On Friday at CenturyLink Field, the intensity is destined to match the stakes. Sounders FC hosts Vancouver Whitecaps FC with plenty on the line between the two clubs.
The rivals are both celebrating 40th anniversaries with visions of Cascadia Cup glory, and victory would hold extra meaning for each side. Seattle is vying for the Supporters’ Shield while Vancouver is fighting to hold on to playoff positioning entering the final weeks of the season.
"It's time to dig deep,” said Sounders FC defender Chad Marshall, who won the Supporters’ Shield three times with the Columbus Crew. “It’s gut check time. There’s a lot at stake and we need to rise to the challenge.”
Seattle enters the match even with the LA Galaxy at 60 points. Either Sounders FC or the Galaxy will finish the season with the Supporters’ Shield, which will be decided when the two teams square off in the final two weeks of the regular season.
Meanwhile, the Whitecaps sit in fifth place, grasping to the final playoff spot with a one-point lead over the Portland Timbers entering Portland’s match against the San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday.
In addition, the winner of Friday’s match will hoist the Cascadia Cup for the second time in the MLS era. In the case of a draw, Seattle would win the trophy.
READ: Full-stadium home matches have resulted in victories for Sounders FC
All of those elements provide ample motivation for the Sounders.
“I think we’re a team that’s pretty good about coming out motivated to play, especially at home,” Sounders FC Head Coach Sigi Schmid said. “It’s going to be a big crowd. It’s got Cascadia Cup implications. It allows us to stay in first place. We can put pressure on the Galaxy. For all those reasons I expect us to be motivated. But more so than anything, the team sees there are three regular-season games left and they can smell the goal that we set for ourselves. When you get this close you want to make sure you don’t let down.”
Awaiting beyond the horizon of Friday’s match is a two-match showdown with the LA Galaxy to close out the regular season. While that series looms large, Sounders FC’s focus remains steely-eyed on the Vancouver Whitecaps first.
“I think we’re looking at it one game at a time. I think every game is important now. It’s all about points,” Marshall said. “It’s a home game for us, so it’s a chance for us to get three points. At the same time, they’re a team that’s highly motivated because they want to sneak into the playoffs. It’s going to be a tough, tough game.”
Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. PT from CenturyLink Field with a national television broadcast on NBC Sports Network.
