How can that be, for a
squad seeing its luck going from bad to worst in the campaign, very well
looking like there were no prospects of making it into the grand fete of the
playoffs.
All of a sudden, this
club makes some drastic changes in its helm and voila, all of a sudden we have
a contender!
This is a squad
considered as a sort of comeback kids, after their one of kind accomplishments
lately in league play and in the playoffs.
Including a streak
that uplifted this squad above the red line in their conference and in the last
match of the campaign, they earned their pass with a notable win over a
hardened Real Salt Lake.
Suddenly the Boys of
Emerald City are playing like there is no tomorrow, after barely beating a
tough foe in Sporting Kansas City in the knockout rounds.
After their first
feat, their pass to semifinals was sealed and to play with one squad labeled as
an all-around favorite to win it all- after its regular campaign achievements
in the US Open Cup and winning the league utmost trophy in the Supporters
Shield.
Dallas FC came as one
difficult group to put down easily, after sporting an initial eleven not so easy
to tango with and these looking so hungry, that many put Oscar Pareja and his
chaps to deliver the big shield into its halls in Toyota Stadium back at
Frisco, Texas.
So far since their
inception in league play in 1996, dubbed as the so-called originals in Major
League Soccer as the Burn, and since their time in league play, Dallas the closest
they have to come to the MLS Cup was in 2010.
After losing the cup
to Colorado, Dallas is looking forward to bury the past as they did with the
Supporters Shield in 2006 and 2015 and in this campaign they finally broke the
curse and won this prestigious award second to the MLS Cup.
In game one for the
Western Conference Semifinals, Seattle had the joy and enjoying their good
fortunes of opening this difficult and challenging series against the American version
of the Hoops at Century Link Field.
For the Sounders new
Boss Brian Schmetzer, still considered as an interim, the former assistant
under Sigi Schmidt since this club came to life in MLS play in 2009, this man
has seen it all and now he is putting his experience to work.
So far doing a magnificent
job at the helm of this Cascadia club and looking like his Rave Greens can make
a run into the league title as their neighbors down south the I-5 did in last
campaign, with the prospects of the MLS Cup can continue its stay in Cascadia.
With one of those,
amazing rainy afternoons the Pacific Northwest known for, it was ShowTime for
both squads and the pressure was not only for the local Sounders but also for the
visiting Hoops, these showing off a paramount campaign once again.
The Texans Boss Oscar
Pareja sporting a 5-3-2 formation with five defenders, with two of those used
in the offensive attack as as wingers accompanying three midfielders to distribute
some game to its two strikers in Maxi Urruti and Michael Barrios.
Still the formation and
use of five defenders that later could involve the offense sent a message to
the Sounders, after its Boss sent a traditional 4-3-2-1 formation with a lone Nelson
Valdez in the attack but supported by a trio composed of Lodeiro, Morris and
Frieberg.
Since the early start
of the match, the Rave Greens became a menace into the Dallas backfield and its
keeper Chris Seitz, who made some heroic saves to prevent a prolific of a goal
fest in favor of the locals.
After the first half ended,
it when the Sounders started their usual attacks at Dallas backfield and in a
matter of eight minutes after Nelson Valdez opened the score in the 50th
minute then followed by a double by Nicolas Lodeiro in the 55 and 58.
With this goal fest, the
Dallas FC squad once again saw its usual playoff meltdowns as they are on the
brink of elimination if they do not score three goals or more back at Toyota Stadium,
as they can kiss their amazing campaign goodbye.
Very well, with an
away goal the Sounders score against the Texans, the feat will be complete for
the Emerald City squad and advance once again to another conference final to
face either LA or Colorado.
One down and one more
to go at Dallas, will the Sounders complete the feat, will the defense hold on
for Brian Schmetzer squad, who will score, these questions will be answered on November
6 at the colossus in Frisco, Texas.
Post
Contents and Property of Fern Mc Costigan © Copyright All Rights Reserved
Photos
Credit, Courtesy and Property of © Logan Riely Seattle Times 2016
Photos
Credit and Property of © Copyright Major League Soccer. com 2016
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