The Seattle Sounders FC have returned to a city full of buzz around its professional soccer club
The Sounders FC are back from Ventura, Calif., and there is a brand new buzz surrounding the team after the club announced today that they will face English giant Chelsea FC in a summer friendly.
After two weeks of training camp in southern California, the Sounders FC will train at Qwest Field Wednesday morning. While in the golden state, the club showed the dynamic scoring attack that they hoped for, scoring 13 goals over four games and going 3-1 in the process.
Sanna Nyassi, Steve Zakuani, Nate Jaqua and Fredy Montero each had two-goal games as they topped the LA Galaxy 3-1, Chinese club Shandong Luneng 2-0 and the PDL’s Ventura County Fusion 6-1. Their lone defeat came 3-2 to the San Jose Earthquakes in the finale of the 12-day leg of training camp. Jaqua and Montero proved to be a potent duo up top while Nyassi, Zakuani and Sebastien Le Toux all were forces on the wings. Brad Evans played an apt quarterback in the midfield with Osvaldo Alonso held his own as well.
That depth in the midfield gave the Sounders FC flexibility to make a trade to strengthen the defense. In successive trades, the club added defender Tyrone Marshall from Toronto FC and sent midfielder Khano Smith to the New York Red Bulls. Allocation money was exchanged in both deals.
Seattle will train at Qwest Field Wednesday and Thursday before a preseason game against the Portland Pilots at University of Portland’s Merlo Field Friday night. That game will be followed Sunday by a game at Qwest Field against the Vancouver Whitecaps, all preceding a trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina, to continue training as they prepare for the season-opener March 19 against New York.
The match against Chelsea FC falls July 18 at Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field. The noon kickoff will be televised live on ESPN2. The match is part of the Sounders FC full 18-game season ticket package.
Chelsea features a star-studded lineup led by captain and defender John Terry and midfielder Frank Lampard-both members of the English National Team-and other accomplished internationals such as Didier Drogba, Michael Ballack and Deco.
In anticipation of the demand for tickets, seating at Qwest Field will be expanded to include the upper bowl for the Chelsea game.
The Blues finished second in the EPL the past two seasons and in 2008 they were runners-up in Europe’s most prestigious competition, the UEFA Champions League. The recent run of success also includes an FA Cup (2007) and two Carling Cups (2005, 2007).
An on-sale date to purchase tickets exclusively for the Chelsea match will be announced later this spring. Season ticket memberships that include the Chelsea match are available by phone at 1-877-MLS-GOAL or online at www.SoundersFC.com.
