuypers, 27

Belgium

Notable Clubs: Standard Leige (1/0), Seraing (19/6), Olympiacos (10/1), Ajaccio (22/5), Mechelen (34/13), Gent (57/33), Chicago Fire (19/7)

Estimated Transfer Value: €10M

Notes: Developed by FC De Zwaluw Vechmaal, Excelsior Veldwezelt, Vise, and Standard Liege. Won a Belgian Cup with Standard Leige. Won a Greek Super League title with Olympiacos. Named Super League Greece 2 Best Foreign Player 2017-18. Won the Belgian Pro League Golden Boot (27 goals) whilst playing for Gent in 2022-23.

Familiar Faces

Chicago goalkeeper Spencer Richey played for Washington Crossfire (8/0), Puget Sound Gunners (2/0), University of Washington (71/0), and Seattle Sounders FC (2/0).

Squads

Sounders FC from:

Frei, Thomas, Baker, Gomez Andrade, Hawkins, Nathan, Nouhou, Ragen, Alex, Atencio, Baker-Whiting, de la Vega, Joao Paulo, Kitahara, Leyva, Rusnak, Vargas, Morris, Cristian, Leo Chu, Musovski, Rothrock, Ruidiaz, Teves.

Notes: Jonathan Bell is currently in the Jamaica squad at Copa America. Hawkins, Baker, and Leyva were all in the team for the Reserves midweek and are unlikely to be in the Sounders team on Saturday.

Chicago from:

Brady, Dowd, Gal, Richey, Arigoni, Czichos, Dean, Omsberg, Pineda, Souquet, Teran, Acosta, Casas, Gimenez, Gutierrez, Haile-Selassie, Herbers, Mueller, Oregal, Barlow, Bezerra, Cuypers, Glasgow, Koutsias, Rodriguez.

Note: Shaqiri is in the squad for Switzerland at the UEFA European Championship.

Injury List

(as listed on mlssoccer.com at press time)

Sounders FC -

OUT: Rodrigues (hamstring).

MATCHDAY DECISION: none.

Chicago -

OUT: Gasper (leg), Gutman (leg), Navarro (leg), Salquist (leg).

MATCHDAY DECISION: none.

Discipline

(as listed on mlssoccer.com at press time)

Sounders FC: No players suspended.

Chicago: No players suspended. Czichos and Herbers out next match if booked.

Fun Fact

Sounders FC Reserves defeated Real Salt Lake Reserves 3:0 at Starfire on 26 June breaking a three-match losing streak. Chris Aquino, Danny Leyva, and Osaze De Rosario scored for the Sounders FC Reserves. In the team for the Sounders FC Reserves were: Castro, Kossa-Rienzi, Lopez, Hawkins, Baker, Brunell, Leyva, Minoungou, Aquino, Sousa, De Rosario. Substitutes used: Gomez, Daroma, Bowen, Bettache, Tsukanome. Well done lads! You’re back on the right track!!!. The Sounders FC Reserves will host the Pacific Northwest Derby versus Portland Timbers 2 on Sunday 30 June. Kick-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. PDT at Starfire.

SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC v. FC DALLAS

Greetings to my brothers and sisters in Green. The Dallas make the journey to The Evergreen to face us at Royal Brougham Park on a Saturday night. Temperature in Seattle is expected to be a lovely 22º (72ºF) at kick-off, although the humidity is expected to be 53%, and that is less than ideal for exertion, and thus not ideal for football. Officials should co-ordinate water breaks accordingly, as that is a responsible thing to do.

What: MLS league match, Seattle Sounders FC v. FC Dallas.

Where: Royal Brougham Park, Occidental Avenue, Seattle, Washington.

When: 7:30 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time, Saturday 22 June 2024 CE.

