SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC v. ANTIGUA GFC - CONCACAF CHAMPIONS CUP - 1ST ROUND, 2ND LEG - ROYAL BROUGHAM PARK, OCCIDENTAL AVENUE, SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

Greetings to my brothers and sisters in Green. Things went well in our field trip to Guatemala for the first leg. Let’s see if we can close the deal in the second. Special thanks to all the electrical repair crews that restored power today, making it possible for me to not miss my first production deadline in the better part of a decade.

What: CONCACAF Champions Cup, 1st Round, 2nd Leg, Seattle Sounders FC v. Antigua GFC. Sounders FC lead the tie 3:1 on aggregate goals.

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

When: 7:30 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, Wednesday 26 February 2025 CE.

At Stake: Advancement to the Round of 16 which would set up a date with Cruz Azul.

Where to Watch: Fox Sports 2 and ViX. I think the reason FS2 didna telecast the first leg might have to do with how the home side’s FA has control over broadcast rights in international competition. Just a guess. All questions directed to https://www.soundersfc.com/news/tune-in-how-to-watch-sounders-fc-vs-antigua-gfc-on-wednesday. Also: How has it gotten this complex to find your football match on the telly?

Where to Listen: No radio coverage is mentioned at the Sounders FC website.

Second leg then. Who will win this tie? The smart money is on us, for certain. That said, an entire range of janky possibilities are possible when playing a match in CONCACAF. Counterpoint: It has to be said, the refereeing crew in Guatemala were amongst the best I’ve ever seen. In any match. Ever.

If you have the time and the inclination tonight, don’t miss this match. Gather up your mates and link up with the Brougham Faithful. Support is vital. This is going to be a difficult match. We’ve embarrassed Antigua GFC a bit, and now they’ve got their backs up. Get ye to the ground by hook or by crook. Then go absolutely mental and make enough noise to wake the dead. If that’s not possible, yell your arse off in front of the telly. Sing the songs. Chant the chants. Project every bit of positive psychic energy that you don’t require for survival.

It’s CONCACAF Champions Cup football midweek under the lights at Royal Brougham Park. With an elimination match, the stakes couldn’t be higher. GO ON  YOU SOUNDERS!!! GET IN!!!

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

Morris scored a brace against Charlotte. Cheers, Jordo!

The Good News 

The Sounders have the better form (3-2-0) in their last five matches including pre-season and play in the, arguably, tougher league.

Sounders are averaging three goals per match, using all eight of their matches, including pre-season as a sample.

Sounders are unbeaten at home this season (2-1-0), including the two training match victories over Louisville City FC at Longacres.

Morris hit a brace against Charlotte. He seems game to score a goal tonight.

The Bad News

Tonight’s cup tie is the third match in eight days for Sounders FC. The team on Sat that faced Charlotte was only three players different in the team from those that lined up against Antigua GFC in the first leg. It’s pretty clear that if we play our first choice players tonight, maybe none of them should line up in Sandy on Sat. It’s not gonna go like that though. Not if I know the Gaffer’s tendencies the way I think I do.

This lot from Antigua, Guatemala are gonna come out hard, straight from the kick-off. Any hesitation or faltering on our part and they just might climb straight back into this tie.

Bradley, Hernandez, Romario Luiz, and Flores have five league goals each this season for Antigua GFC. Oscar Santis has four. Ardon and Fernandez have three each. That’s a lot of different players in their team that can hurt you with a goal.

Although I struggle to think of more bad news football-wise, there is plenty of shit going absolutely pear-shaped all around us. Wot a mess.

The Side I Would Select

It’s pretty clear how this situation should be managed. Sounders are up 3:1 on aggregate, with an altitude match at Salt Lake in the league three days after. You run out squad players and rest the first-choice players, with the exception of the Goalkeeper. If the game gets too tight, then you can substitute in first-choice players if need be.

