Seattle has used Djimi Traore, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado and Zach Scott at center back this season and Ianni has worked himself into the lineup for the first time since last September.
SEATTLE – For the first time in 10 months, Patrick Ianni is in the starting XI for Sigi Schmid’s Sounders FC.
The 28-year-old defender missed the latter part of the 2012 season with a back injury, then struggled through the early portions of the 2013 season with a broken foot. Now with the team embroiled in a three-match winless streak, Schmid has turned to Ianni to shore up the middle of the defense.
A veteran of eight MLS seasons, Ianni has 74 career matches in five seasons for Seattle. He has three goals to his credit, including the 2012 MLS Goal of the Year. His last MLS start came on September 22.
He will be joining with mainstay Djimi Traore in central defense and will be flanked by DeAndre Yedlin on the right and Leo Gonzalez on the left in front of goalkeeper Andrew Weber, who is filling in for regular starter Michael Gspurning.
In the midfield, Osvaldo Alonso will start with Brad Evans in the middle, ending a streak of 12 straight starts for Servando Carrasco. Mauro Rosales will captain Seattle and start on the right with Marc Burch making his third straight start on the left. Obafemi Martins and Lamar Neagle are starting at forward.
The Seattle bench is made up of pool goalkeeper Doug Herrick along with Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Zach Scott, Dylan Remick, Servando Carrasco, David Estrada and Eriq Zavaleta.
For Chivas USA, the starters will be goalkeeper Dan Kennedy; defenders Maro de Luna, Carlos Bocanegra, Carlos Borja and Marky Delgado; a five-man midfield of Carlos Alvarez, Edgar Mejia, Gabriel Farfan, Jorge Villafana and Tristan Bowen; and forward Erick Torres.
On the bench is Patrick McLain, Jaime Frias, Julio Morales, Aaron Ponce, Steve Purdy, Jose Rivera and Josue Soto.