At Stake: Sounders FC can rise as high as 13th place with a victory, 12th if they can hit over four goals past the Dallas. Should the Dallas prevail, we could drop as low as 21st. For those schvitzing over MLS Cup qualification: The Sounders have fallen out of the last berth and are two points adrift of Austin FC. Sounders FC are currently in 18th place in the league table on 22 points, 19 points adrift of leaders Inter Miami CF. 

Where to Watch: MLS Season Pass via Apple TV. Remember, if you don’t like the commentators for home matches, you can listen to the KJR simulcast by selecting Seattle Home Radio in the control layer’s audio settings.

Where to Listen: KJR 93.3 FM and El Rey 1360 AM.

Let’s get this three consecutive home matches off on the right foot, yeh? All hands to action stations. All hands to action stations. This is not a drill. This is not a drill. Gather your mates, and assemble with the faithful in the Brougham End. An ye should fail this jam up the pubs and each other’s dwellings and such. The lot of ye need to make noise, and a fair amount of it. I’d say a level that has not been seen in the Pacific Northwest in known history. This is the third match in eight days and the lads are likely knackered. You are going to be what helps to propel them to victory and to not only battle the interlopers from Planet Texas, but also to fight against their own fatigue. Damage control parties stand-by. Flood tubes two and four. We are not fucking about, Dallas. Welcome to Green Hell.

It’s Sounders FC football under the Saturday night lights at Royal Brougham Park. GO ON YOU SOUNDERS!!! GET IN!!!

Before kick-off, please join me in the auld toast: “TO THE SEATTLE SOUNDERS FOOTBALL CLUB…AND VICTORY!!!”

We’re getting good results and are 4-4-2 in our last 10, and that’s no small accomplishment,

but we’re still hopelessly mid-table. Where are we going, and what’s the plan?

The Good News

The match against the Dallas is the first of three consecutive matches at home. There will also be six days turnaround between the Dallas match and Chicago, and Chicago and New England. We’ll be well-rested for those.

Sounders have been getting consistent results since 30 April amassing a record of 4-4-2 over that stretch. This is good form, and a level of consistency we did not possess in the period from the start of the season through 27 April when we were 1-3-5 in the league. So this would be better. Although I don’t agree with everything the Gaffer does, it’s difficult to argue with recent results.

Although Sounders FC’s home record hasn’t been exactly stellar (2-5-1), the Dallas have yet to record a victory on the road (0-3-6) this season.

The Dallas concede an average of 1.56 goals/match, meaning they’ll be the more likely team to concede two goals, statistically.

Full credit to the Gaffer for rotating the squad well, over the past week, and also giving developmental minutes to some of our younger, less experienced players. I only wished he hadn’t done it in the match at Houston, where he changed the entire system we play in a match where the players weren’t used to playing with one another in a competitive setting.

The Bad News

What follows the next three matches, is extremely unkind in terms of scheduling, as starting with the New England match at home, Sounders FC will play five matches in a fortnight. So we’ll not only be battling our opponents, but also the miserably hot weather, attrition, the pressure of the first US Open Cup Quarter-Final tie the club has played in eight years (to be fair two of those eight years the tournament wasn’t held due to the COVID-19 pandemic), and fatigue.

The Dallas appear to be climbing out of a rough stretch that had seen them only win three times (3-5-8) from the start of the season through 8 June. Dallas has won their last two matches by an aggregate score of 7:3.

The Dallas have two proper dangerous forwards in Musa (8 goals) and Ferreira (4 goals). Our centre-halves will have their work cut out. If we fall asleep at the switch, these will punish us.

This is our third match in eight days. Although I give the Gaffer props as far as managing minutes played for the squad, it’s still going to be a meat-grinder of a match.

Outside of Raul’s seven goals, and Jordan’s four, no one else has more than two. That is a rather nasty gap when it comes to secondary scoring. Although there’s a small consolation here, at least with regard to Saturday’s match, in that the Dallas have similar problems.

The Side I Would Select

Well, I’d say it depends on who you don’t want to be absolutely gassed in the 70th minute. Here’s who I’d have in the team assuming there’s been no short-term loans from the Sounders FC Reserves announced.

