Three things to watch: Sounders start US Open Cup vs Kitsap Pumas
Jun 15, 2016, 11:41 AM
Jordan Morris could get a start for the USMNT in its match against Trinidad and Tobago. (AP)
(AP)
The Sounders kick off their 2016 run in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup on Wednesday against local semi-pro side Kitsap Pumas at Starfire Sports in Tukwila. The Pumas are located just a few miles west of Seattle — across Elliott Bay in Bremerton, WA. They play in the Premier Development League, and had to beat USL team Sacramento Republic FC to make it to this fourth-round matchup with the Sounders.
The match might be sandwiched between two huge Copa America games at CenturyLink this week, but it should provide quite a show for those willing to trek down to Tukwila on Wednesday.
Related: Seahawks visited by USMNT players ahead of big Copa match
Here’s a few quick things to watch for in the match, whether you make it to the stadium or watch the live stream on SoundersFC.com:
1. The lineup is anyone’s guess. The Sounders are going to for sure be without a couple of players for this match, including Brad Evans (suspended) and Clint Dempsey (suspended and with US national team). Nelson Valdez, whose national team Paraguay didn’t make it out of the group stages of Copa America, could feature but may not be ready to start just yet. A few injury questions remain, including attacker Oalex Anderson, so it’s hard to tell just who will make this starting lineup. Even head coach Sigi Schmid is suspended for this match (for the same reasons that Evans and Dempsey are — their actions in and after last season’s infamous match against the Timbers), so we can expect assistant coach Brian Schmetzer to lead the team out at Starfire. I expect a mostly first-team squad, but I wouldn’t be surprised if some younger players were given a shot against Kitsap.
2. Kitsap is pretty good, but not good enough. Shocking underdog wins are a big part of the US Open Cup, and the fourth round nearly had a few on Tuesday night. The Pumas are a solid team, and they already showed their ability to punch above their weight with their big, exciting 3-1 win against Sacramento. Former Seattle University forward Hamza Haddadi is a standout for the Pumas up top, but he’ll likely be facing the intimidating duo of Chad Marshall and Zach Scott. Midfielder Jesus Sanchez is also one to watch for Kitsap, as he’s been the focal point of creativity for his team for a couple years now. These players are good — but are they good enough to beat what will likely be a fairly strong Sounders defense? I don’t think so.
3. If Jordan Morris starts, he’ll score. These are the kind of predictions that often backfire, but I feel pretty confident about it. Morris has had an above-average rookie season in MLS so far, and with the USMNT and Jurgen Klinsmann in town, he’ll want to have his name on the lips of every soccer fan in Seattle. Morris can score goals against teams both big and small, and Kitsap Pumas will be in the rookie’s crosshairs from the moment he steps onto the pitch.
Spenser Davis also covers the Sounders for Sounder at Heart.
