It took a great goal from Davy Arnaud to mark what was otherwise a very forgettable game. However the season has started and an evening watching football, and enjoying good beer with friends will always time well spent.
RBP pregame
ECS tifo prior to kick off
It’s well documented that live sports is like crack to me, there are a few reasons for that. The drama, unpredictability, the chance to see some spectacular, anticipation, the athletics, appreciating the skill involved and so on. Those are all fine things, but top of the list is the shared experience, the atmosphere created by a group of people all emotionally invested in what’s happening on the field of play.
That unity, the us-verses-them mentality makes for a very special atmosphere in the stadium or arena. I’ve been lucky and see some astounding athletes do some incredible things, but it would mean a lot less if it were not for those around me, all of us unified in the moment.
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For the last few months there has been the twitter hashtag going around “#isitmarchyet”. It’s now march and that means it’s time for a couple of IPA in the Pyramid, a Diablo burger and a lot of laughing at friends wearing the fluorescent third kit (every bit as bad in real life as the photos). Then 15 minutes before kickoff, the walk to the stadium.
Opening day is special, and a quarter final of the awkwardly named CONCACAF Champions League made this one a little different.
I’ve taken part in plenty of opening days and I think what we have is real. This was a special night and what we share here in Seattle is authentic, every bit as authentic as Highfield Road, Rec Ground, San Siro or White Heart Lane. Really, the atmosphere here is as good as any other stadium in the world.
It can’t be faked.
I love the feeling of walking into the bowl of the stadium. Looking up at the lights, checking out my new seats and on my left the Emerald City Supporters are already pogoing away. Its match day at RBP, and the atmosphere is as good as any other stadium in the world.
Last night was a big game, and the Sounders played to match the occasion. I thought Seattle could come away with a win, but always felt Santos Laguna were favorites.
The result was a credit to the club and staff. Seattle clearly prepared well during the pre-season and from the kickoff too the game to the visitors. The 2-1 win at RBP sets up the second leg wonderfully, everything to play for and clearly Santos Laguna will have to look for the win. It should be a great night and I can hardly wait.
The links at the bottom of the page tell the story of the game better than I can.
I liked what I saw, they were a club able to play a good possession game, hold the ball and then attack quickly. If this is how they play all year, there is no one they should be scared of in MLS.
This could be a special year, and I know every fan talks like that on opening day, but it really could be.
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The 2012 MLS schedule was published this morning. A couple of nice surprises, a little disappointment, but over all I think it’s a good schedule for Seattle.
Prior to the MLS schedule we have the Champions League quarter final home and away legs. That has the potential to really open the season up in a big way. Win over the two games and it’s into the last four and that is a big deal. additionally, in August through October there is the group stages for the 2012-2013 Champions League that the Sounders have already qualified for, no play-in game this year. and somewhere in this there will be open cup. A fourth US Open cup in a row would be tough, but they are holders until someone knocks them out.
The league has given us a schedule that supports Seattle being successful in this competition, and that’s huge. They have a bye weekend between the two quarter final legs, and no east coast travel after the NYRB game in July.
What else do I see as good.
Disappointments are few.
A few games got circled on the calendar today and other than the Cascadia games, I think this is a great schedule for Seattle.
For the second year running we are approaching the expansion draft. Next week Montreal get to pick 10 players for their new MLS squad. Each existing team get to protect 11 players; those left off the list are fair game for selection. Teams can only loose one player to the expansion draft, last year they could loose two.
As before Generation Adidas and home grown players don’t count against the 11. For Seattle only Michael Tetteh is automatically protected.
So the big question is who do the Sounders protect? There are a numbers of things that have to be taken into account when creating this list.
Who will be gracing RBP next year?
So it’s time for the list and my reasons.
There the people I think are the automatics:
Rosales is out of contract, but both sides are making noises that it’s a done deal so he stays on the automatic list for me.
Coming back from a massive injury, but you can’t expose him as he’d be snapped up in a second. OK, that’s the obvious ones accounted for, lets fill out the rest… Read more…
It all came to a halt last night and no one should have been surprised, after Saturday the odds of playing in the conference final Sunday were long. And that’s no ones fault other than the players that put on the atrocious display in Salt Lake Saturday night.
In the past I’ve been impressed by Salt Lake, but after the last couple of games I think they have been shown to be typical MLS thugs. That’s not their problem, they play a style that works for MLS. It’s a league problem and Seattle has not built a team that’s equipped to play physical play-off football in that way.
