Goalkeeper Kasey Keller, midfielder Freddie Ljungberg and forward Fredy Montero of Sounders FC have been named three of seven inactive MLS All-Stars, MLS announced Tuesday.

All three aforementioned Sounder choices played in last year's annual All-Star game. This season they will be inactive and not play in the Wednesday, July 28 All-Star classic due to Seattle's CONCACAF Champions League play-in with Metapán that same evening on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field. First kick is scheduled for 7 p.m. PT.

All three reflect different aspects of the Seattle playing experience.

Keller at 40 remains one of the stellar performers of the game at goalkeeper. His value extends beyond the statistics column in determining his overall value as captain of the team who supplies a spark with his presence as he continues making great saves.

Swedish star Ljungberg is in his glory in the midfield area leading charges goal ward and shooting passes to strikers.

Colombian Montero continues to impress not only with his scoring punch, enhanced by his superb kicking prowess, but with his constantly developing talent as an alert feeder who has generated assists. Montero has a knack for knowing when to pass when opponents, fearing his scoring practice, have over-committed in an attempt to stop him.

Each year a total of 32 players are named All-Stars in accordance with the MLS collective bargaining agreement.

Previously, 25 players have been announced to this year's roster, and Tuesday the MLS announced the final seven: goalkeepers Jimmy Nielsen (Kansas City) and Kasey Keller (Seattle), midfielders Joel Lindpere (New York), Robbie Rogers (Columbus), Freddie Ljungberg (Seattle), and forwards Fredy Montero (Seattle) and Conor Casey (Colorado).

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International competition commences for the resurgent Seattle Sounders FC this week, with an important MLS match sandwiched in between the two legs of the CONCACAF Champions League preliminary round series.

Unbeaten in its last four matches in all competitions, Sounders FC hosts El Salvador's AD Isidro Metapán on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. PT.

That interesting international test will be promptly followed on Saturday night by an important MLS test.

Seattle moves back into league play, visiting the San Jose Earthquakes at 7 p.m. PT.

The outcome of the Champions League series will be decided in San Salvador on August 3 at 7 p.m. PT. Both games against Metapán will be nationally televised on Fox Soccer Channel.

The Sounders with a 6-8-4 league mark and 22 points, continue to close ground on the eighth and final MLS Cup Playoffs position last week, beating Colorado, 2-1.

Seattle has won two in a row and has not lost in its last three league starts dating back to July 11. The four-game unbeaten run in all competitions commenced with a 2-0 win over the L.A. Galaxy in a U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal on July 7.

Sounders Coach Sigi Schmid following Tuesday’s practice focused on Metapan and the challenge of international competition:

“Obviously we have been doing our research and we’ve found out a lot of things about them. They are a team that has been successful probably over the last four seasons in their league.

It’s the same coach that coached against me in [2006 or 2007], when we played them in Columbus at the end of the year. He has been the same coach for the past six or seven years there. [Luis] Suarez’s brother, the Suarez from Uruguay, plays for the team. He [Paolo Suarez] is one of their key players. Odir Flores is another key player for them. [Mark] Blanco has got like 24 goals over the last season and a half for them. He is a dangerous, attacking player.

They are a team that we have an idea of their shape. We have an idea of their organization. We have seen a couple video tapes of games that they have played. I have talked to some El Salvadorian people that I know who have given me some information. They played a game in L.A. on the weekend against the Hollywood Hitmen, a PDL team. So I talked to people that have seen that game. So we have a fairly good idea as to what they are about.”

Schmid then turned his attention to the challenge of a non-MLS team:

“Obviously when you play against a team it’s always for the players they have a better idea of what is this player going to do. So you can mention to the players [Paolo] Suarez or [Odir] Flores or [Mark] Blanco, it’s a name and it’s a guy running around on film. It’s not necessarily somebody they have played against.

When they get matched up they can sort of eyeball them and it makes it a little bit easier for the team. They are a team that works very hard. That has been the trademark of what everybody says.

They are a team that battles for every loose ball and that fights for everything, every square space on the field. They are a team that defends well, that’s how they sort of pushed forward and brought themselves into prominence in the El Salvadorian league. And they are a team that’s been able to score timely goals. So it’s going to be an exciting game. It’s going to be a good game.”

It will be an interesting period involving an important MLS road test against the San Jose Earthquakes sandwiched between two contests with Metapan at home and away respectively.

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Sigi Schmid's team had been plagued with injuries earlier in the season, but it appears that the Seattle Sounders players are healing just in time to make a run at a playoff spot.

Schmid was happy with the play of his team in the 2-1 win over Colorado on Sunday.  He stated that the crucial victory was aided by the support of the Xbox Pitch Qwest Field fans.

