Final
Dynamo-Sounders Preview
Oct 29, 2009 - 2:05 AM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS WriterHouston (13-8-9) at Seattle (12-7-11), 10:00 p.m. EDT
Seattle Sounders FC have been a rousing success in their inaugural season. Facing the Houston Dynamo in the Western Conference semifinals, however, could provide their stiffest test yet.
The Sounders will try to gain some inspiration from another sellout crowd at Qwest Field and carry momentum from an impressive regular season into the playoffs Thursday night when they face the two-time MLS Cup champion Dynamo.
Seattle (12-7-11) is the second expansion team to reach the postseason in its inaugural year, and the first since Chicago won the MLS Cup in 1998. The club also set new league records for attendance, including an average of 30,943 fans at Qwest Field, which will host the Cup final Nov. 22.
The large crowds gave the Sounders one of the best home-field advantages in the league, going 7-2-6 while outscoring opponents 21-10.
That success at Qwest continued in Saturday's regular-season finale, when Seattle got second-half goals from Nate Jaqua and Brad Evans to rally for a 2-1 victory over Dallas, eliminating the West rival from contention and clinching the third seed in the conference playoffs.
"I've said all year long that our best soccer is still ahead of us," said coach Sigi Schmid, who has won two MLS Cups, including last season's with Columbus. "Our best soccer is going to come in the playoffs."
Jaqua, who lost the 2003 MLS Cup final as a rookie with the Fire, is entering the playoffs in strong fashion. He's scored goals in his last two games to finish with a career-high nine, second on the team to forward Fredy Montero's 12.
The 6-foot-3 Jaqua's recent scoring surge has come after Schmid moved him from forward to the right side of midfield, a position he played sparingly during his first four seasons with Chicago.
"A lot of people thought 'what's Sigi doing playing him out wide?' Well, he's got a couple of goals now," Schmid said. "I just think it creates matchup problems for the opponents, it gives us a little bit of a different look and it seems to fit our team and how we're playing."
Seattle, though, has been hit by ailments to Montero (illness) and goalkeeper Kasey Keller (ankle). Montero's status is uncertain for Thursday, while the 39-year-old Keller is expected to play.
Keller's ranked second in the league in wins (12), goals-against average (0.92) and shutouts (10) during his first MLS season.
The Sounders went 1-0-1 against Houston (13-8-9), including a 2-1 win at home July 11.
"When you start the playoffs, no matter who you play against, you start all over again," Dynamo coach Dominic Kinnear told the team's official Web site. "No matter how you did against the team in the regular season, there are guys that come in and change the team. There are some things that went on that possibly carry over, but if you look at the three games you played previous you are focusing on history instead of how you are going to play."
The Dynamo enter the postseason looking to avoid another early exit after tying the Crew and Chivas USA for most wins in the league. They won the West last year after winning the previous two MLS Cup titles, but were upset in the opening round of the playoffs by New York.
Houston secured the second seed and home-field advantage for this round Sunday, beating Chivas 3-2.
Forward Brian Ching, the Dynamo's leader with eight goals, is expected to be in the lineup after serving a one-game suspension Sunday for a red card he received in a scoreless tie with Los Angeles on Oct. 18. He's been ejected in each of his last two games.
Houston will host the second leg of this total-goals aggregate series Nov. 8. The winner of this series will meet either Chivas USA or the Galaxy in the West final the following week.
- MLS UPDATE
HOUSTON 0
SEATTLE 0 FINAL
Oct 30 12:20 AM - MLS UPDATE
HOUSTON 0
SEATTLE 0 0:00 LEFT, 2ND HALF
Oct 30 12:14 AM - MLS UPDATE
HOUSTON 0
SEATTLE 0 HALFTIME
Oct 29 11:15 PM
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