Sounders Get Title Shot in US Open Cup

Words are elusive at this late hour, after a dramatic, scintillating 2-1 Sounders FC win over Houston Dynamo at Starfire this evening. I am just going to soak up the blissful feelings and put words to the game later. Seven thoughts, though, in free-form...

1. This was a classic, match for the ages. And this team isn't even 1 year old!


2. I will not ever slag Nate Jacqua again. He played 120 minutes of gutsy, workhorse football and scored the equalizer that noone else seemed willing to score.


3. Freddy Montero. Getting better.


4. Subbing in Alonso made the difference in my opinion. He still gets my vote for Club MVP.


5. Houston sucks.


6. Tonight's referee may have been the worst yet.


7. Ahhh....victory!


8. Shot at silverware in our first season. Nice. Very nice.

Will John Terry Be In Seattle Saturday?

'Cuz it's looking like he won't be in London come August 15 when Chelsea open the 2009-2010 season against Hull City (Opinion on Hull's Phil Brown being his own worst enemy). Man City, that great, new vacuum cleaner of high wage players, is desperately trying to suck up the England and Chelsea Captain, the man dubbed "Mr. Chelsea." Analysis here.

I worry about how the Swede will take this development, should it develop?

Robbo Robson offers his usual snarked up, slightly brilliant commentary on the sky blue cash floating through the EPL.

Nonetheless, I'm looking forward to seeing JT Saturday. Maybe I should get him a parting gift?

On The Rise...

Rave Green is on the rise in the table and in the ESPN Power Rankings (which I've never paid attention to before, but since I found it and it has us #2 in the MLS...well, what the hey...).

Green'ers know that we've got a very good squad. The MLS is finding out, as well, not only as we beat top teams like Houston, but also with our all-stars. Kasey Keller and Freddie Ljungberg. With the rest of the squad yet to be named, expect at least one more Sounder to be named, likely Fredy Montero. I'd also vote for Alonso (for reasons previously stated) but his games missed due to injury will likely nix that. I also think that Tyrone Marshall and Jhon Kennedy Hurtado would both be great adds. Their defense has been oustanding all season long.

Does this guy play for the KC Lizards, BTW?

The Sounders are putting in a bid for the US Open Cup final. This is a great move. If the Sounders do win the July 21st game against the Dinamo then there will be thousands of Green'ers looking for tickets to watch their team compete for the first silverwware in club history! Hopefully, that means Qwest Field...

Over in the EPL, Treasure Chest City has swooped Carlito away from SAF. Not to worry, SAF, you still have the Immovable Object (aka Berbatov). But what's this? TCC is also sniffing around Adebayor? Le Profeseur must keep the tall Togoese striker!

Craziest transfer rumour of the season: Tottenham in talks with former Arsenal Captain Patrick Vieira??!! Insane. Doesn't he know that making such a move would alienate tens of thousands of Gooners? Perhaps, more importantly, it would squeeze the life and credibility out of what was a terrific career. Stay tuned to see if there is anything to this.

Sounders Win (Without Me)

I'm on vacation in San Diego, so I missed the Saturday afternoon game with Houston, which Seattle put away 2-1. More here & here.  Sounders are looking good in the table, just 3 points behind the Dynamo. After a great start, a muddling middle of the season, the Rave Green are on fire again.

It's also nice to see Steve Kelley trying hard to cover the Sounders from time to time, here waxing poetic about the front line tandem of Jacqua and Montero.

The huge speed bump to the MSL that is PGE Park looks to have finally been cleared, with a deal reached between Portland and the Timbers' owner (the City Council still has to apply its rubber stamp). Much as I dislike things Portland, it'll be good to have the Timbers in the league. The Sounders need a mortal enemy, a derby rival, and we'll get two, with the Timbers and Vancouver.

I'm looking forward to seeing Chelsea, Saturday, when we return!

Sounders Win US Open Cup Quarter...

A quickie before I go away...on vacation. Between that and daughter's soccer tournament, I squeezed in a trip to Starfire  to watch the Rave Green battle KC Buzzards for the US Open Cup Quarters. Sounders controlled much of the match, missed many a gilt-edged opportunity, while allowing for a few scary KC chances, but ultimately prevailed 1-0 when Seba slotted in a deserved penalty kick in the 89th minute.

Buzzard Franken-keeper Kevin Hartmann claims the PK play was another of Fredy Montero's deap sea dives, but from where I was standing (I had a a good line of sight on the play), it sure as hell looked like a foul. I thought the ugly bugger should've been handed a red card for his troubles.

Fredy certainly took a few dives. Who can blame him? After watching the BUzzards dive all game long, he probably felt he should test the water.

Anyhow, great game. Eletric intensity at Starfire. Sounders were after this one all game long and did well to secure victory before OT. More here from Jose Miguel Romero. The right team moves on to the semi-final match against Houston.

I'll miss the next game (not even sure I can get it on TV!), but will be back in the stands for Chelsea and the US Open Cup semis.

Go Sounders FC!

Random Posts

Stephen Colbert announces soccer's arrival in the states.

Daniel Harris notes that Real Madrid's spending spree is loony and quite possibly threatening to world soccer...but MLS as a sane alternative model?

Sounders Sign a Left Back, Arsenal Signs Noone

Sounders gaffer Sigi Schmid may have agreed with me that we need to shore up the left back position. Tyson Wahl is not quite the answer. So, the Sounders have signed Costa Rican defender Leonardo Gonzalez, apparently for that position, though he has versatility to play at different positions. My guess is left back.

There's nothing happening this weekend with the Rave Green. Next game is the US Open Cup quarterfinal against the Kansas City Lizards at Starfire Tuesday night. Brad Evans got the call up to join the US team this weekend at CONCACAF qualifying at Qwest. Let's hope he gets some quality field time.

I'll be watching youth soccer this weekend (God help me!).

Also in the MLS, Landon Donovan puts out a big, flaming welcome-home-bastard message for LA Galactico teammate David Bowie...er, David Beckham. I can't keep all these superstars apart. Say what you want about Becks, but at least we have an answer to the trivia question: "What was the MLS's most expensive mistake?"

Oh, and over at Emirates Way, the team's signing activity has hit a fever pitch, with absolutely noone being signed in the last week. It is rumoured though, that an aggressive steroids program has doubled the strength of midfielders Cesc Fabregas and Theo Walcott. This rumour has been quasi-confirmed with Walcott besting Portsmouth striker and professional circus tent pole Peter Crouch in a best-of-seven arm wrestling contest (though Walcott later lost to Crouch in the Robot Dance competition).