He commented on the fan support in the context of a question relating to the differences in the two matches against Colorado.  The first road game resulted in a 1-0 loss on a Connor Casey goal while Sunday’s meeting resulted in a 2-1 Sounders victory on two Steve Zakuani goals.

"The first matchup was Jeff Parke, I think his first game, first or second game for our team,” Schmid said.  “His legs weren't under him at that point. So that was something we felt much better about. We really tried to do a better job of forcing their center backs to make the game for them. Early on, I think that worked well for us. I think they adjusted a little bit to it.

“But for us it's really not so much about the tactical changes, just the grit and determination that we showed. And that we played with. When we come out and do that, then our crowd gets behind us and our crowd was fantastic tonight. When we're working hard and we're giving them what they want, which is hard work on the field and then they respond to that by cheering like they do it becomes a catharsis that makes us a dangerous team at home. And that's what we want to get back to as well, becoming that home team. It's not so much tactical changes, it's creating that catharsis with our crowd, it was fantastic tonight, and making our home field a place where people don't want to play."

Once more, Captain Kasey Keller had a stellar performance, which his coach saluted:

"I thought he had a couple of good saves. He saved the one header that he tipped over the bar in the first half and the reaction save coming back to his left. That's just a great save. I guess you don't want to become used to it but sometimes Kasey is such a fundamentally sound goalkeeper that you're almost surprised if he doesn't make the save. He definitely came up with some big saves that kept us in the game, at a big part of the game and that's what you need your goalkeeper to do."

With more players returning following injuries, Coach Schmid has noticed a difference in his defense, which is becoming notably tighter:

"In order to play offense you've got to get the ball and in order to get the ball you have to play good defense. We've given up way too many goals this year, that's one of the big differences between our team this year and last year, and we needed to tighten that up. I think we've tightened that up. We continue to work on it. There's times where it still needs to be better, but obviously today was [Osvaldo] Alonso's first game back. He played very well, but himself, [Nathan] Sturgis, [Michael] Seamon haven't had a ton of games in that position. We haven't been able to keep the same unit together. Sanna Nyassi came in today and started, played very well for us on the right hand side. It's a matter of tightening up that middle and as the guys get used to each other, get more games with each other as a unit, they'll become even better."

After quickly savoring the victory over the Colorado Rapids, Sigi Schmid went back to work preparing for more matches amid a busy schedule.

“There are a lot of games coming up but they’re tough games,“ Schmid said.  “We have got to look at it from game to game. We have got to see who’s healthy, who recovers well. There’s some close competition on the team for starting positions, so sometimes playing the other guy is not something where I consider it first team and second team. I think it’s more an opportunity for somebody to play. So we have got to manage our roster a little bit over these games. The important thing is we want to win them all. We want to beat Metapán on Wednesday. That’s a really important game for us because getting into the Champions League group stage is something that we want to achieve for this club.”

Coach Schmid also explained the significance of the CONCACAF Champions League:

“The main reason this tournament is important is because, at the end of the day, in order to play in the World Club championship, which is the champions of Europe, the champions of South America, the champions of Asia, Africa and our confederation, CONCACAF, as well as Oceana or Australia, whatever they are called now, in order to play in that, you have to win the championship of our region.

“That gives us the opportunity to play against the Manchester United’s and the Barcelona’s of the world, if they win their championships. So we have got to get through this stage to play in that. That’s something I think every player dreams of. It’s a lot of bonus money as well for the players to get to that stage.”

Schmid also explored the significance of the fans in the context of the CONCACAF competition:

“As for the fans, I think getting into the group stage then provides them with some attractive foreign opponents. To get a team from Mexico up here to play a game that is meaningful, not for an exhibition game, I think is something different. I think the game Wednesday is going to be exciting. Metapán has done well in El Salvador the past two or three years and it allows us to measure ourselves internationally, which is something you get to do in Europe all the time but you don’t get to do with us. So it’s Champions League come to our hemisphere.”

Between the exciting MLS season and the challenge of seeking a playoff spot, along with the opportunity to play on the international stage, Sounders fans are in for a rich soccer treat as the season progresses.

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It was a sunny and relaxing early Friday afternoon in Seattle and behind the smile and energetic speaking manner, one could tell that Steve Zakuani was primed for a major effort.

Looks proved prophetic in this case as Zakuani used his blistering speed to put himself in goal territory, tallying twice in the first half as the Seattle Sounders scored their first win this season against a Western Conference foe with a 2-1 victory over the visiting Colorado Rapids before 36,333 at the Xbox Pitch of Qwest Field Sunday night.

