Since entering Major League Soccer in 2009, the Seattle Sounders have never played a completely meaningless game.
That is, until Sunday.
The Sounders, who will miss the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, will play host to the last-place San Jose Earthquakes in the regular-season finale.
It’s been a bittersweet season for the Sounders (12-17-4, 40 points), who became the first MLS team to win the CONCACAF Champions League in its current format this spring.
Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei insisted there’s still something to play for — the fans.
“I think for the majority (of players), they know there’s some weight to it for ourselves, everything you represent,” Frei said. “This game is important. Whoever is going to be on the pitch needs to be prepared.”
Leading scorer Raul Ruidiaz missed last weekend’s 1-0 defeat at Sporting Kansas City that sealed the Sounders’ fate with an ankle injury and is questionable to play Sunday.
“I know he’s motivated to try to get out there,” Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer said. “It might be a long shot, but he’s trying.”
The Earthquakes have won two of their past three matches against Seattle after going winless in their previous 14 (0-8-6). On April 23, San Jose won 4-3 at home, marking the first time in Sounders history that they lost after holding a two-goal lead.
The Earthquakes (8-15-10, 34 points) will be trying to win back-to-back games for the first time this season after a 2-0 victory against Minnesota United last week.
Midfielder Shea Salinas, who has announced he will retire after his 15th MLS season — 13 of which have been with the Earthquakes — scored on a direct free kick against the Loons.
“We had a solid game. The guys were very, very focused. They knew what they had to do,” Earthquakes interim coach Alex Covelo said. “Regardless of the situation, regardless of the standings, regardless of the new teams that are going to come, regardless of the season that we’ve had, they did great because it’s not easy and they wanted to have Shea (Salinas) play.”
–Field Level Media