Rationale: Nouhou should be good for about a half of football, and he can be spelled with fresh legs on 70’ or so. Ragen played last Sat and midweek, both times the whole 90. So we need a left-centre-half with fresh legs, but Jon Bell is answering the call for the Reggae Boys - Thus: It’s time for Nathan to turn up and have a massive match for us. Gomez Andrade can probably go 60’-70’ for us, as he only played 45’ midweek. If Gomez Andrade reaches his limit, it makes sense to put in Stu Hawkins - Stu will see us through - mark my words. I don’t care how badly he might want to play, Cristian Roldan needs a a rest. The Gaffer needs to do like Sir Alex Ferguson used to do and just put a hand on his shoulder and say “I need you for Chicago, son”. In Cristian’s place I’d have Baker-Whiting. Reed will provide some energy, and not only help hold, but also get outside and help provide support on the right flank. Cody Baker at right-back for me as Cristian needs a rest and Alex is injured. Joao Paulo is good at the 8 for me as he played sparingly midweek, that and we’re a lot better with him in the team. Rusnak has played 179 out of 180 minutes the last two matches. We go with Josh at the 10. Rothrock has played well enough but he played nearly the entire last two matches, so maybe it’s Braudilio’s time to shine? Jordan has played 150 out of the last 180 minutes, so maybe it’s better to let Raul take over for now, maybe Jordan as a substitute on 60’ or 65’ if need be.

GK     Frei

LB     Nouhou

LCH    Nathan

RCH    Gomez Andrade

RB     Baker

LDM   Joao Paulo

RDM   Baker-Whiting

LF     Leo Chu

CAM   Atencio

RF     Rodrigues

CF     Ruidiaz

The Side I Think The Gaffer Will Select

Although the Gaffer has been a bit better at rotating the side, I wouldn’t be too shocked to see this lineup on Saturday night. He’ll have the medical staff do all the things: Ice bath/cryo chamber (though there is debate on how much cryo therapy truly restores a player), electrolyte supplements, maybe even lighter training, etc. Although the media report lists De la Vega as “questionable” I have reason to believe he won’t even be on the substitute’s bench. If Pedro is still not all the way back to fitness, then this is the correct decision.

GK     Frei

LB     Nouhou

LCH    Ragen

RCH    Gomez Andrade

RB     Cristian

LDM    Joao Paulo

RDM   Vargas

LF     Leo Chu

CAM   Rusnak

RF     Rothrock

CF     Morris

Intangibles

If we have any short-term loans from the Sounders FC Reserves, I haven’t heard anything about it. I live in the back, you see.

The referee for Saturday night’s match will be Malik Badawi. Badawi has presided over 20 MLS league matches.

Sounders FC record in matches refereed by Badawi: 0-1-0.

Dallas record in matches refereed by Badawi: 0-0-0.

General notes on personnel

Dallas transfers IN:

