Sounders 1 - 4 Red Bulls
Final
  for this game

Surging Seattle turns attention to RBNY

Sep 19, 2014 - 9:27 PM Harrison, NJ (SportsNetwork.com) - Seattle Sounders FC will switch its focus back to MLS play on Saturday when the club heads to Red Bull Arena to face Red Bull New York.

The Sounders are coming off of a memorable defeat of the Philadelphia Union in Tuesday's U.S. Open Cup final, its fourth triumph in the tournament in six years.

That Seattle has been able to dominate the U.S. Open Cup while consistently remaining at the forefront of the MLS playoff race speaks to the culture that the club has instilled in its players and coaches.

"That culture and tradition is really important if you're at a club that's going to win something," said Sounders Sporting Director Chris Henderson. "You need that history and the players to pass it on to the new players. Having the four guys that won it before set the culture and the new players saw that it's a big deal and they want to be a part of it.

"That tradition was set even before we came into MLS with the success of the USL Sounders in this tournament. The group of players who joined us really passed on how important it is for the club."

While the Sounders have found great success in the U.S. Open Cup, they have not been able to reach the same heights in MLS play.

But clinching the Open Cup title has Seattle setting its sights on a possible treble. The MLS Supporters' Shield is looking quite attainable as the club enters the weekend with an MLS-high 54 points, and with a postseason berth already locked up, it appears as though the road to MLS Cup will have to go through CenturyLink Field.

The Red Bulls, meanwhile, remain in search of a postseason spot.

New York comes into the weekend in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with 38 points, but that total leaves the club just one point clear of the playoff divide.

The tight race in the East places some additional pressure on the Red Bulls to pick up maximum points on Saturday, but a motivated Sounders team seeking a fifth straight league win will be out to spoil the party.






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