Today's match will be a little louder as Qwest personnel peal off the rest of the lower level tarp to increase capacity by 4,000 seats. Aaron Weinberg / NSSThe teams played to a 2-2 draw on May 23, with Colorado largely controlling possession in its home stadium against an injury-weakened Seattle side.
This time around Seattle is much more healthy and are benefactors of a fearsome home field advantage, with 4,000 freshly un-tarped seats to fill the lower bowl with a total of 33,000 fans.
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Freddie Ljungberg (hamstring) and Sebastien Le Toux (ankle) are both listed as probable for the match. Steve Zakuani appears erroneously left out of the injury report, but head coach Sigi Schmid said he was further behind in recovery than Le Toux.
The teams are tied for second in the league with 21 goals and first in the league with 25 assists. Seattle's scoring attack shouldn't starve at home, especially if Zakuani and Le Toux are able to play.
Forward Fredy Montero has been heating up, scoring one goal in each of the last three games. Montero had been on an eight week scoring drought until netting one against the Rapids May 23.
Forward Nate Jaqua will be another player the Rapids need to worry about. Jaqua scored the equalizer in their last meeting and statistically Jaqua plays his best scoring soccer in the month of June, scoring 11 goals in his career during the month.
Colorado's attack took a hit when forward Conor Casey, who has eight goals in just 10 games, was called up to the U.S. Men's National team.
Casey terrorized Seattle's defense in their last meeting, netting the 1-1 equalizer nine minutes after Fredy Montero scored on an unassisted header.
Still, Colorado has not lost in eight games. The Rapids are ending a three game streak in nearly a week's stretch, similarly to Seattle's grueling stretch last week.
Seattle has the edge in that respect, having more than a week's worth of rest and no flight.
Injury report from the league:
INJURY REPORT: SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC - OUT: GK Chris Eylander (L medial knee bone bruise); DF Zach Scott (partial tear abdominal muscle); DF Taylor Graham (R metatarsal fracture); DOUBTFUL: FW Jarrod Smith (L hamstring strain); PROBABLE: MF Freddie Ljungberg (L hamstring tightness); MF Sebastien Le Toux (R ankle sprain) ... COLORADO RAPIDS - PROBABLE: MF Terry Cooke (L knee sprain)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: COL: Conor Casey (USA; FIFA Confederations Cup)
One yellow card from suspension: Nate Jaqua
Two yellow cards from suspension: Osvaldo Alonso, Brad Evans, Freddie Ljungberg, Tyrone Marshall, James Riley
Reach Aaron Weinberg at nextseasonsports@gmail.com
