By JOSE M. ROMERO
For the Seattle Sounders and Real Salt Lake, it has come down to this.
Two of the more evenly-matched teams in the MLS postseason. Two gritty goalkeepers. A number of scoring threats and two scrappy holding/defensive midfielders. It comes down to which team will find some offense against the opponent’s strong defense and goalkeeping.
RSL and Seattle have met four times this season, including last Friday’s first playoff leg. Only one goal has been scored between both teams in those four matches, by Real Salt Lake’s Fabian Espindola on May 12.
With Seattle’s Eddie Johnson and Mauro Rosales, two huge keys to their attack, potentially limited by injuries, the Sounders will count heavily on other scorers to fill the void and find a way to push the team into the conference semifinals for the first time. The memory of a 3-0 loss at Rio Tinto Stadium in last year’s first playoff leg lingers for Sigi Schmid’s team.
But Johnson has said he will play. The question is, how big a factor can the Sounders’ goals leader be if he’s not 100 percent?
Real Salt Lake has a hot goalkeeper in Nick Rimando, who should be busy once again. RSL can’t find the net lately and have gone 332 minutes without a goal in MLS matches, including last week.
Here is closer look at the matchup:
REAL SALT LAKE vs. SEATTLE SOUNDERS
WHEN: at Rio Tinto Stadium: Thursday, 10 p.m. ET (NBC Sports Network).
FIRST LEG: Real Salt Lake earned a 0-0 draw in Seattle last Friday.
SEASON SERIES: Real Salt Lake won once and the two teams played to scoreless draws in three other meetings, including last Friday’s first-leg match in Seattle. On May 12 in the first regular-season meeting, RSL won 1-0 at CenturyLink Field. Then came 0-0 scores on July 4 in Utah and Oct. 17 in Seattle.
KEY PLAYERS – SOUNDERS: F Eddie Johnson (14 goals, 3 assists in MLS games), F Fredy Montero (13 goals 8 assists), M Osvaldo Alonso (1 goal, 2 assists; 4 goals, 3 assists in CCL and U.S. Open Cup), midfielder Mauro Rosales (3 goals, 13 assists), GK Michael Gspurning (0.73 GAA), M Brad Evans (4 goals, 4 assists), D Jeff Parke. REAL SALT LAKE: F Alvaro Saborio (17 goals, 3 assists), F Fabian Espindola (9 goals, 7 assists), M Kyle Beckerman (4 goals, 4 assists), M Javier Morales (3 goals, 9 assists), D Jamison Olave, GK Nick Rimando (5 saves in first leg draw).
WHAT WE LEARNED IN THE FIRST LEG: Seattle missed Eddie Johnson badly. Sammy Ochoa just didn’t provide much of a threat. RSL have found a reliable centerback in Kwame Watson-Siriboe to cover for injured starter Jamison Olave and injured back-up Chris Schuler. Nick Rimando is super-human in the playoffs.
MATCH-UP TO WATCH: Fredy Montero/Eddie Johnson vs. Jamison Olave/Nat Borchers. Johnson is hobbled to at least some degree by a hamstring injury, but the Sounders striker duo must find a way to either create or finish chances and revive a stagnant offense. That’s where Olave, who has a sore hamstring himself, and Borchers come in. They’ll need to keep the quick forwards from finding space and unloading shots on target.
OUTLOOK: These are two teams with struggling offenses, so it’s reasonable to expect a very tight game in which the goalkeeping will be key. RSL is in the more advantageous position, playing at home and not having allowed a goal in Seattle. But Rimando got battered in a collision in the first leg; it remains to be seen how much that affects him in the second leg. The Sounders have history working against them — they’ve never won a first-round playoff series.
PREDICTION: The Sounders really needed a goal at home last Friday. They didn’t get it. That will cost them in this second leg, as Real Salt Lake will be the team to find a way to get one into the net, either in regulation time or in extra time. Though the Sounders have been pretty solid on the road this season and have hung tough in Sandy, Utah in recent meetings, one goal is all it will take to end their season in disappointing fashion yet again.
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What do you think of this series? Expecting no more than one goal? Will the Sounders finally win a first-round series? Will Rimando come up big in goal again? Who will score the winner?
Share your thoughts below.
Would not be surprised at all if this goes to penalties, both teams haven’t been scoring to much recently. Both goalies are among the top 5 in MLS.
Maybe the Sounders will beat them…, but even a victory won’t shut up the pundits who salivate at any chance to side against Seattle. As a SSFC fan it pains me to see the wheels come off this time of year ,, but I do I applaud all of you who pay so much attention to my side throughout the year . That in itself gives all of us Sounders fans great joy
ahhh, yes, the “entitled ones” — that is why i am rooting for RSL
Buck up little sounder. The wheels haven’t come off, we just had a little flat tire. Since RSL can’t score, we just need ONE GOAL and we’re through.
Can’t wait to not have to reader Sounder’s fans on these posts tomorrow when their season ends just like every season of their existence.
Hope sounders win.. just for your sake
the anger is still going?
Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha. Your tears are delicious JRP.
Sadly, I don’t see the Sounders scoring a goal. Rimando is just too good. I think RSL figures out a way to score a goal, or it goes to PK’s.
You don’t see the Sounders scoring? Maybe your headdress has fallen down over your eyes. Eddie Johnson and his ripped abductor muscle are going to own Nick Rimando, Mitt Romney and the entire state of Utah.
EJ is not known for scoring in the playoffs. He is known for choking in the playoffs. Best of luck to you. You will need it to get a result at the Riot.
My prediction is a 2-1 result for RSL. I know that statistically it shouldn’t happen. I have a feeling both teams are going to cut lose and sacrifice a little D to get goals. I hope it opens up a little. Either way, gonna be good to watch. Got my ticket. Got my scarf. Got my “Go die” chant memorized that I learned from classy fans up north. Go RSL.
it’s not “go die”. Its, “Let him die, let him die” etc. Go Sounders! Rimando may not have been wasting time during the injury, but he clearly was the reaminder of the game.
That’s because he is a smart player. He’s got a broken nose, you are on the road tied with the next leg at home, only a fool would try to speed the game up.
Keep it classy 50,000 turf turds.
Someone tell Rimando to get up and quit stalling….I am joking, I am joking.
Seattle has to solve the goal scoring problem against good teams…quickly. Their PKs are beyond bad.
That’s totally what Montero looks like in that picture though. And Rimando is thinking, “Dude, my nose is on the the side of my face!” I love the MLS playoffs!
LA and SJ are getting shafted by the playoff schedule. They have only two days rest between games, while RSL and SEA get a full four days. It’s baffling.
Seattle owns this league, get over it
On the flip side, though, whoever goes through from SEA/RSL has short rest before the 1st leg of the conference final. I’d argue that SJ/LA have the advantage in scheduling, not the other way around.
Don’t point out the big picture. People don’t like that.
Small consolation for a team eliminated partly due to tired legs, ANNND….
If you offered me: Game 1 on Sunday, Game 2 on Weds, Game 3 on Sunday… OR
Game 1 on Friday, Game 2 on Thursday, Game 3 on Sunday… I’d still take the latter. The long week’s rest is invaluable, especially vs. a team that is entering its 3rd game in 7 days
Too bad Seattle doesn’t have a stadium. Otherwise they could be considered a great franchise.
actually, we do. it’s called centurylink field. get over it.
The Galaxy sure seemed to do just fine with tired legs…
nice pix The guy says ” Nick do you really love me?” LOL