Sports Mole previews Thursday’s Major League Soccer clash between the Seattle Sounders and Real Salt Lake, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Seattle Sounderscurrently ninth, are ready to face top-flight opponents Real salt lakewho currently leads the Western Conference standings, at Major League Soccer’s CenturyLink Field.
The hosts lost the reverse fixture between these two teams earlier in the season, leaving them out for revenge in their match on Thursday morning.
Match Preview
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Seattle has had a fantastic time since joining MLS as the league’s 15th team in 2009, only falling out of the top four in the Western Conference on one occasion and earning MLS Cup victories in 2016 and 2019.
In 2022, they failed to finish in the MLS Cup playoffs for the first time in their history, falling to 11th place after finishing second in the Western Conference in each of the previous five seasons.
They bounced back in a big way last year, however, reclaiming second place in the conference, placing seventh overall in MLS, before ultimately being eliminated by eventual runner-up Los Angeles FC in the semifinals. MLS Cup conference tournament.
This season they have failed to reach the heights they had previously achieved. Brian Schmetzer‘s men sit in the final playoff position, just one point ahead of Portland Timbers and St Louis City, who have a game in hand against the Sounders.
The Rave Green haven’t won any of their first five matches and have just one win in their first nine, but recent improvement has seen them start to climb the rankings.
They started the run with a 3-2 win over the Philadelphia Union and have since lost just one of the next eight games, with that one coincidentally coming against their opponents on Thursday.
Most recently, Seattle beat Phoenix Rising in the US Open Cup as they seek a record fifth triumph, and also picked up a 2-1 win over St Louis, leaving them in good form heading into this one.
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Salt Lake will provide a completely different challenge than they have faced in their last two games, currently leading the Western Conference and third in the MLS standings.
The visitors have not lost in the league since a 2-1 loss to the Colorado Rapids in March, leaving them undefeated in their last 11 MLS games, seven of which were wins.
Salt Lake will be confident their brilliant run of results will help them cross the line with victory over Seattle for the third time in a row in all competitions, despite not being beaten by the Green Rave in any of their last three meetings.
While Pablo Mastroéni‘s men have been largely impressive so far this season, no wins in any of their last three away matches could be a slight worry for the manager ahead of this one.
Seattle Sounders Major League Soccer form:
Real Salt Lake Major League Soccer form:
Team News
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The home team is suffering from numerous injuries ahead of this match, leaving them unable to call upon the services of up to seven players.
Braudilio Rodrigues, Jon Bell, Joshua Atencio And Pedro De la Vega are all expected to be out until next month with hamstring injuries.
Leo Chu And Nathan are also expected to return at some point in June, while Nathan Cardosothe return date of is unknown.
The hosts are not without injury concerns after seven of them missed the 3-3 draw against FC Dallas last time out.
Bode Hidalgo And Zavier Gozo Both are unlikely to return to the team for this match, but their return from injury is imminent.
Kevin Bonilla, Zack Farnsworth, Eric Holt, Pablo Ruiz And Marcelo Silva should all remain on the treatment table.
Possible Seattle Sounders starting lineup:
Free; A Roldan, Andrade, Ragen, Baker; C Roldán, Paulo; Vargas, Rusnak, Morris; Ruidiaz
Possible Real Salt Lake starting lineup:
MacMath; Brody, Glad, Quinton, Katranis; Ojeda, Eneli; Gomez, crooks, Luna; Arango
We say: Seattle Sounders 1-1 Real Salt Lake
Seattle has drawn four times in the league when playing at home this season, the second most of any team in MLS, and with Salt Lake drawing four times on the road this year, we expect this one ends in a tie.
For data analysis of most likely outcomes, scores and more for this match, please click here.