Sali (Farul) €2.78M

Urzua - reserves

Pondeca - reserves

Henry-Scott - draft

Farrington - draft

Gonzalez (New England Revolution) free

Maurer - re-signed

Korca - re-signed

Delgado (Independiente del Valle) loan

Musa (Benfica) €9M

Sainte - reserves

Dallas transfers OUT:
Martinez (Cordoba) free

Quignon (Belgrano) free

Smith (New England Revolution Reserves) free

Obrian (Austin FC) undisclosed fee

Jimenez (OFI Crete FC) free

Carrera (North Carolina FC) loan

Mulato (San Antonio FC) loan

Comparison against common opponents

SJ 3:2 SEA

DAL 2:1 SJ

(against SJ: SEA 0-0-1 -1, DAL 1-0-0 +1) edge DAL

SEA 5:0 MTL

DAL 1:2 MTL

(against MTL: SEA 1-0-0 +5, DAL 0-0-1 -1) edge SEA

DAL 1:3 VAN

SEA 0:2 VAN

SEA 1:1 VAN

(against VAN: SEA 0-1-1 -2, DAL 0-0-1 -2) edge SEA

SEA 0:0 ATX
ATX 2:1 DAL

DAL 2:1 ATX

(against ATX: SEA 0-1-0 0, DAL 1-0-1 0) edge DAL

STL 1:2 SEA

STL 0:0 DAL

DAL 2:0 STL

(against STL: SEA 1-0-0 +1, DAL 1-1-0 +2) edge DAL

SEA 1:1 COL

COL 2:1 DAL

(against COL: SEA 0-1-0 0, DAL 0-0-1 -1) edge SEA

HOU 2:2 SEA

DAL 2:0 HOU

HOU 1:1 DAL

(against HOU: SEA 0-1-0 0, DAL 1-1-0 +2) edge DAL

RSL 2:0 SEA
SEA 1:1 RSL

DAL 3:3 RSL

(against RSL: SEA 0-1-1 -2, DAL 0-1-0 0) edge DAL

LAG 1:0 SEA

SEA 0:0 LAG

LAG 3:1 DAL

(against LAG: SEA 0-1-1 -1, DAL 0-0-1 -2) edge SEA

LAFC 2:1 SEA

LAFC 1:0 DAL

(against LAFC: SEA 0-0-1 -1, DAL 0-0-1 -1) even

SEA 2:0 MIN

MIN 1:1 DAL

DAL 5:3 MIN

(against MIN: SEA 1-0-0 +2, DAL 1-1-0 +2) edge DAL

Know Thine Enemy

The Dallas as they lined up in their 5:3 victory over Minnesota at Hunt Way on 19 June.

GOALKEEPER

Maarten Paes, 26

Netherlands

Notable Clubs: FC Utrecht (44/0), FC Dallas (80/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €1.5M

Notes: Developed by VV Union and NEC Nijmegen.

DEFENCE

Sam Junqua, 27

United States

Notable Clubs: Houston Dynamo (46/1), FC Dallas (40/3)

Estimated Transfer Value: €650,000

Notes: Developed by De Anza Force. Played his university football for California (68/0).

Nkosa Tafari, 27

United States

Notable Clubs: FC Dallas (94/5)

Estimated Transfer Value: €1.8M

Notes: Played his university football for Connecticut (46/1) and Seattle University (20/1).

Sebastien Ibeagha, 32

United States

Notable Clubs: AC Horsens (17/0), Fram Reykjavik (19/1), San Antonio FC (30/0), New York City FC (64/0), Los Angeles FC (30/0), FC Dallas (47/2)

Estimated Transfer Value: €400,000

Notes: Developed by Houston Dynamo. Played his university football for Duke (70/8). Nigerian by birth, Ibeagha was named USL Defender of the Year and to the USL All-League First Team during his time at San Antonio FC. Won MLS Cup and league double with LAFC.

MIDFIELD

Bernard Kamungo, 22

United States (1/0)

Notable Clubs: FC Dallas (34/6)

Estimated Transfer Value: €1M

Notes: Developed by Abilene Warbirds (US High School). Has played for the Yanks’ U-23s (4/0).

Asier Illarramendi, 34

Spain (3/1) & Basque Country (4/1)

Notable Clubs: Real Sociedad (221/11), Real Madrid (59/2), FC Dallas (24/2)

Estimated Transfer Value: €1.2M

Notes: Although he played three times for Spain, Illarramendi is Euskaldun (Basque) by birth. Developed by Real Sociedad. Won a Copa del Rey and Spanish Segunda Division titles with Real Sociedad. Won a Copa del Rey, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup with Real Madrid. Named Breakthrough Player/Best Midfielder by La Liga in 2012-13.