GK     Frei

LB     Sousa

LCH    Bell

RCH    Hawkins

RB     Baker

LDM    Joao Paulo

RDM   Leyva

LF     Rothrock

CAM   Ferreira

RM     Minoungou

CF     Musovski

The Side I Think The Gaffer Will Select

The Gaffer is consistent. I’ll give him that. Watch as our veteran players are sucking wind at the 50’ mark at the Salt Lake on Sat. Oh here we go.

GK     Frei

LB     Nouhou

LCH    Ragen

RCH    Gomez Andrade

RB     Alex

LDM    Vargas

RDM   Cristian

LF     Arriola

CAM   Rusnak

RF     de la Vega

CF     Morris

Intangibles

Rotation. With a match at altitude in Sandy on Sat, how will Brian Schmetzer manage his charges considering the challenges of both the short turn-around, and also running out a rested team for Sat in the league.

Morale. That late own-goal equaliser though. Professionals tend to shake this type of thing by writing it off as a bad job and learning from the mistakes. Hopefully, squad morale has not been damaged.

Officiating. Because you never know, and more often than not CONCACAF gonna CONCACAF. Could we please have the officiating crew from the 1st Leg? Please?

Fuckery. Down in Guatemala, our friends from Antigua brutalised our teen starlet and Mexican international, Obed Vargas, with at least three tackles I would say could charitably be described as reckless, and more accurately be described as dirty. Trailing 3:1 on aggregate, Antigua will have their backs up. I’d prepare for mayhem.

General notes on personnel

Antigua GFC transfers IN:

Apaolaza (Carabobo FC) free

Flores (Metropolitanos) free

Diego Santis (Suchitepequez) free

Lang (Coatepeque) free

Prillwitz (Guastatoya) free

Rosales (CSD Municipal)

Oscar Santis (Dinamo Tbilisi) free

Sican (CD Marquense) free

Diaz (San Benito FC) free

Espinoza (Zacapa) undisclosed

Gomez (Pereira) loan

Franco (Oaxaca) end of loan

Ramirez (Achuapa) end of loan

Mora (Quiche) end of loan

Antigua GFC transfers OUT:

Linares (CSD Municipal) free

Gamboa (UMECIT FC) free

Alas (Guastatoya) free

Grajeda (Communicaciones) free

Mora (Juventude Copalera) free

Williams (Hapoel Raanana) loan

Macareno (Real Esteli FC) loan

Paz (Malacateco) loan

Trigueros (Xinabajul) loan

Caicedo - released

Gomez (Pereira) end of loan

Comparison against common opponents

n/a

Know Thine Enemy

Antigua GFC as they lined up against us in their most recent match…which was against us. That’s right, the Guatemalan league provided a week for their cup tie with no league matches to muck it up. So for those playing our home game and keeping score, that’s Guatemala Liga National 1:0 MLS in terms of getting things right.

GOALKEEPER

Luis Moran, 28

Guatemala 

Notable Clubs: Malacateco (6/0), Antigua GFC (55/1), Santa Lucia (28/0), Coban Imperial (10/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €250,000

Notes: Full name: Luis Jose Moran Varela. Won a Guatemalan league title with Coban Imperial. Won a Guatemalan league title with Antigua GFC.

DEFENCE

Kevin Grijalva, 30

Guatemala

Notable Clubs: Comunicaciones (31/1), Antigua GFC (59/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €150,000

Notes: Full name: Kevin Josue Grijalva Gonzalez. Won seven Guatamalan league titles and a CONCACAF League title with Comunicaciones.

Jose Ardon, 25

Guatemala (31/0)

Notable Clubs: Antigua GFC (178/24)

Estimated Transfer Value: €300,000

Notes: Full name: Jose Agustin Ardon Castellanos. Won 2 Guatemalan league titles with Antigua GFC.

Alexander Robinson, 36

Costa Rica

Notable Clubs: Saprissa (161/13), Juventude (8/0), Antigua GFC (33/1), Grecia (14/0), Comunicaciones (29/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €50,000

Notes: Full name: Alexander Robinson Delgado. Developed by Saprissa. Won five Costa Rican league titles with Saprissa. Won a Guatemalan league title with Antigua GFC. Won a CONCACAF League with Comunicaciones.