The front office and coaching staff somewhere decided that they would build a team that played in the right way. They invested in young, talented players and put together a team that, when they are on, play about the prettiest football in the MLS. And that is something I can get behind. Read more…
Not a game for the ages, but tonight we saw some world class players show how effortless this game can be. We also saw the difference between victory and loss can be wafer thin.
This was the last game of the champions League group stage, Seattle were already through and Monterrey (the defending champions in this competition) came loaded and needed a result to ensure qualification for the knockout stages next spring.
Among the talent on show tonight (and Monterrey has plenty of it) was Humberto Suazo, a top class player who spent last season with Real Zaragoza in the Spanish top flight. He looked like he was going to do something special every time he got the ball. Add Argentinian Cesar Delgardo, Mexican Luis Perez and the rest of the international and this was an excellent team Seattle took on tonight.
Seattle fielded a side with seven changes from the squad that started Saturday against San Jose. This included Brian Meridith making his first start for the club in goal.
Monterrey needed a win tonight and opened the scoring three minutes in when Dario Carrena got onto the end of a lofted through ball from Suazo. A defensive breakdown when no one pressed the Suazo. It was a nicely taken ball and the keeper never really had much of a chance.
The home regular season finished tonight, and it’s been a great year hasn’t it? Unfortunately for the first 75 minutes or so the Sounders were not at their best, there was little creativity and only one chance worth the name, but how quickly things change in this game.
The headlines will be dominated by two things, a crowd of a little over 64,000 and Keller. The crowd number is unquestionable impressive, it was a terrific atmosphere in the stadium and another landmark in the remarkable story of this team.
San Jose went up shortly before half time. Unsurprisingly it was Chris Wondolowski that got on the end of a nicely weighted through ball that split the defense and really gave Keller little chance.
The second half did not start too well for Seattle, they were still flat and the game started to get away from then a little. First there was a rather contentious moment when Fernandez almost started a fight after giving a San Jose player a kick. A few minutes later Alonso lost his head somewhat when a player perhaps went down a little too easily from one of his challenges.
Just after the hour mark Sigi made the change that made all the difference. Rosales came on for Fucito, who had been totally anonymous tonight. It took a while for Rosales to get into the game, but when he did the difference was clear.
Keller had a huge moment with 20 minutes left, four stand up saves one after the other kept it a one goal game. This was the moment that perhaps turned the game as shortly afterwards the equalizer arrived. It was a beautiful through pass from Rosales to Sammy Ochoa that split the defense and gave the new-boy a fairly straightforward tap in.
With a few minutes left to play the winner went in. It was a through ball from Neagle to Montero just outside the six-yard box. Montero did exactly what you expect him to do and gave the keeper no chance.
It was not a great game tonight, but that was fine as last night Salt Lake dropped points and ensured Seattle could no longer be caught for second in the table. It was good to have Rosales back; his importance to this team was clearly seen tonight.
Sigi and his tactical changes were a large part of this win. On reflection it’s difficult to say it was fully deserved as the team did not play well for long stretches, but that’s football and we’ll take the three points. It’s Chivas away next week to close out the regular season then it’s into the playoffs with the big one waiting to be taken by the team that can put three or four great performances together, dare we dream?
The night finished with a tribute to Kasey Keller. As his 20 year career as a professional football is coming to a close he had a huge game again tonight. We are fortunate to get at least one more chance to see him in action; we’ll all be back in a couple of weeks for the home leg of the playoffs. Hopefully another chapter on the clubs history is written that night as they advance towards to MLS Cup. There is unfinished business to be taken care of in this magical season.
Two years ago I was getting on an airplane when there were a couple of minutes left to play and I never found out the result until I got to London. For the 2010 final I was at Royal Brougham Park and the atmosphere was incredible.
Last night I was back at RBP and I think that was the loudest I’ve ever seen the place. From kickoff through to showing the cup off after the final whistle it never stopped.
For a supporter big nights under the lights with something important on the line don’t come along very often, and when they do walking into the stadium feels a little more special. Last night was outstanding. We were treated to two teams that wanted to win the 2011 US Open Cup. No negative tactics from either side, no hanging on for a draw and a referee that let the game flow.
Even better, it was a really good game, and that only added to the night. Either side could have won it. Had Chicago come out on top it would have capped a huge turn around from their awful beginning of the season.
