According to the Sounders’ schedule, a few matches remain from now until the end of October. It should be a pretty simple stretch to wind down the campaign, right? Not so fast my friends. There’s a lot happening between now and Decision Day (and hopefully for a while after Decision Day, too).
Let’s put it all in one place.
1. Final Road Match / Final Eastern Conference Opponent
Sunday’s match against Philadelphia marks the
final road contest
of the regular season for the Rave Green. The Sounders are 3-7-6 away from CenturyLink Field this season, while the Philadelphia Union, currently ranked 10
th
in the Eastern Conference, have recorded an 8-4-3 mark at home in 2017. The contest also features Seattle’s final Eastern Conference opponent of the season (well, hopefully until MLS Cup). Brian Schmetzer’s side is 3-4-4 against the East in 2017.
The Sounders fell 2-0 at Philadelphia.
2. Postseason Clinch?
The Sounders are nearing their ninth consecutive postseason berth. By doing so, the club would have the longest active postseason streak in MLS and just one year shy of matching the MLS record (LA Galaxy – 1996-2005).
3. FIFA World Cup Qualifiers
The Sounders are on a two-week hiatus due to the FIFA international break. A few players will be active for their country, though. Notably, the United States national team, which features forward
Clint Dempsey
, needs to secure results in its final two FIFA World Cup qualifying matches.
On October 6, the Stars and Stripes host
Román Torres
and Panama in Orlando, then travel to Trinidad and Tobago to take on
Joevin Jones
and the Soca Warriors on October 10. Panama is set to take on Costa Rica in Panama City on October 10, as well.
Panama and Uruguay have qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Sweden advanced to a playoff for a chance to reach Russia and the United States failed to qualify for the first time since 1986.
4. Deuce Scoring Record
After scoring his 46th career goal for the Sounders in regular-season action last Wednesday against Vancouver, Dempsey now sits just one goal shy of Fredy Montero’s all-time club scoring record.
To date, Dempsey has 46 goals in 99 MLS appearances on 380 shots, while Montero recorded 47 goals in 119 MLS appearances on 411 shots.
5. Another Deuce Scoring Record
He can’t be stopped. In addition to the club mark, Dempsey is also in position to become the U.S. all-time leading goalscorer, too. The 34-year-old forward currently sits in a tie with Landon Donovan with 57 tallies for the Stars and Stripes. Five goals have come in 2017, including a hat trick against Honduras in March.
6. Desperate Dallas
After claiming the Supporters’ Shield last season, FC Dallas is in a much different position heading into the final month of the 2017 campaign. The club currently sits in a tie for sixth place alongside Real Salt Lake and the San Jose Earthquakes with 42 points. The Hoops will come to CenturyLink Field on October 15 and will certainly try to leave Seattle with three points.
7. Decision Day
Once again, the Sounders will host a crucial match on Decision Day that will likely have postseason-seeding implications. This year’s opponent, the Colorado Rapids, currently occupy a tie for last place in the Western Conference with 29 points and have posted a 1-13-2 mark on the road this season.
Although it’s too early to predict at this stage, the Sounders could be playing for a first-round bye, with four teams sitting just four points apart and trying to snag one of the coveted top two spots.
8. Record Tracker
After his career-high 11th shutout of the season, goalkeeper Stefan Frei matched Kasey Keller’s single-season club record.
With 11 assists apiece, midfielder Nicolás Lodeiro and defender Joevin Jones are closing in on the club record for assists in a single season. The current record of 13 was achieved by Obafemi Martins in 2014 and Mauro Rosales in 2011 and 2012.
9. Jordan’s Return?
After suffering a hamstring strain against the LA Galaxy on September 10, forward Jordan Morris has been on the mend. On September 13, Schmetzer said that Morris would be out for several weeks.
Morris, who became the first field player in club history to play in all 34 matches in a season en route to winning AT&T Rookie of the Year honors in 2016, is understandably hungry to get back on the pitch. With just three goals this season, it would be quite redeeming for the 22-year-old forward to come back and make an impact on Decision Day and, hopefully, beyond.
