SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC vs SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES
CENTURYLINK FIELD, Seattle, Wash.
March 14, 2015 (WEEK 2, MLS Game #14)
7 p.m. PT (KCPQ-13 FOX; CSN-CA)
A Western Conference test is head on Saturday evening when Seattle Sounders FC continue their season-opening homestand by entertaining the San Jose Earthquakes at CenturyLink Field. Sounders FC began the new season in style, strolling to a 3-0 home win against MLS Cup finalist New England Revolution. The Earthquakes are facing their second consecutive road match to start the year, coming off a last-gasp 1-0 loss at FC Dallas last weekend.
• Clint Dempsey opened his 2015 account with a pair of goals in Seattle Sounders FC’s 3-0 season-opening victory over the New England Revolution on Sunday evening. It marked his fourth career multiple-goal game in MLS (three came in 2014), and it came in his 100th career MLS start.
• The Quakes opened their 2015 campaign with a last-gasp 1-0 loss at FC Dallas, the first time since 2008 they’ve opened the season on the road. The Quakes continue their season-opening road swing with the trip to Seattle before opening its new Avaya Stadium next weekend against the Chicago Fire.
• The teams evenly split their three games a season ago, each winning 1-0 on their home ground before the clubs reached a 1-1 draw at CenturyLink Field.
• Sounders FC haven’t scored a goal in their last three visits to northern California since a 2-1 loss at Buck Shaw Stadium in 2012. Seattle last won at San Jose in 2010; Sounders FC have two wins and a draw in the last three meetings at CenturyLink Field.
REFEREE: Baldomero Toledo. AR1 (bench): Frank Anderson; AR2 (opposite): Jeff Hosking; 4th: Daniel Radford
MLS Career: 186 games; FC/gm: 25.1; Y/gm: 3.4; R: 67; pens: 69
SUSPENDED: none
DISABLED LIST: none
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (16 meetings): Sounders FC 6 wins, 17 goals … Earthquakes 8 wins, 18 goals … Ties 2
AT SEATTLE (9 meetings): Sounders FC 5 wins, 13 goals … Earthquakes 3 wins, 7 goals … Ties 1
RETURN MATCHES: 6/20: Seattle Sounders FC vs. San Jose Earthquakes, 1 p.m. PT; 9/12: San Jose Earthquakes vs. Seattle Sounders FC, 7:30 p.m. PT
LAST YEAR (MLS):
5/17: SEA 1, SJ 0 (Martins 8)
8/2: SJ 1, SEA 0 (Djalo 42)
8/20: SEA 1, SJ 1 Barrett 46 – Wondolowski 65)
• The teams evenly split their three games a season ago, each winning 1-0 on their home ground before the clubs reached a 1-1 draw at CenturyLink Field.
• Sounders FC haven’t scored a goal on their last three visits to northern California, since a 2-1 loss at Buck Shaw Stadium in 2012.
• Seattle last won at San Jose in 2010; Sounders FC have two wins and a draw in the last three meetings at CenturyLink Field.
• Coaches record: Sigi Schmid vs. SJ: P36 W16 L14 D6 … Dominic Kinnear vs. SEA: P9 W3 L4 D2
CHECK OUT THE INJURY REPORT HEADING INTO THE MATCH
New defenders Evans and Mears impressing for Seattle
A view from the other side: San Jose Mercury News' Elliott Almond
