It’s been a turbulent month for Sounders FC 2 as the club’s inaugural season in the USL enters its final act. S2 currently sits just below the definitive red line which determines who advances to the postseason, the Rave Green need just two points to move back into the elite group and stay there for good.
S2’s will have its first chance to clinch the final playoff spot with a win against Orange County Blues FC on Friday at Starfire Stadium. The Rave Green Are 1-0-1 against the Blues this season, with its first win against the California side coming on May 1 with a late penalty kick goal from Pablo Rossi to give S2 the 2-1 lead in the 83rd minute.
The Blues have already secured their spot in the USL postseason and haven’t lost any steam toward the end of the campaign, winning five of their last six including three matches on the road. S2 hasn’t enjoyed the same success as of late, dropping four of its last five, losing its last three on the road.
“We have to regain our focus,” said S2 Head Coach Ezra Hendrickson. ”We only need one result, but we think we can win both and put ourselves in a good position in the playoffs.”
With two wins to wrap up the season, along with results from around the league, S2 still has a chance to secure the right to host the quarterfinal round, or even secure a first-round bye, but Hendrickson’s squad is focused on the game at hand rather than speculating on possibilities.
S2 will be playing without the likes of Sam Garza and Amadou Sanyang as the winger and captain serve a match suspension due to yellow card accumulation. However, the Rave Green could be bolstered by the return of Oalex Anderson who returns from international duty where he scored a goal in FIFA World Cup Qualifying against Aruba on September 4.
New signing Carlos Patino made his first appearance as a substitute in S2’s 2-1 loss to Austin Aztex and will have the chance to play his first match in front of the home crowd on Friday.
Kickoff for Friday’s match is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. PT at Starfire Stadium and tickets are available here.