In a happy Sounders dressing room following the match, Zakuani was sporting another big smile, this one of fulfillment and accomplishment after arguably the team’s most crucial win of the season, one that propels Sigi Schmid’s team into the thick of the MLS playoff fight.

Zakuani was asked about his buoyant spirit Friday afternoon and whether he had a premonition of a Sunday-night surge.

“I’d had a very good week of practice,” Zakuani smiled, “and the team had a good week as well. I just sensed that we were ready and believed that we were going to do very well.”

The three points that Coach Schmid regarded as so crucial for his team to acquire brought the Sounders to a mark of 6-8-5. The team has earned 23 points, just one less than fourth place Colorado.

There were some strange statistics arising out of the game from both sides of the competitive aisle. While the Sounders broke the ice in notching their first win this season over a Western Conference rival, all five of Seattle's previous MLS wins had not only been over Eastern Conference rivals; every victory was by shutout.

Even more staggering to the imagination: In the last four seasons, the Colorado Rapids are 0-48-16 in matches where the opposition has scored first.

All three goals came in the first 17 minutes with the remainder of the contest being a tough and physical defensive battle. It was a propitious evening for sturdy Swiss national midfielder Blaise Nkufo to make his MLS debut.

Nkufo continues to make strides toward reaching peak fitness level since joining the team. He put in 70 minutes of solid play and was relieved by Nate Jaqua. Two other crunch-time substitutions that provided freshness for the Sounders at a critical moment of the match were Michael Seamon for Nate Sturgis at the 74-minute mark and Roger Levesque for Sanna Nyassi at 81 minutes.

The scoring began when Zakuani brought the Seattle faithful to their feet with Zakuani’s opening score. It came after Fredy Montero fought through the Colorado defense. Zakuani picked up the loose ball and sent a 15-yard strike that bounced off the left post, hit a diving Matt Pickens and landed in the net.

The Sounders had no time to celebrate their good fortune. No sooner had they broken through than the Rapids stormed back, moving quickly downfield for an equalizing score on a left-footed drive into the upper left corner in the ninth minute from Omar Cummings. Seattle television and radio commentator Arlo White called it “one of the top goals of the year.”

The 1-1 deadlock did not stand for long. Seattle regained the lead in the 17th minute on Zakuani's second goal of the night. Montero split the defense with a ball to Sanna Nyassi, who accelerated into the right side of the box before sending the ball into the crease for Zakuani to put home from point-blank range.

Zakuani now has a team-high seven goals. Montero, meanwhile, leads the team with eight assists, one short of tying the team record. Nyassi has been productive in the assist department as well, with two in the past two games.

Colorado fought tenaciously the remainder of the way to achieve a tying goal, but a sturdy Seattle defense shored up by the return of previously-injured players was able to hold off the invaders.

Kasey Keller preserved the lead with three saves, including a fingertip save on Conor Casey's header in the 20th minute and a diving save on Jamie Smith's backheel in the 61st minute.

After the match, Keller expressed praise for the team’s defensive effort. He cited in particular the effort to hold talented Colorado striker Conor Casey, his team’s leading scorer, without a goal.

It was Casey who scored the lone tally of the first meeting between the teams in Colorado in a 1-0 shutout of the Sounders.

“Conor Casey is a load,” Keller said. “In fact, he should have been named to the U.S. World Cup team.”

The busy Sounders schedule continues Wednesday night at 7 p.m., when Seattle will host El Salvador's Metapán in the CONCACAF Champions League play-in series. 

The Sounders return to MLS play on July 31 at San Jose, then continue on to San Salvador for the return leg with Metapán on August 3.

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It’s no secret that I’ve been an admirer of the success that the Seattle Sounders have had since joining MLS, heck... who hasn’t admired its success.   I’ve asked it to stop rubbing its success in our collective New England faces and I’ve gone as far as to call it my soccer mistress .

Well, that mistress and I, we finally went all the way.

After countless business trips to the greater Seattle area, I finally made it to a Sounders Game, as they beat the Colorado Rapids last night.  I was in the second level, first row, mid-field line.  Arguably, for a non-chanting supporter, the best seat in the house.

And in all honesty, I’m struggling with how to describe it in any reasonable way relative to what my “norm” is within MLS.

You see, I have been lucky enough to be at games in many countries, and attended matches in many of the most revered stadiums in the world, but I cannot compare games I’ve seen in London, Milan, Rio de Janeiro, etc. to Foxboro.  Far too different, far too distant, far too much history for that.

But, in theory, this game should be similar.  And in many ways, it was.

But in just as many ways, I might as well have been back in Barcelona or Lisbon watching a game.  It was THAT different.

