The Seattle Sounders will take on the San Jose Earthquakes in a Western Conference showdown on Saturday, April 8. Here is a breakdown of everything you need to know about the match:
WHEN AND WHERE: Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. PT at Avaya Stadium in San Jose, Calif.
WHERE TO WATCH: The game will be televised on Q13 FOX and Univision.
WHERE TO LISTEN: The game will air on KIRO Radio 97.3 FM and in Spanish on El Rey 1360AM.
2017 RECORDS: Sounders: 1-1-2 (5 points), Earthquakes: 2-2-0 (6 points)
ALL-TIME HISTORY: Seattle is 7-10-4 all time against San Jose, although the Sounders went 1-0-1 against the ‘Quakes last season after a 2-0 win in Seattle in May and a 1-1 draw in San Jose in September.
PRESEASON MEETING: The Sounders fell 1-0 to the ‘Quakes in a scrimmage in Tucson, Ariz., in February. Former Sounder Cordell Cato scored the game-winner, while Seattle featured many of its Academy and reserve players.
ROAD STRUGGLES: The Sounders are just 1-5-3 all time in San Jose, with Seattle’s only win coming on July 31, 2010.
RETURN OF ROMAN: Avaya Stadium has been quite the venue for Sounders defender Roman Torres. In 2015, just four games after joining Seattle, he tore his ACL in San Jose. He made his return to competitive action last September for the first time in a year when the Sounders coincidentally visited San Jose.
STATEMENT SHUTOUT: The Sounders played to a scoreless home draw with high-powered Atlanta United last Friday to earn their first clean sheet in four games. Head coach Brian Schmetzer called the shutout a “big statement,” especially given a resting Torres, injured Oniel Fisher and ill Chad Marshall all didn’t play on the back line.
DEMPSEY DYNAMO: Forward Clint Dempsey is in fantastic form, having scored 11 goals in his last nine matches for club and country dating back to his final three games of the 2016 season before being shut down with an irregular heartbeat. He came on as a second-half substitute against Atlanta after resting in the first half and nearly added a 12th goal on his first touch when he sent a powerful header off the post.
HALL OF FAME INDUCTION: Prior to Saturday’s match, the Earthquakes will induct former goalkeeper Joe Cannon in their Hall of Fame. A northern California native, Cannon spent seven seasons with the San Jose Clash and Earthquakes in two different stints from 1999-2002 and 2008-10.
BERNARDEZ BANNED: Earthquakes defender Victor Bernardez will serve a one-match suspension against the Sounders on Saturday after receiving a straight red card for a tackle on New York City FC’s Tommy McNamara last week. Bernardez had started each of San Jose’s first four matches this season.
WONDERFULLY WONDO: Earthquakes forward Chris Wondolowski has 10 career goals against the Sounders, the most by any player for either team in the series. He scored San Jose’s lone goal in two matches against Seattle last year.
