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Sounders-Wizards Preview

Oct 8, 2010 - 10:38 PM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

Seattle (12-9-6) at Kansas City (9-11-6), 8:30 p.m. EDT

After winning one title, the Seattle Sounders will try to help their chances of capturing another.

The Sounders look to wrap up their second playoff berth in as many seasons of existence Saturday night, and they can clinch that spot for the second straight year at Kansas City.

Seattle enters this game against the Wizards after becoming the first MLS team to win consecutive U.S. Open Cups on Tuesday night. Sanna Nyassi scored both goals in a 2-1 victory over Columbus at Qwest Field.

As they return to MLS play, the Sounders (12-9-6) are sixth in the playoff race and nine points ahead of the ninth-place Wizards (9-11-6). Seattle can secure a spot in the postseason with a win or tie in this game.

The Sounders have paved the way for a playoff berth by going 8-1-2 in their last 11 league matches.

"We are within striking distance of that and we've got three games to get there, so we need to win one out of our last three," coach Sigi Schmid said. "But we want to do more than that."

Schmid's team is 4-1-1 in its last six road games and has won three straight overall. Nyassi scored the final of three straight goals in last Saturday's 3-2 victory over Toronto FC, and Blaise Nkufo tallied his fifth score in eight matches this season.

Nyassi won't be available Saturday as he'll be playing for the Gambian national team.

The Wizards have suffered back-to-back losses following a 6-1-3 stretch and are on the verge of playoff elimination. A loss and wins from Colorado and San Jose on Saturday would end Kansas City's pursuit of its third postseason berth in four years.

After notching 13 goals during a 4-0-1 stretch, the Wizards have scored once during their consecutive defeats. They fell 1-0 at New York last Saturday.

"We've got four games left," coach Peter Vermes said. "I still feel good about it. We can do it. Our guys are (mad)."

Vermes' club won't have defender Shavar Thomas, who is away with the Jamaican national team, but leading scorer Kei Kamara will be available.

Kamara was originally supposed to play with Sierra Leone on Sunday but has been suspended for two games by his home country's federation. The forward, who has a career-best 10 goals this season, was critical of that organization and his team's coach following a 1-all tie with Egypt in September.

Seattle, which beat Kansas City 1-0 at home April 17, became the second expansion team to reach the playoffs in its inaugural year with a 3-2 win at Kansas City on Oct. 17.