To really take it all in, I wanted a true feel for the club’s atmosphere… so I didn’t just go to the game.

I drank (anonymously) with its supporters at the bar Fuel, which is a key pre-game locale.

I listened to the Sound Wave marching band. (Hey, no snickering.)

I walked (marched?) behind the supporters as they chanted through the streets from Occidental park to Qwest Stadium—in a tide of awkward teals, electric greens, clowns (yes, clowns), and synchronized arm-waving and singing.

I went into the stadium pro-shop and local sports stores.

I bought a darn scarf.  (OK, I do this for most games I travel to, cut me some slack…)

There’s too much here for me to mentally recall, digest, and describe in any reasonable amount of time and blog-space, so you will be seeing a few more posts about this event (it is an event) and comparisons to the New England Revolution’s game-day experience.

But I will note these few observations from my day in Seattle:

I have never been to an MLS game like it.   The MLS Cup in RFK a few years ago came close, and the 62K+ that watched the Revolution lose the MLS Cup final at home was interesting.  But neither had this level of involvement.

All that said, things are not perfect with any team.

There’s a great discussion from about a year ago over at Pitch Invasion , which I highly recommend.  It talks to concerns that the “atmosphere” around the games are too canned—being orchestrated by the club and pawned off on the fans.

I agree with nearly everything in this article, which suggests that the prepackaged nature of Seattle’s “event” are less long-lasting than the do-it-yourself variety that comes from a supporter’s club.   (Don’t underestimate the very strong supporter’s influence as well though.)

However, where there is not interest, you create some.  Where there is limited history (yes, I know the Sounders existed pre-MLS, but it didn’t really “exist” for most of that 36K+ fans) you create some ties that bind.

Well, Seattle didn’t give out ties.  They gave out scarves.   The scarves promotion and over-the-top love affair that has overtaken Seattle gets people to feel they belong.  And that’s what being a fan is often all about.

And Revs fans “belong” to this same group.  We do have things in common with the Seattle fans.  We both sit down.

Of course, the whole bottom bowl of Qwest stadium only sat down at halftime.

Which is, of course, when most Revolution fans stand up.

“We” have some work to do.

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It is crunch time for the Seattle Sounders and the visiting Colorado Rapids as they prepare for a crucial Sunday night 7:30 pm showdown on the Xbox Pitch of Qwest Field.  
Coach Sigi Schmid of the Seattle Sounders summed things up after Friday’s practice concerning the important of Sunday’s match.  “This is a 6 point swing game,” he said.

Both teams in the Western Conference showdown entertain hopes of making the playoffs and a loss would be a major blow for either one.  This is particularly true of the home club as the Sounders enter play with a 5-8-4 record and 19 points.

One of the teams the Sounders hope to move past is Colorado, which has a mark of 6-4-5 for 15 points and a fourth place standing.  After a strong start the Rapids have gone five matches without a win dating back to June 5.  There have had four draws during that stretch, including a 1-1 deadlock with Kansas City last week at home.

Colorado gained its first win in a series that is currently 2-1-1 in Seattle’s favor on May 29 with a 1-0 win over the visiting Sounders.  Conor Casey tallied the match’s lone goal.  Last season the Sounders won 3-0 over Colorado at home while tying the Rapids 2-2 on the road.  The Sounders also scored a win over Colorado with a 1-0 Open Cup win at home last year.

The Colorado match heralds another busy period for the challengers.  It will signal the start of a five game stretch over the next 15 days.  The CONCACAF Champions League play-in series opens at home on July 28 at 7 pm PT against El Salvador’s Metapan.  Both games will be nationally televised on the Fox Soccer Channel.

When Sigi Schmid discussed Colorado and the importance of Sunday’s contest he reflected not only on the “six point swing” factor but also on the need “to show that we can beat a Western Conference opponent.  That’s important as well.”

On the subject of preparing for Colorado, Schmid said, “They are a team that, ‘Are they going to come in a 4-3-3 or are they going to come in a 4-4-2?’  It’s a little bit in the air.  They switched at halftime last week and played much better in the second half.”

On the subject of personnel, Schmid began with Casey, who scored the winning goal against Seattle in the teams’ first meeting this season:

“Conor Casey is a load up front. Omar Cummings is a good compliment for him because he runs well into space. With Pablo Mastroeni and Jeff Larentowicz they’ve got two strong, powerful midfielders who win their share of duals, for sure.

“And then they’ve got Marvell Wynne. Are they going to keep him inside? Are they going to move him to right back? But certainly he is a guy who, with his physical aspect of the game, can make an impression. So they are a good team. They are a dangerous team. Colin Clark on the left is getting stronger with each week.”

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