League-leading Sounders Ride Momentum Into World Cup Break

Unbeaten in four straight outings, Seattle Sounders FC heads into the World Cup break atop the table and seven points clear of second place in the Supporters’ Shield standings. The club is on a three-week break from MLS action, returning June 28 at D.C. United.

Sounders FC (10-3-2, 32 points) extended its lead atop the standings to seven points with Saturday’s 3-2 road win over the Chicago Fire. Seattle has held the top spot for a club record seven straight weeks and remained unbeaten all-time against the Fire (6-0-3).

Obafemi Martins scored two first-half goals before Lamar Neagle netted the game-winner in the second half Saturday night, giving Seattle its league-high fifth three-goal game of the season. Martins’ production has been consistent all season, ranking in the top five league-wide in both goals (8) and assists (6).

Sounders FC has the week off of training before returning on June 14 to prepare for the 2014 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Seattle will host PSA Elite (USASA) in the fourth round of the tournament on June 18. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. PT at Starfire Stadium in Tukwila, Wash., with a live stream on SoundersFC.com.

After resuming MLS play against D.C. United, Sounders FC will stay on the road for the July 5 match against the Vancouver Whitecaps FC. The next home match is set for July 13 against the Portland Timbers on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field.

Tickets for Sounders FC home matches, including the Tottenham Hotspur friendly, are available now at www.SoundersFC.com and 1-877-MLS-GOAL. The 5-Match ticket package is also available now with expanded seating to include the upper bowl at CenturyLink Field.

Competition Schedule (All times Pacific; subject to change)

June 18, 7 p.m. – Sounders FC vs. PSA Elite, Starfire Stadium

June 28, 4 p.m. – Sounders FC at D.C. United, RFK Stadium

July 5, 7 p.m. – Sounders FC at Vancouver Whitecaps FC, BC Place

July 13, 7 p.m. – Sounders FC vs. Portland Timbers, CenturyLink Field

July 19, 1 p.m. – Sounders FC vs. Tottenham Hotspur, CenturyLink Field

First-Place Sounders

Sounders FC remains atop the Supporters’ Shield standings after Saturday’s 3-2 win at Chicago, extending its lead to seven points ahead of Real Salt Lake. Seattle’s 10 wins are three more than any other MLS side and the 32 goals scored are six more than second place. The club has been in first place since a 4-1 win over Colorado on April 26, marking a club-record seven straight weeks in first place. Sounders FC is the only team in MLS to average more than two points per game (2.13)

League Leaders

Category Total (Rank) Points 32 (1st) Points Per Game 2.13 (1st) Wins 10 (1st) Goals Scored 32 (1st) Goal Differential 9 (1st) Home Goals Scored 16 (2nd) Road Goals Scored 16 (1st) Assists 30 (1st) Shots 210 (4th) Shots on Goal 87 (1st) Scoring Pct. 14.2 (1st) Shots on Goal Pct. 41.4 (2nd) Multi-goal Games 10 (1st) Fouls Suffered 259 (1st)

Seattle On Pace for League Record

With 32 points through 15 games, the 2014 Sounders are on pace to have the best single season in MLS history. The club is averaging 2.13 points per game, slightly ahead of the 1998 LA Galaxy’s pace, who accumulated a league-record 68 points in 32 games. LA also holds the post-shootout era record for points in a season when the Galaxy earned 67 points in 2011, good for a 1.97 points per game average. The 2005 San Jose Earthquakes are the only team in the post-shootout era to average two points per game over the course of a season, earning 64 points in 32 games.

Sounders FC is seven points ahead of its franchise-best point total through 15 games, set in 2012. The team also reached 15 points nearly a month ahead of 2011’s pace, when the team set a club record with 63 points.

Year Points through 15 games (record) Date when hit 32 points Total season points (record) 2009 22 (5-3-7) August 15 47 (12-7-11) 2010 15 (4-8-3) August 28 48 (14-10-6) 2011 21 (5-4-6) July 4 63 (18-7-9) 2012 25 (7-4-4) July 28 56 (15-8-11) 2013 24 (7-5-3) August 10 52 (15-12-7) 2014 32 (10-3-2) June 7 tbd

Player Spotlight

Sounders FC has performed very well in the lead up to the World Cup break, leading the league in several categories. The club didn’t miss a beat when USMNT Headh Coach Jurgen Klinsmann selected three Sounders players to his 30-man roster on May 12. Since then, Seattle is unbeaten in four games (3-0-1), including back-to-back wins heading into the break, much in thanks to a number of other players that have stepped up to fill the void.

Obafemi Martins – Martins scored a first-half brace in Saturday’s 3-2 win at Chicago, giving him eight goals on the season, tying Clint Dempsey for the team-lead. In addition to matching his 2013 goal total, Martins’ 22 points have eclipsed his total from a season ago. He is currently the only player in MLS to rank in the top five in goals (T-3rd) and assists (T-2nd). Martins is just the fourth player in club history to score eight goals and six assists in a season, joining Fredy Montero (2009-12), Nate Jaqua (2009), and Steve Zakuani (2010). Martins is also tied-fifth league-wide in shots on goal (18), tied-eighth in fouls suffered (32), and tied-seventh in shots on goal percentage (52.9).

