A pair of second half Fredy Montero goals secured three points for

SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC

against the Vancouver Whitecaps in the final game at Empire Field.

The win improves Seattle’s record to 15-6-9 (54pts) and secured the club’s claim to the Cascadia Cup.

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A pair of Fredy Montero goals in the second half was the difference in a 3-1 Sounders FC victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps FC in the final game in Vancouver’s Empire Field. Seattle’s win also clinches the Cascadia Cup, the battle for bragging rights in the Pacific Northwest between Seattle, Vancouver, and Portland.

SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC (15-6-9, 54 points) is second in the Western Conference behind the LA Galaxy. They clinched a playoff spot after yesterday’s draw between Kansas City and Philadelphia.

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On Saturday, the SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC has a special opportunity to honor their supporters on the road.

In this, the first season that the Cascadia Cup will be played for in Major League Soccer, the Sounders are one win away from clinching the inaugural edition of the trophy at the highest level and hoisting the cup in front of the over 500 who are expected to have traveled across the border to Empire Stadium for Seattle’s final match of the derby this season.

While the rivalries between the three clubs date back to the North American Soccer League, the Cascadia Cup was first awarded in 2004. The supporter groups from the Sounders, Whitecaps and Timbers collectively funded the two-foot-tall trophy, which is awarded to the team with the best series record each season.

The Sounders drew both of their home matches against Portland and Vancouver, but topped the Timbers in Portland to take the lead in the race for the Cup.

In the five years that all three teams competed for the Cascadia Cup, Vancouver has won it three times and Seattle has won it twice. Portland won it both years that Seattle did not compete for it while they were in Major League Soccer and the other two clubs played second division.

“It’s a way for the organization to start off on the right foot,” Sounders FC defender Jeff Parke said. “This is the first year that we all get to play against each other in the league. What better than to come home with the trophy?”

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MLS’ historic August has given way to a humbling September. MLS teams have hit the skids in the CONCACAF Champions League, proving just how difficult juggling the home stretch of the regular season and international competition when dealing with a tight schedule, travel and MLS roster regulations.

On Wednesday, the L.A. Galaxy lost at Costa Rica’s Alajuelense while the Colorado Rapids and FC Dallas lost home games to Honduras’ Real España and Mexico’s UNAM Pumas, respectively. Those results dropped the five MLS entrants’ September CCL record to 2-7-1. The aforementioned trio, along with the Seattle Sounders and Toronto FC, were a combined 10-1-1 in August.

Go

SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC

- only one’s hanging strong!

The overall performance of MLS teams in the competition remains relatively good. All five clubs remain alive for a spot in the March quarterfinals, and the 15 overall victories in the continental championship tournament, which kicked off in late July, is just one short of the MLS record for the competition with two rounds of the group stage still remaining.

Still, the trend is troubling.

The Galaxy, which started 2-0-0, is now 2-2-0 and behind Alajuelense (3-1-0) and Mexico’s Morelia (2-1-0) for the two Group A quarterfinal berths. The Rapids, who also are fading in MLS, are in last place in Group B at 1-2-1 following two consecutive home defeats by a combined 6-2.

Dallas (2-1-1) and Toronto (2-2-0) meet Oct. 18 in what likely will be a Group C elimination match. Seattle is in the best shape, leading Group D at 3-1-0 despite Wednesday night’s defeat.

There are several potential explanations for the swoon.

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The most powerful and prestigious soccer leagues in the world have stopped at 20. From a huge country like Brazil to a relatively small one like England, 20 clubs seem to be the limit for even the strongest circuits. Whether it’s to keep the number of games manageable, maintain the depth of the talent pool or simply a trend, 20 has become the standard.

MLS president Mark Abbott, for the time being, seems to be content with 20, too, raising the bar significantly for those markets or investors keen to join the league. While other major American pro sports leagues have expanded to 30 teams and beyond, Abbott told Sporting News that 20 is suitable for MLS.

Thanks to the SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC and other recent additions, MLS has high expectations for its expansion franchises. (AP Photo)

The Montreal Impact will ascend from the second-division NASL to become club No. 19 next year, while MLS has targeted New York City as the site for No. 20.

“Our focus right now is the 20th team in New York and we have not yet set a timeline for expansion beyond that, or even (determined) if we’re going to expand beyond that,” Abbott said. “There’s no place we need to be. Even at the size we are, we have a tremendous national footprint and are at the size that soccer leagues typically are. We feel good about the size we’re at. Other markets could be very successful as MLS markets, but (expanding beyond 20) wouldn’t be out of need. We don’t need to grow beyond where we are.”