Liam Fraser, 26

Canada (19/0)

Notable Clubs: Toronto FC (34/0), Columbus Crew SC (23/0), KMSK Deinze (36/0), FC Dallas (23/1)

Estimated Transfer Value: €1M

Notes: Developed by Waterloo United, Peace Arch AC, Surrey Guildford, Vancouver Whitecaps FC, and Toronto FC. Won a Campeones Cup with Columbus Crew SC.

Paul Arriola, 29

United States (50/10)

Notable Clubs: Tijuana (80/4), DC United (89/20), Swansea City (2/0), FC Dallas (70/13)

Value: €4M

Notes: Produced by IMG Academy, Arsenal FC (California), and LA Galaxy. Won two CONCACAF Gold Cups with the United States.

FORWARD

Tsiki Ntsabeleng, 26

South Africa

Notable Clubs: FC Dallas (52/1)

Estimated Transfer Value: €800,000

Notes: Developed by Stars of Africa, Kaizer Chiefs, Mamelodi Sundowns, and University of Johannesburg. Played his university football at Coastal Carolina (28/9) and Oregon State (25/6).

Petar Musa, 26

Croatia (6/0)

Notable Clubs: Slavia Prague (30/11), Viktoria Zizkov (34/11), Slovan Liberec (28/7), Union Berlin (14/1), Boavista (27/11), Benfica (44/12), FC Dallas (17/8)

Estimated Transfer Value: €8M

Notes: Developed by Hrvatski Dragovoljac and NK Zagreb. Won two Czech First League titles and a Czech Cup with Slavia Prague. Won a Premeira Liga title and a Supertaca Candido de Oliveira (Portuguese Super Cup) with Benfica. Shared a Czech First League Golden Boot with Libor Kozak seeing each player score 14 goals). Named Czech First League Forward of the Year 2019-20.

Jesus Ferreira, 23

United States (23/15)

Notable Clubs: FC Dallas (153/52)

Estimated Transfer Value: €8M

Notes: Full name: Jesus David Ferreira Castro. Produced by FC Dallas. A naturalised US citizen, Ferreira was born in Colombia. Has played for the Yanks’ U-23s (4/1). Named MLS Young Player of the Year 2022. Named to MLS Best XI 2022. Won CONCACAF Gold Cup Golden Boot 2023 scoring seven goals. Named to CONCACAF Gold Cup Best XI 2023.

Familiar Faces

Dallas defender Nkosa Tafari played university football for Seattle University (20/1) in 2019.

Squads

Sounders FC from:

Frei, Thomas, Baker, Gomez Andrade, Hawkins, Nathan, Nouhou, Ragen, Atencio, Baker-Whiting, Joao Paulo, Kitahara, Leyva, Rusnak, Vargas, Morris, Cristian, Leo Chu, Musovski, Rodrigues, Rothrock, Ruidiaz, Teves.

Note: Jonathan Bell has been called in to the Jamaica team.

Dallas from:

Paes, Maurer, Carrera, Farfan, Gonzalez, Ibeagha, Junqua, Korca, Norris, Tafari, Twumasi, Arriola, Delgado, Fraser, Kamungo, Lletget, Ntsabeleng, Pondeca, Ansah, Endeley, Farrington, Ferreira, Mulato, Musa, Sali, Sealy.

Note: Sainte for Dallas was listed as being with Haiti.

Injury List

(as listed on mlssoccer.com at press time, with some modification based on intuition - because no one tells me fuck all)

Sounders FC -

OUT: Alex (concussion), de la Vega (hamstring).

MATCHDAY DECISION: none.

Dallas -

OUT: Jesus (knee), Pomykal (knee), Velasco (knee).

MATCHDAY DECISION: none.

Discipline

(as listed on mlssoccer.com at press time)

Sounders FC: No players suspended.

Dallas: Illarramendi will serve one-match ban Saturday night for accumulated bookings. Arreola and Ibeagha are out next match if booked.

Fun Fact

Sounders FC and Jamaica centre-half Jonathan Bell has been called into the Jamaica national team for Copa America. It’s a well-deserved honour, and well done, Jon!