2020 MLS Regular Season – Week 16
Seattle Sounders FC vs. Real Salt Lake
CenturyLink Field – Seattle
October 7 – 10:00 PM ET
STREAMING: MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US; on DAZN n Canada
LOCAL TV: KMYU, JoeTV, Amazon Prime Video [SEA region only]
The Seattle Sounders will look to create separation atop the Western Conference table and extend a win streak to three when they take on Real Salt Lake Wednesday night at CenturyLink Field.
The Sounders (8W-3L-3D) are coming off a decisive 3-1 home win over the Vancouver Whitecaps, while RSL (4W-5L-6D) suffered a defeat to LAFC by the same scoreline and are clinging to the final playoff spot in the West.
The teams are meeting for the second time this season in league play. Pablo Ruiz scored a highlight-reel golazo five minutes from time in a 2-2 draw at Rio Tinto Stadium Sept. 2.
Seattle Sounders
For the second straight match, the Sounders claimed a 3-1 victory, defeating the rival Vancouver Whitecaps Saturday night at C-Link. Raul Ruidiaz had a goal and an assist and Brazilian Joao Paulo struck from distance as Seattle erupted for three goals early in the second half to cruise to their fourth win in the last five games.
“He makes it look easy,” Brian Schmetzer said of his Joao Paulo after the match. “For a lot of you guys out there, and I’m going to talk directly to my academy players, the young players that we have here at the Seattle Sounders, if you really look at the concentration and the simplicity of that movement, the ball comes to him, his first touch is so perfect for him to set himself up to strike the ball cleanly in that moment.
“It’s such a simple goal, but that’s the thing that young players are lacking,” he continued. “That is what young players have to strive for. In that moment, that was nothing more than a simple soccer move that João Paulo makes look easy.”
- Updated team roster
- Injury Report:
- OUT: Danny Leyva (M) - left foot fracture
- OUT: Joevin Jones (M) - right high ankle sprain
- OUT: Trey Muse (GK) - concussion
- Suspended: None
- Suspended after next caution: None
- International duty: Xavier Arreaga (D), Raul Ruidiaz (F), Gustav Svensson (M)
Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake conceded twice in the opening half hour and fell into a three-goal hole just before the hour mark in a 3-1 home loss to LAFC Sunday night. RSL will miss key attacking cog Albert Rusnak for the foreseeable future. The playmaker is with the Slovakian national team and faces a two-weeks quarantine upon his return.
“We wanted to get in behind as often as we could tonight. If Albert was in, that still would have been the game plan of getting in behind," Freddy Juarez said after the match. "I don’t want to talk so much about Albert, because we all know how good Albert is, but the fact is that he’s not here. He does at times make a difference, when we give it to him in a tight area. We’re not talking about Albert. We wish him luck with the national team. I thought we started off the game very dangerous, we just lost a bit of focus on the goals we gave up.”
- Updated team roster
- Injury Report:
- OUT: Everton Luiz (M) - undisclosed injury
- OUT: Giuseppe Rossi (F) - undisclosed injury
- OUT: Chris Garcia (F) - undisclosed injury
- OUT: Nedum Onuoha (M) - undisclosed injury
- Suspended: None
- Suspended after next caution: Kyle Beckerman (M), Corey Baird (F)
- International duty: Albert Rusnak (M)
Series Matchup at Sounders
- Sounders: 9 wins, 21 goals
- Real Salt Lake: 3 wins, 9 goals
- 2 draws
Officials
- Referee: David Gantar
- Assistant Referees: Jeff Hosking, Gjovalin Bori
- 4th Official: Silviu Petrescu
- VAR: Edvin Jurisevic
