Seattle Sounders will be looking to continue their rejuvenated form when they welcome Colorado Rapids to Lumen Field this midweek for Major League Soccer action.

The Rave Green enter this encounter on a three-match unbeaten run that has lifted them to fourth in the Western Conference, while the visitors are three places and four points adrift.

Match preview

Competing against the world’s best at the Club World Cup appears to have had a galvanising effect on Seattle, who have returned to the domestic scene with renewed energy and purpose.

Brian Schmetzer’s men had entered that competition on the back of successive defeats in Major League Soccer and bowed out without a single point from their three group-stage outings, but since their exit from the tournament, the Sounders have looked like a side reborn.

Seattle have now taken seven points from a possible nine in the top flight, with their most recent outing producing a thrilling 3-2 triumph away to Sporting Kansas City, taking their total to 33 points from 21 matches played. 

A noticeable shift in their approach has been the intensity with which the Rave Green have started matches, having found the net in the opening half in each of their last three games and taking a lead into the break in two of them, a clear contrast to the pair of league fixtures that preceded this upturn where they failed to register before the interval. 

Seattle’s attacking output has remained steady with 31 goals scored, although they have also shown a soft underbelly defensively, shipping 28 and recording just six clean sheets.

Five of those shutouts have come at Lumen Field, where they have claimed six victories in 10 league fixtures (D3, L1), and with such home comfort paired with a strong recent record against Colorado, there is reason to feel confident heading into this clash.

Indeed, the Rapids are winless in their last six meetings with Seattle (L4, D2), a streak they will be desperate to bring to an end.

There was a glimmer of light for Colorado last time out as they dispatched Vancouver Whitecaps 3-0, snapping a run of three games without a win and bringing them to 29 points from 23 matches.

Chris Armas’s side have battled inconsistency all season, managing back-to-back victories on just two occasions, and they will hope this latest success can be a springboard, having failed to follow up their previous triumph against Los Angeles Galaxy.  

That said, Colorado’s away form has been nothing short of dismal, failing to win in their last seven on the road and collecting only two points in that spell.

Their travel woes have been closely tied to a leaky defence that has conceded two or more in each of those seven games, in sharp contrast to the start of the season, when the Rapids let in just one across their first three away fixtures.

Seattle Sounders MLS form:

Seattle Sounders form (all competitions):

Colorado Rapids MLS form:

Team News

Seattle will be without Nouhou Tolo, who picked up a stoppage-time red card in the win over Kansas and is now suspended, with Reed Baker-Whiting expected to slot in at left-back in his absence.   

Joao Paulo (knee), Kee-Hee Kim (calf), Paul Arriola (cruciate ligament), Stefan Frei (head) and Stuart Russell Hawkins (hip) are all unavailable for selection.

There is also concern over right-back Alex Roldan, who was forced off in the previous match and is a doubt for this one.

Colorado will travel without 20-year-old winger Alex Harris and midfielder Wayne Frederick, who are sidelined with ankle and hip injuries, respectively.

The visitors will once again turn to Rafael Navarro, with the 25-year-old Brazilian finding the net in three of his last four appearances and looking full of confidence to lead the line.

Seattle Sounders possible starting lineup:

Thomas; A. Roldan, Ragen, Ball, Baker-Whiting; Vargas, C. Roldan; Ferreira, Rusnak, Rothrock; Morris

Colorado Rapids possible starting lineup:

Steffen; Vines, Maxso, Awaziem, Cannon; Ronan, Basset; Ku-DiPietro, Mihailovic, Harris; Navarro 

We say: Seattle Sounders 2-1 Colorado Rapids

Given Seattle’s solid record on home soil and Colorado’s troubles on their travels, the scales appear tipped in favour of the hosts, especially with the Sounders having scored at least two goals in six of their 10 league games at Lumen Field.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

Written by
Adeyeye Oluwapelumi

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