Lamar Neagle – Neagle scored his second game-winner of the season Saturday with a 10-yard rocket in the 78th minute, giving Seattle a 3-1 lead and the eventual win. The goal marked his 18th career goal for Sounders FC, moving him into sole position of third place all-time in club history behind Fredy Montero and Eddie Johnson. In addition to his five goals and four assists this season, the Federal Way native is tied-fifth in MLS in shots on goal (18) and third in shots on goal percentage (60.0). For his efforts Saturday, Neagle was named to MLSSoccer.com’s Team of the Week, marking his first selection of the season.

Stefan Frei – Frei made three spectacular saves Saturday, including an 88th-minute stop nominated for MLS Save of the Week, to preserve the win against Chicago. His 10 wins are a new career-high, passing the nine he recorded as a rookie with Toronto in 2009. Frei also ranks among the league-leaders with four shutouts (tied-fourth) and 43 saves (seventh). After returning from the World Cup break with road fixtures at D.C. and Vancouver, Frei will take a 254-minute home shutout streak into a July 13 matchup with the Portland Timbers at CenturyLink Field.

Kenny Cooper – Just 12 minutes after entering against Chicago, Cooper made his presence known, heading a cross in the box to a wide-open Lamar Neagle for the game-winner. He has now recorded an assist in three straight matches, giving him four on the season and matching his career-high set as a rookie in 2006. The eight-year veteran has been productive in both a starting and reserve role, scoring six points (2 goal, 2 assists) in 473 minutes as a starter and four points (1 goal, 2 assists) as a substitute.

Marco Pappa – Pappa recorded his second assist of the season against his former team on Saturday when his cross set up Neagle’s goal, marking his second game-winning assist of 2014. He has appeared in each of the last 11 games in the midfield, earning MLSSoccer.com Team of the Week honors for his performance against RSL (5/31) when he converted a 25-yard free kick for his first goal of the season. Pappa has been aggressive on both sides of the field, earning praise from coaches for his defensive play as well the attack, where he ranks fourth on the team with 25 shots and eight shots on goal.

Chad Barrett – Barrett has made the most of his opportunities in his first season in Seattle, scoring three goals and one assist in 2014. After previously scoring the game-winner in the season opener against KC (3/8) and assisting the game-winner at DAL (4/12), the 10-year pro has started the last three games heading into the break, scoring two goals. With just 312 minutes played this season, Barrett ranks tied-eighth in MLS with 0.87 goals per 90 minutes.

World Cup Break

As Major League Soccer heads into a break of play, sights will shift to the world stage as the 2014 FIFA World Cup kicks off on Thursday in Brazil. Team USA will play its first game on Monday against Ghana, followed by Portugal on June 22, and Germany on June 26.

Sounders FC will be represented on the biggest stage by two of its stars. Clint Dempsey will captain the USMNT to Brazil, marking his third career World Cup. He is among the all-time leaders for Team USA, ranking second in goals (37), eighth in assists (13), and 10th in caps (105). Dempsey’s next international appearance will tie him with Eric Wynalda for ninth all time.

Seattle-native DeAndre Yedlin is making his first trip to the World Cup, becoming the first-ever MLS Homegrown Player to represent the United States in the world’s biggest tournament. The 20-year-old is the second youngest player on the roster and has earned his first international caps in 2014, appearing in four games as a substitute.

USMNT Competition Schedule

Date Time (PT) Home Team Away Team Stadium Broadcast Mon., June 16 3 p.m. Ghana USA Arena das Dunas ESPN Sun., June 22 3 p.m. USA Portugal Arena da Amazonia ESPN Thurs., June 26 9 a.m. USA Germany Arena Pernambuco ESPN

Sounders FC Loans Three Players to OC Blues

Seattle Sounders FC has loaned goalkeeper Josh Ford, midfielder Aaron Kovar, and forward Sean Okoli to the Orange County Blues of the USL-PRO through June 14. Ford joined the Blues on Friday, June 6, for his second stint with OC this season before being joined after the weekend by Kovar and Okoli. The players will be available for two more games before being recalled, Wednesday’s match at Orlando City SC and Friday’s at the Charlotte Eagles.

Sounders FC to Host PSA Elite on June 18

Seattle Sounders FC will host PSA Elite (USASA) in the fourth round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on June 18. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. PT at Starfire Stadium in Tukwila, Wash., with a live stream on www.SoundersFC.com.

Sounders FC will attempt to win its fourth championship in six years after reaching the final four straight seasons (2009-12). In 2011, Seattle became the first club in 42 years and fourth altogether to win the Open Cup three consecutive years. PSA Elite beat the LA Galaxy II in a penalty shootout following a scoreless draw in the third round on May 28. PSA Elite advanced past the San Diego Flash (NPSL) in the second round on May 14 after ousting the LA Misioneros (PDL) in a penalty shootout in the first round on May 7.

The fifth round is scheduled for June 24-25, the quarterfinals for July 8-9, the semifinals for August 12-13, and the final for September 30 or October 1.