By AVI CREDITOR
Major League Soccer's fifth week of the season kicks off Thursday night, when Seattle Sounders FC and FC Dallas do battle at Pizza Hut Park in a Western Conference showdown (8 p.m., ESPN2, ESPNDeportes).
The Sounders (2-1-1) are riding the momentum of substitute Michael Fucito's last-gasp goal in a 1-0 win over Kansas City last weekend. The Hoops (0-1-2), meanwhile, are still searching for their first victory of the young season, but they did not play poorly their last time out, a 2-1 loss to New York at Red Bull Arena in another game decided by a goal at the death.
In its only road game this season, Seattle surrendered a stoppage-time goal to Real Salt Lake's Alvaro Saborio and settled for a tie at Rio Tinto Stadium. A lackluster performance tonight would bring back questions about the team's ability to succeed on the road.
Dallas needs Jeff Cunningham to find his scoring touch to keep pace with the Sounders' potent attack. The team has managed four goals in three matches, but Cunningham, last year's Golden Boot winner, has just a penalty kick to his name this season.
Here are some of Thursday's soccer results to hold you over until the first kick:
ATLETICO TAKES 1-0 EDGE OVER REDS
Diego Forlan's ninth-minute goal lifted Atletico Madrid to a 1-0 home victory over Liverpool in the first leg of their Europa League semifinal tie.
Yossi Benayoun nearly netted the equalizer and a would-be crucial away goal eight minutes later, but he was ruled offside. The second leg will be played next Thursday at Anfield.
FULHAM HOLDS HAMBURG TO A DRAW
Fulham and Hamburg played to a 0-0 draw in the other Europa League semifinal, as Fulham keeper Mark Schwarzer made 10 saves to keep the hosts off the scoreboard.
Clint Dempsey, who has recovered from a thigh injury, entered the match as a 52nd-minute substitute for an injured Bobby Zamora. Fulham will look to continue its home success in the tournament in next Thursday's second leg at Craven Cottage.
SOUTH AFRICA DRAWS WITH NORTH KOREA
Two World Cup combatants played to a 0-0 draw Thursday afternoon, as tournament hosts South Africa and North Korea squared off in an international friendly in Frankfurt, Germany. South Africa will kick off the summer's soccer celebration in seven short weeks.
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What are your predictions for tonight's MLS match? Hoping for an all-England Europa League final? Itching for the World Cup to kick off?
Share your thoughts below.
Actually, the way Dallas has been drawing, probably not…
hahahah
Better conditions, facilities, probably soliciting help from nearby teams, etc.
Or maybe, because they are only using continental players, they want them to get away from the area so that they aren’t starstruck when they meet up against big players.
Worst attempt at a header ever…
and there it is
I must say FCD supporters have improved this year…
If you remember when Columbus’ SG’s turned the corner, their first game in the nordecke was the TFC invasion and they (supporters-wise) were shut out – even with a pretty good showing all bunched together…
This year is the same thing with the houston supporters being stronger the first game of this season…hopefully dallas’ FANS as well as supporters continue to grow!!
Games at PHP and Dicks should be avoided by the major networks if only to make MLS look better….lot of good stuff happening elsewhere but these two (and Revs, at times) should consider re evaluating their standing in the community and if its even worth keeping a team. And yes, PHP would look nice by the riverfront in DC but we have our own internal problems…but at least we show up in r4espectable numbers…..10k tonight in Dallas….I hope
I remember the Sounders being actually pretty decent on the road last year
seriously…
one would think they are playing europe because most of their players are currently with teams in europe.. but North Korea? they have 1 player playing on a european club and south africa only called in 1 player from a uefa club as well.. any reason why it was played in germany?? why not south africa?
Whatever the number is, I’ll bet that on TV, the SSFC supporters are the ones you hear.
I love how stupid this video makes carragher look lol
Less than 5,000 and reported at 6800
I’ll say about 5,500. Reported will be around 8,500 K. Someone want to transfer that stadium to location of RFK please?
Well good thing Texas people hate football or they might be tempted to stay home and watch some of the draft- oh wait! I’m going with 6,600 unless FC Dallas decided tonight was Frisco public schools come to the game for free or Buy one get one free day. However, the Toronto Bluejays had less than 12000 in their stadium on Tuesday and that place seats +55000 so at least it won’t be that bad.
8,000 reported
6,500 actual
7,500
Fan predictions for tonights game? I’ll start the bidding at 8,000
here’s hoping for no pk’s in tonights game…id like to know how this year’s mls pk/game ratio compares to years past…….
lol that was one ugly goal.
The Sounders actually fared very well on the road at the end of last season, so a loss tonight would not necessarily bring questions about them being able to succeed on the road as so much questions about how good they are overall. Playing on the road almost suites them better now because they don’t have to worry about teams packing the defensive end and playing for a draw like they do at home.
I am guessing FC Dallas will get more fans tonight than South Africa vs North Korea got.
It is very odd that the host of the World Cup is scrambling now to find friendlies and canceling ones that were already set. Their federation just better not tell anyone they are playing games in Germany because the stadiums there are so much better than in South Africa.