Seattle Sounders FC forward Clint Dempsey (pictured) has two career goals in the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League. (Photo: Mexsport)
In the sixteenth and last of a series of articles taking a closer look at each of the teams in the 2018 Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League (SCCL), CONCACAF.com goes in-depth on Seattle Sounders FC.
SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC/USA
By The Numbers
2017 Regular Season Record: W14 D11 L9 GF52 GA39
Final Position (Regular Season): 2nd Place, Major League Soccer Western Conference
Final Position (Playoffs): MLS Cup final
Playoff Results: Conference Semifinals (agg: 2-0 v Vancouver Whitecaps FC); Conference Finals (agg: 5-0 v Houston Dynamo); Final (0-2 loss v Toronto FC)
Top Scorer (Regular Season): Clint Dempsey, 12 goals
Season Summary
It was déjà vu for defending MLS Cup champion Seattle Sounders FC, which again found itself facing Toronto FC at BMO Field in December for the league title. On this occasion, however, Seattle fell short of becoming the third team to repeat, dropping a 2-0 decision to the host in the final.
Season Highlight
After losing seven of its first 16 games, Sounders FC was outstanding in the second half of the season with just a pair of losses in the last 18 games, going 9W-7D-2L over that stretch.
Key Player: Cristian Roldan
The 22-year-old box-to-box midfielder enjoyed a breakthrough season in his third campaign. Roldan started all 33 matches in which he played and flourished in the attacking third with six goals and three assists.
Player to Watch in 2018: Jordan Morris
The 23-year-old forward burst onto the scene in 2016, scoring 12 times to earn the MLS Rookie of the Year. Morris, who scored the game-winning goal in the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup final, was limited to three goals in his second season as he battled injuries.
Fabulous Facts
CenturyLink Field has been one of the most intimidating home venues in MLS and Seattle fed off that in a big way with a 11W-5D-1L record at the venue. Sounders FC joined Toronto FC, Houston Dynamo and Sporting Kansas City as the only teams with just one home loss in 2017.
SCCL Round of 16 Outlook
Sounders FC has high expectations in the 2018 SCCL and the first step would be taking care of business in a first-ever encounter with Santa Tecla in the Round of 16. Seattle will face a Salvadoran side for the second time, edging Isidro Metapan in the 2010/11 preliminary round (agg: 2-1).
