Sounders test their unbeaten streak at Colorado
Jul 27, 2012, 8:53 AM | Updated: 10:22 am
As expected, the Seattle Sounders are starting to heat up in the month of July. Entering last week’s All-Star break, they produced an unbeaten streak of six matches, including a 1-0-3 record in MLS play.
Head coach Sigi Schmid says time off suited the Sounders well as they enter another grueling stretch of games, including five in the next 15 days.
“We are rested and ready to roll for some big games – they’re all six-point games,” he said in our Coach’s Corner interview. “Our goal is to win every series we have against Western Conference opponents. The three days off did the guys some good, and now it’s back to business.”
Seattle’s goalkeeping group is definitely healthier with first stringer Michael Gspurning looking sharp during this week’s training. The Austrian veteran has not played since early May when he injured his hip, but he could return Saturday.
“It’s great to have his personality back in the locker room and his leadership on the field,” Schmid said. “You look back there and see his size and he’s a bit intimidating. He had such a great start, so hopefully he’ll be able to pick up where he left off.”
Fredy Montero followed his super sub appearance in New York with a brace (two goals) last week in the Sounders’ friendly against Chelsea. The Colombian striker celebrated his 25th birthday this week, and says he’s confident facing Colorado for the third time this season.
“The key is we know them very well because we’ve played them so much,” he told me at practice this week. “We want to use the spaces they leave us when they try to attack.”
Seattle beat Colorado 2-1 on July 7 at CenturyLink Field.
The game was memorable when Steve Zakuani got to play against Brian Mullan, the man who broke his leg more than a year ago. The two players exchanged jerseys and a brief hug, bringing closure to their ordeal.
The Rapids have lost five consecutive MLS games and sit in seventh place in the Western Conference table. They still are plenty dangerous with burly striker Conor Casey and veteran forward Omar Cummings.
Matt Johnson and Wade Weber kick off our coverage with the pregame show at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, followed by Rob Palmer and Kasey Keller’s play-by-play at 6 on 97.3 KIRO FM.
