Even with six players out due to injuries, suspensions and international duty, the Sounders FC is still a dangerous squad as they face the Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
SEATTLE – The Sounders FC has six key components out of the lineup with injuries, suspensions and international duty, but head coach Sigi Schmid will still field a dangerous lineup as the Sounders host the Vancouver Whitecaps FC in front of an expected crowd of over 50,000 fans at CenturyLink Field.
Seattle is close to their regular starting group among the defensive five, with Michael Gspurning starting at goalkeeper, DeAndre Yedlin at rightback, a centerback pairing of Djimi Traore and Zach Scott with Leo Gonzalez at leftback.
In the midfield, Schmid will start Mauro Rosales on the right and Alex Caskey on the left around a central pairing of Servando Carrasco and Andy Rose.
At forward, Seattle has Obafemi Martins and Lamar Neagle, who have four goals and three goals, respectively, on the season.
The bench is made up of Marcus Hahnemann, Patrick Ianni, Marc Burch, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, David Estrada, Sammy Ochoa and Phillip Lund.
Brad Evans, Eddie Johnson and Mario Martinez are away on international duty, Osvaldo Alonso and Steve Zakuani are out with injuries and Shalrie Joseph is serving the second game of a two-match suspension handed down by the MLS Disciplinary Committee.
For Vancouver, the starting XI is Brad Knighton in goal; a back four of YP Lee, Andy O’Brien, Johnny Leveron and Jordan Harvey; a midfield of Nigel Reo-Coker, Jun Marques Davidson, Matt Watson and Camilo Sanvezzo; with Russell Teibert and Kenny Miller at forward.
Vancouver’s bench is Joe Cannon, Tommy Heinemann, Corey Hertzog, Erik Hurtado, Greg Klazura, Daigo Kobayashi and Kekuta Manneh.