Considering the offensive firepower that D.C. United will take into CenturyLink Field today, Sounders FC doesn’t want anyone but Kasey Keller in goal.
However, if a switch was needed, it would be rookie Josh Ford who would take the pitch as the Sounders’ No. 2 goalkeeper.
Ford moved up last week when veteran Terry Boss was put on the disabled list due to concussions. And Ford retains his top-reserve spot despite the Monday signing of rookie Bryan Meredith.
“Ford is the guy who’s been with us all season,” coach Sigi Schmid said. “He’s the guy who will be our No. 2 and be on our bench (today).”
Ford attended UConn and was selected 11th overall in the 2011 Supplemental Draft. Meredith attended Monmouth (N.J.) and was taken 29th overall in the 2011 SuperDraft.
The Sounders retained Ford, who has trained with the team but has not appeared in any games.
They released Meredith, who hooked on with the Kitsap Pumas and appeared in 15 games with a 0.53 goals-against average in their run to the Premier Development League championship.
“I wouldn’t change the way it happened,” Meredith said Friday after rejoining the Sounders at Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila. “I was definitely able to train this whole summer and get a lot of games in. … Obviously the decision to stick around (the area) definitely paid off.”
Schmid wouldn’t say which path was more beneficial for each rookie’s professional development.
“That’s something that you can tell over time, and that’s something that we’ve discussed internally,” he said. “… In all my years of coaching, I’ve always felt … development is most optimal when you play games at the highest level.”
There could be a chance for one or both players to get international experience if the Sounders assure themselves of advancing from CONCACAF Champions League group play – which could happen as early as Tuesday, when Herediano visits.
However, it would take unforeseen circumstances for either to get on the pitch today against D.C. United – a game with playoff implications for both teams.
United comes in with a 3-1-2 record over its last six games and has averaged 2.16 goals over that stretch.
Individually, two of the top 10 MLS goal-scorers wear the red and black: Charlie Davies, who is tied for third in the league with 11 goals; and Dwayne De Rosario, who is tied for eighth with nine.
“They’re a much-improved team over last year; more consistent,” Schmid said. “The loss of (midfielder Chris) Pontius is something that’s a blow for them, but I’m sure everybody’s going to work a little bit harder now. Charlie Davies, they rested a bit, so he’s come back with a little more of a flurry. But they’ve got good attacking pieces. … And obviously with the addition of De Rosario, who’s become kind of the focal point of their team, it’s changed (their) team dynamic dramatically.”
don.ruiz@thenewstribune.com twitter/donruiztnt
SOUNDERS GAMEDAY
D.C. UNITED (8-7-10; 34 PTS) AT SOUNDERS FC (13-6-9; 48 PTS)
6 p.m., CenturyLink Field
TV: KONG 6/16. RADIO: 97.3-FM, 99.3-FM (Spanish).
CLUB LEADERS: For D.C. – G 11 Charlie Davies; A 5, Chris Pontius and Josh Wolff; S 53, Pontius; SOG 20, Pontius; GAA 1.24, Bill Hamid. For Seattle – G 7, Fredy Montero; A 10, Mauro Rosales; S 82, Montero; SOG 30, Montero; GAA 1.11, Kasey Keller.
HEAD TO HEAD: In league matches, the series is 2-2-1 with nine goals for each team. D.C. is 1-0-1 in Seattle. United won, 2-1, on its home pitch May 4. In the only nonleague meeting, Seattle took a 2-1 win for the 2009 U.S. Open Cup.
NOTES: D.C. is 3-1-2 over its last six games and has averaged 2.16 goals over that run. Seattle is 9-2-4 over its last 15, but is coming off a 2-1 home loss to Real Salt Lake. The Sounders have lost back-to-back home games only once in their history (2010). … Seattle is seven points behind Los Angeles in the Supporters’ Shield race. D.C. is among a cluster of teams playing for the 10th and final playoff position. … United leads the league with six three-goal games. … The visitors are 5-4-4 on the road and 3-0-1 on the West Coast. … Davies is the defending MLS player of the week after recording a hat trick last weekend at Chivas USA. Dwayne De Rosario is defending MLS player of the month. … Pontius (tibia) is out for the season. … Former Seattle midfielder Stephen King signed a new contract with D.C. last week. … United has received the fewest cautions and committed the second-fewest fouls in MLS. … The Sounders’ Jhon Kennedy Hurtado and Servando Carrasco are out due to disciplinary suspension. Osvaldo Alonso, Eric Friberg, Tyson Wahl and Montero all are one yellow card from suspension. … The referee is Kevin Stott.
QUOTABLE: “You’ve got to defend against the full width of the field because they’ve got people who can come at you from wide positions. … One thing that we have to make sure is that the game doesn’t get stretched and we don’t give them a chance to show their counterattacking ability.” – Sounders coach Sigi Schmid on D.C. United.
NEXT: Seattle returns to CONCACAF Champions League at 7 p.m. Tuesday against Herediano, Costa Rica, at CenturyLink Field. The Sounders’ next MLS match is 7:30 p.m. Sept. 24 at Vancouver.
Don Ruiz, staff writer
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