The league’s growth has been explosive. Following the 2001 season (its sixth) MLS contracted the clubs in Tampa and South Florida, cutting membership to 10 teams. It climbed to 12 in 2005, with six more coming aboard over the next six years, including the Portland Timbers in 2011.

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Seattle Sounders FC face a real test in keeping their rampaging form going when they meet Real Salt Lake on Saturday afternoon at CenturyLink Field. Sounders FC extended their league unbeaten streak to four games in their last match, a club-record 6-2 victory against the Columbus Crew. Real are coming off back-to-back victories, winning the only MLS game last weekend, a 2-1 home victory against Philadelphia Union.

Seattle Sounders FC won a second consecutive game and extended their unbeaten streak to four games in impressive fashion, rolling to a club-record 6-2 win against the Columbus Crew on Aug. 27 at CenturyLink Field. Sounders FC have 48 points from 27 games on the season, in second place in the Western Conference.

A bending 40th minute strike by Fredy Montero proved to be the difference as

SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC

defeated FC Dallas in the semi-finals of the US Open Cup.

The win moves Seattle one win closer to their third consecutive USOC Trophy.

The Championship will be held at CenturyLink Field against the Chicago Fire on October 4th.

SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC used a first-half strike from Fredy Montero and a fine defensive effort to defeat FC Dallas, 1-0, in a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semifinal match on Tuesday night in front of 4,593 fans at Starfire Sports Stadium in Tukwila, Wash.

Seattle moves on to play in the Open Cup final on October 4 where they will meet the Chicago Fire, who topped the USL-Pro Richmond Kickers, 2-1, earlier Tuesday night. The final will be played on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field for the second year in a row. The two-time defending Open Cup champion Sounders FC are bidding to become the first team in 42 years to win the title three consecutive years. First kick is 7 p.m. PT.

Sounders FC improves to 12-0-1 in Open Cup play, a record which includes play-in matches. At home, the Rave Green have gone 10-0-0 and outscored visitors 21-6 in the tournament.

FC Dallas falls to 8-3-2 in their last 14 matches in all competitions, with two of three those losses coming to Seattle. Seattle now leads the all-time series 3-1-3.

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Goals were scored and records were broken at a dizzying pace Saturday at CenturyLink Field. SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC midfielder Lamar Neagle scored the franchise’s second hat trick and Seattle scored four first-half goals, obliterating the Columbus Crew 6-2 with head-spinning entertainment in front of 36,364 fans.

Neagle’s three goals tied the most by a Sounder. Mike Fucito and Mauro Rosales also tallied as Seattle (13-5-9) continued its blazing-hot run.

“With the amount of games we’re playing, to be able to come out and score six goals against the Eastern (Conference) leader is something that the team has to be very proud of,” said coach Sigi Schmid, whose team has gone 4-0-1 in an arduous 15-day stretch.

Neagle was the driving force of that success Saturday, and while the Federal Way native couldn’t remember his last hat trick, this one is sure to stick.

“It’s great to finally score in front of family,” said the 24-year-old, whose other two MLS goals came on the road. “I think I had like 16 tickets I had to give out.”

Columbus (11-8-7) also produced a memorable goal as Jeff Cunningham became the MLS all-time leading scorer. The veteran forward converted a 59th-minute penalty kick for his 134th career goal, breaking a tie with Jaime Moreno.

The SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC, who have won 13 of their past 17 games, set their share of records, too.

Neagle’s fourth-minute goal was the fastest in team history. Three first-half goals in a span of 17 minutes was also a new best. Six goals overall are a new franchise mark (the previous high was four).

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SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC has signed Gambian midfielder Amadou Sanyang, the team announced today.

Signed at age 17 by Toronto FC, Sanyang made his debut on his 18th birthday, August 1, 2009, playing 14 minutes as a reserve versus New England. His first start came two weeks later in midfield versus D.C. United. He went on to play in 20 regular season games over two seasons, starting 15.

Sanyang, 19, was a free agent. Toronto had declined to exercise an option on Sanyang on December 3, 2010.

“Positionally, Amadou is a good fit for us because he can play either central midfield or in the back,” said Coach Sigi Schmid. “He’s a good passer, a good defender, and he can cover a lot of ground.”

Sanyang’s professional career began in 2007 with Real de Banjul. He helped lead the City Boys to the Gambian first division championship and was named the league’s top midfielder that year. Sanyang has also represented Gambia internationally at the U-17 and U-20 levels.

Not eligible to see action in MLS until turning 18, Sanyang played for the Toronto FC Academy for the first five months.

AMADOU SANYANG
Position: Midfielder
Height: 6-0
Weight: 165
Birthdate: 8/1/1991
Hometown: Banjul, Gambia
Previous Clubs: Toronto FC (MLS, 2009-2010), Real de Banjul (Gambia, 2007-2009)