Sounders have a lot going on -- honoring Chad Marshall, playing on new turf and figuring out a lineup
There’s a lot going on Saturday.
The Sounders are honoring recently retired centerback Chad Marshall before their 7 p.m. game against the Vancouver Whitecaps in the team’s annual pride match, where the teams honor the LGBTQ community by wearing special uniforms. It’s the first game to be played on the new turf that was installed at CenturyLink Field, too.
The game is also the first for the slumping Sounders after the team’s two-week international break. Seattle, in a five-game winless streak, has lost four consecutive games and has not won since beating Orlando City on May 15. Making their task against their Cascadia Cup rivals harder is key players are still involved in the Copa America (Raul Ruidiaz playing for Peru) and Gold Cup (Jordan Morris and Cristan Roldan) tournaments.
Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer will also have to adjust to life without forward Will Bruin, who tore his ACL in his right knee during a June 18 training session. One bit of good news: Schmetzer said Thursday he expects defender Kim Kee-Hee back in the lineup after leaving the Sporting KC game with a knee injury.
The strange imbalance of players on international duties and injuries has put Schementzer in a bit of a pickle with his lineup. The team’s made necessary roster adjustments with the possibility of younger players receiving an opportunity.
“We’ve got some young kids that are in contention,” Schmetzer said. “We can play with a false nine we can do some certain things (on offense). There’s certainly some fluidity to the starting lineup for Saturday vs. Vancouver.
“It’s something we have to prepare for and if they don’t happen that group out there will and their plan will be how do we get a win against Vancouver.”
One of those young players in the mix is forward Alfonso Ocamp-Chavez. The 17-year-old from Merced, California, started out the season with the Tacoma Defiance but has been busy in international competitions with Sounders Academy team and the U17 U.S. National Team.
Ocampo-Chavez has been an unused sub in seven matches this season after signing a first-team contract on May 1. He’s shown to be a prolific scorer on the international leaver, getting a hat trick in the 2019 Adidas Generations Cup in the semifinals against West Ham United Academy. In the final against Valencia, he provided the assist in the Sounders’ 1-0 as the team became the first from the MLS to win the tournament.
“I feel very excited, Ocampo-Chavez said at Thursday’s training session about the chance to play, should it come. ”It’s a big step in my career. I’m 17, I’m still young but if I don’t get to step on the field on Saturday night then that’s fine. I’m patient.”
The Sounders also announced they signed forward Justin Dhillon on Friday. The leading scorer for Tacoma Defiance this season, Dhillon has six goals in 14 appearances in his first season for Seattle’s USL side.
Whoever steps onto the field they will do it with new turf underfoot. The team practiced at the stadium on Thursday for the first time on the surface, which replaces the turf that was installed in 2016. The new turf — Revolution 360, for the curious — is designed wear better over time.
Schmetzer seemed pleased with his first look at it but is just excited to be back on any field, considering the layoff and the team’s recent run of play.
“I’m happy that we’re back playing,” Schmetzer said Thursday. “The guys are competitive, coaches — we’re still competitive. We weren’t happy in our previous run of matches so we’re happy to get back at it.”
This story was originally published June 28, 2019 at 1:10 PM.