In just a matter of hours the 14th season of Major League Soccer will get underway in Seattle as the expansion Seattle Sounders take on the New York Red Bulls in the Sounders' first MLS match.
The city of Seattle is buzzing with excitement about its newest sports team and it has been thoroughly impressive to watch just how tuned into the existence and impending arrival of the MLS Sounders the people of Seattle are. The more than 20,000 season tickets sold by the Sounders is no fluke. This city is hungry for a sports team to root for, a winning sports team, and the Sounders have benefited fully from that hunger and from a real appreciation for soccer.
We will be providing plenty of posts to help kick off the new MLS season, as well as a detailed look at tonight's match, but for now, here are some stories previewing the match:
Seattle vs. New York Preview (ESPN.com)
Sounders ready for debut (Seattle Times)
Bulls poised to spoil Seattle's debut (Soccer America)
Osorio confident Red Bulls have improved(MLSNet)
Now let's talk about what you see happening in tonight's match:
What do you see happening tonight? Will the Sounders get off to a dream start as Fredy Montero and Kasey Keller lead Seattle to victory, or will Juan Pablo Angel and the revamped Red Bulls spoil the party at Qwest Field tonight?
Share your thoughts on tonight's match in the comments section below.
Ballardbeaver (ugh, that says it all right there) mind your business, I was responding to never-been-on-the-jersey-turnpike. Ag- are you coming to nevada’s tonight for the ESC watch party?
jevanvoo
So what..
Thanks jevanvoo… You are the best!
A lot of delusional Seattle fans here. Thats the be expected though, with a new team and all.
2-0 RBNY. You’re an expansion team, no matter what Carey says. You’ll have a good season, but it doesn’t start today. Welcome to the bigs. JPA scores 2.
@Socrates Khano Smith is out with a suspension otherwise I think you are spot on with the Bulls line-up! I am excited for the Seattle fans but there is no way their D will stop Macoumba and Angel! Go Red Bulls!
Anyone going to a bar to catch the games tonight? I’m definitely looking forward to it!
———-Keller————
Riley Huratdo Mrshall Sturgis
LeToux Olonso Evans Nyassi
——Montero Jaqua———-
———–Angel————
Smith——Rojas—Richards
—–Stammler—Celades—-
Goldwaite Petke Boyens Hall
———-Cepero————
subs
SEA: Ljungberg, Zakuani, King
RB: Kandji, Oduro, Sassano
2ndPike, I grew up in the PNW, moved to NYC just to cheer for RBNY. ; )
@HAig, Red bulls will lose a few fans tonight –jumping a sinking ship for the green kit. The PNW will rule.. Get use to it.
Sounders 2 red Bulls 1
I thought the reason I see the word “shite” on so many internet boards and such is because the “misspelling” will get past censors on various msg boards and other such sites.
freddy montero….my fantasy team baby
but then again,I hope richards and kandji have good games
I see 2-1 sounders
Do people really say “shite”?
Really?
Unless you wear a kilt, that is just plain embarrassing.
Do you wear a kilt?
Jaqua scores two in a 2-1 win for Seattle
Oh the Red Bulls are shite!
😛
“Other than the Sonics in the 1970s (and that was only 1 season iirc), Seattle never has and never will have a successful sports team!!!!!!!!”
The Seahawks team that made the Super Bowl, and the 1991 National Champion Husky Football teams resent that comment! And the mid 90’s Sonics teams that made the NBA finals with Payton and Kemp beg to differ as well.
A lot of people are claiming that the Sounders have good potential but none of the players have had time to play together….Ummm…I know that RBNY has some players back from last year, but everyone talks about what a huge roster overhaul they had this offseason, couldn’t the same argument be made for RBNY players not having time to play together?
Anyways, I think its a 1-1 draw or a 2-1 victory for Sounders FC. No way we are getting a clean sheet in our first game. Defense is question mark.
Seattle fans are, on the evidence, dimwits.
“Unproven”? Please.
“Shocked by the crowd noise”? RBNY have played in front of 68,000 as recently as last year. They won’t even notice a crowd of half that size. Of course, Seattle fans have no idea, because as far as they’re concerned, they invented the sport.
RBNY 3 SSFC 0
Sorry folks, diehard RBNY fan, and the fact that we have blazing speed up front, and now depth. SSFC – give it a season before playing with the big boys.
Looking forward to this game and seeing the crowd. Seattle has done an excellent job getting that city up for it and the amount of ticket sales is phenomenal. Good luck to them tonight!. I liked to see Nate Jaqua get their first goal!
People are talking about the re-vamped RB roster, but most all of those well regarded new additions are not available for this match. So it’s pretty much going to be the Red Bulls from last year minus VDB going into this match tonight. I’m not quite as confident about the Red Bulls chances tonight.
Well, the hype about Seattle fans has all been about their quantity. Will that make for a good (that is loud) atmosphere? I don’t know. Apart from Seahawk fans making it hard to hear the snap at Qwest or the Kingdome, I don’t associate Seattle fans with sustained loud support.
Other than the Sonics in the 1970s (and that was only 1 season iirc), Seattle never has and never will have a successful sports team!!!!!!!! ; P
I’m just stoked to see the atmosphere on TV. I’m interested to see how the marching band and stadium set up work and if the Seattle fans can live up to the hype.
Red Bulls are gonna be shocked by the fan noise.
Sounders on a sweet volley from Montero
Is there still a chance that Freddie comes off the bench late?
I think some people are overrating NY for this match because of the end of last year. The turnover on NY has been tremendous and you lost your second best player in DVB. I think NY will be good this year but its gonna take a while to get cohesive
People think the Sounders will win because they are playing NYRB… Seattle has potential just like NYRB, but is still unproven like NYRB. It’s a crapshoot really, but I think home field and adrenaline from the packed house is going to give the Sounders the edge.
GO RBNY!!!
Any word on whether Zakuani is healthy enough to play tonight?
With all due respect, why do so many people think the Sounders will win? Because of Drew Carey?
It’s not that I can’t see them winning, but how can anyone see that as the most likely outcome given the circumstances? They are playing the western conference champs. Oh, right, it was all luck, now I remember.
No way the Sounders are losing this game. I’ll be standing with the hardcore supporters behind the south goal witnessing the first win in Sounders FC history.
if rbny shows up like they can seatle has no shot 3-1 ny
Sounders win.. packed stadium goes nuts
NYRB win 3-1 in an exciting 2009 MLS start to the season!
Ives with the early wake up call.. and I am excited.. should be a fun time tonight.
Although some of you haters will say that RBNY in the 2008 Final was just a fluke, the fact is they’re the “West” Champs and they’ve gotten better this year. That combined with the fact that expansion teams struggle in their first year (exception: Chicago) has me seeing my RBNY winning by 2…2-0 or 3-1 is my final score.
Red Bulls win with a goal from JPA and Mac. 2-1
So nice to not have to hear “Well, it was midweek, the NCAA tourney was on and Washington was playing so attendance suffered” excuses from the new kids on the block. Sounders win 4-0
Opening Day BABY!!!!! Woo ha!!!!
If this were almost any other club in MLS, I would say its a Sounders win, but I think NYRB are going to be real good this year, and have a point of their own to prove, so I’m saying a 1-1 tie.