Jose Galvez, 25

Guatemala

Notable Clubs: Antigua GFC (97/4), Iztapa (11/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €200,000

Notes: Full name: Jose Miguel Galvez Ruiz. Won two Guatemalan league titles with Antigua GFC.

MIDFIELD

Jose Rosales, 31

Guatemala (6/1)

Notable Clubs: Malacateco (29/0), Xelaju (12/0), Deportivo Petapa (19/1), Municipal (179/1), Xinabajul (14/0), Guastatoya (15/1), Antigua GFC (6/1)

Estimated Transfer Value: €125,000

Notes: Full name: Jose Mario Rosales Marroquin. Won a Guatemalan league title with Municipal.

Oscar Castellanos, 25

Guatemala (45/3)

Notable Clubs: Antigua GFC (192/8), Mixco (12/1), Xelaju (18/0)

Estimated Transfer Value: €275,000

Notes: Full name: Oscar Antonio Castellanos Santos. Won two Guatemalan league titles with Antigua GFC.

Cristian Hernandez, 29

Argentina

Notable Clubs: Sanarate (34/8), Comunicaciones (35/4), Perez Zeledon (9/0), Iztapa (59/18), Antigua GFC (109/24)

Estimated Transfer Value: €225,000

Notes: Full name: Cristian Alexis Hernandez.

FORWARD

Romario da Silva, 34

Brazil

Notable Clubs: Anif (8/1), Antigua GFC (155/29)

Estimated Transfer Value: €100,000

Notes: Full name: Romario Luiz da Silva.

Dewinder Bradley, 30

Guatemala (2/0)

Notable Clubs: Comunicaciones (19/1), Nueva Concepcion (21/9), Antigua GFC (102/34) 

Estimated Transfer Value: €200,000

Notes: Full name: Dewinder Deesmith Bradley Jolon. Won a Guatemalan league title with Comunicaciones.

Oscar Santis, 25

Guatemala (38/11)

Notable Clubs: Suchitepequez (23/0), Comunicaciones (109/28), Antigua GFC (35/10), Dinamo Tbilisi (29/3)

Estimated Transfer Value: €100,000

Notes: Full name: Oscar Alexander Santis Cayax. Developed by Suchitepequez. Won a CONCACAF League and a Guatemalan league title with Comunicaciones. Won a Georgian Super Cup and Georgian Cup with Dinamo Tbilisi. Named CONCACAF League Best Young Player 2021.

Familiar Faces

None.

Squads

Sounders FC from:

Frei, Thomas, Baker, Bell, Burney, Gomez Andrade, Hawkins, Kim, Nouhou, Ragen, Alex, Sousa, Joao Paulo, Leyva, Cristian, Rusnak, Vargas, Arriola, de la Vega, Ferreira, Morris, Minoungou, Musovski, Rothrock.

Antigua GFC from:

Moran, Sican, Cabrera, Grijalva, Juan Guillermo Carbonell, Ardon, Diaz, Diego Santis, Castellanos, Robinson, Juan Fernando Carbonell, Galvez, Rosales, Vasquez, Oscar Santis, Espinoza, Fernandez, de Leon, Sagastume, Lang, Franco, Hernandez, Apaolaza, Bradley, Guerra, Prillwitz, Flores, Romario Luiz, Avila.

Injury List

Sounders FC -

OUT: Baker-Whiting (hamstring)

MATCHDAY DECISION: none (as far as I know).

Antigua GFC -

OUT: none (as far as I know).

MATCHDAY DECISION: none (as far as I know).

Discipline

Sounders FC: Nouhou is out next match if booked.

Antigua GFC: Galvez, Oscar Santis, and Cristian Hernandez are out next match if booked.

Fun Fact

Per CONCACAF, Sounders FC have an 11 match unbeaten streak in the CONCACAF Champions Cup (…League…Cup…fuck it, whatever). The streak is the longest by any MLS club in the tournament’s history. That’s well done, that is.