The Cascadia Cup rivalry takes no games off, even in the preseason.
The Seattle Sounders and Vancouver Whitecaps dueled to a 1-1 draw in a 120-minute scrimmage in
Casa Grande, Ariz., on Monday -- a game that included nine cautions and a red card. The game was
split into two 45-minute sessions and a 30-minute one, with each team using different lineups in
each period to take advantage of their expanded lists of trialists and rostered players.
Photo by Tony Quinn/ISIphotos.com
At least the MLS Supplemental Draft day contained something last Thursday's SuperDraft did not:
Multiple trades.
Hours after the completion of the Tuesday's proceedings, the Seattle Sounders and Real Salt Lake
agreed to one deal, while the Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps agreed to another.
By FRANCO PANIZO
The Seattle Sounders have acquired Danish midfielder Christian Sivebaek following his transfer
from FC Midtjylland, the Sounders announced on Wednesday.
The 23-year-old midfielder arrives in Seattle after playing for Midtjylland since 2006.
Veteran MLS goalkeeper Jon Conway has decided to hang up his cleats and gloves.
Conway, 34, was selected by the Los Angeles Galaxy in this past December's re-entry draft to
compete for a backup spot behind Josh Saunders, but he instead elected retire after a 12-year
career.
The Seattle Sounders appear to be hitting the international market during transfer season yet
again.
After officially announcing the acquisition of Swedish right back Adam Johannson on Thursday,
the Sounders are reportedly close to signing Danish winger Christian Sivebaek, a player general
manager Adrian Hanauer told the Seattle Times that the Sounders are "very interested" in
acquiring.
Photo by Michael Janosz/ISIphotos.com
For a team coming off of a championship run, the Los Angeles Galaxy have had plenty of major
moving parts over recent weeks.
Between Landon Donovan going back to Everton on a short-term loan, Juninho returning to Sao
Paulo, Donovan Ricketts being dealt to the Montreal Impact, Sean Franklin re-signing and David
Beckham, well, still making a decision, the Galaxy remain the talk of MLS deep into the
offseason.
When the Seattle Sounders lost James Riley in the expansion draft there was some real concern
about how Seattle would fill the void let by the dependable veteran's departure.
The Sounders have reached an agreement with Swedish right back Adam Johansson, according to the
club website of Johannson's current club, IFK Goteborg.
Mauro Rosales enjoyed an outstanding first season in Major League Soccer, leading Seattle's
high-powered offense and earning MLS Newcomer of he Year honors in the process.
The Sounders rewarded Rosales outstanding debut, and secured his services in the process,
signing the 30-year-old playmaker to a multi-year contract.
Swedish midfielder Erik Friberg became the latest Seattle Sounder to depart this off-season,
moving to Swedish club Malmo on Monday in a transfer announced by the Sounders.
Friberg played 26 matches for Seattle, recording a goal and assist for the Sounders.
The off-season has been a busy one for the Sounders, who had already lost goalkeeper Kasey
Keller to retirement, James Riley and Tyson Wahl in the expansion draft, as well as Nate Jaqua and
Pat Noonan in the re-entry draft.
The Seattle Sounders' search for Kasey Keller's successor has been completed.
Seattle announced the long-rumored signing of Austrian goalkeeper Michael Gspurning on
Wednesday, ushering in a new era between the posts at CenturyLink Field.
"First off, you don't replace Kasey Keller.
By CALEB SONNELAND
With his contract set to expire at the turn of the year, David Beckham is allegedly in talks
with Ligue 1's Paris Saint-Germain, according to the clubs sporting director Leonardo.
The 36-year-old was a staple in the LA Galaxy midfield this year and played a massive part in
the team's successful campaign toward a MLS Cup.
Photo by Howard C. Smith/ISIphotos.com
The Jay Heaps coaching era in New England is officially underway.
Heaps was introduced as New England Revolution head coach at Gillette Stadium on Wednesday,
taking over for the ousted Steve Nicol.
Heaps retired from playing for the Revolution in 2009 and was most recently a color analyst for
the team's television broadcasts.
Photo by Bill Barrett/ISIphotos.com
Kasey Keller won't be the only Seattle Sounders player with an end-of-season award this
year.
Mauro Rosales won the MLS Newcomer of the Year award on Tuesday, beating out a class of more
than 80 players that made the jump to MLS from leagues abroad this past year.
After a long and illustrious career as one of America's best goalkeepers, Kasey Keller has one
more award to walk off into the sunset with.
The 41-year-old Seattle Sounder was announced as MLS Goalkeeper of the Year on Tuesday in a move
widely expected after he was named to the MLS Best XI last week.
Retired Seattle Sounders goalkeeper Kasey Keller gave his final press conference on Thursday,
where he touched on his playing career, the growth and future of MLS and what lies ahead for him.
Give it a watch and feel free to share your thoughts about Keller's comments and what you'll
remember about his playing career in the comments section below.
Photo by Nick Turchiaro/ISIphotos.com
The odds were that two MLS teams would go up against each other in the CONCACAF Champions League
quarterfinals, and that scenario unfolded during Tuesday's quarterfinal draw in New York.
The Los Angeles Galaxy drew Toronto FC for the first round of the knockout stage, which
commences in March.
Somewhat overlooked in the build-up to tonight's Western Conference semifinal second leg between
the Seattle Sounders and Real Salt Lake (10 p.m., ESPN2) is the fact that it could very well be
Seattle goalkeeper Kasey Keller's last game as a professional.
Between the injuries to key players and the size of the deficit, there's plenty of pregame
fodder on which to focus, but the fact that Keller's playing career is on the cusp of ending is
perhaps the most significant development in play.
By JOSÉ M. ROMERO
Osvaldo Alonso honestly felt that this could be the year for his Seattle Sounders.
He said as much late last week, before the Sounders were blasted 3-0 at Real Salt Lake in the
first leg of the MLS Western Conference semifinals.
The Seattle Sounders sorely missed injured playmaker Mauro Rosales during their 3-0 Western
Conference semifinal first leg loss to Real Salt Lake, and now it appears the Sounders won't have
Rosales for their crunch second-leg clash at CenturyLink Field on Wednesday either.
Seattle head coach Sigi Schmid told the Seattle Times that he doesn't expect Rosales to be able
to play on Wednesday as he is still dealing with the knee injury he suffered in the Sounders'
regular season finale against Chivas USA.
Photo by Brad Smith/ISIphotos.com
By THOMAS FLOYD
The first legs of the conference semifinals over the weekend created four very unenviable hills
to climb.
The Los Angeles Galaxy, the Houston Dynamo and Sporting Kansas City all head home to protect
leads while Real Salt Lake, the only winning team taking to the road, has the comfort of a
three-goal cushion.
By JOSÉ M. ROMERO
Much was made of Real Salt Lake's regular season-ending six-match winless streak and how it
might be a sign that RSL is in trouble heading into the playoffs.
On Saturday night, Real Salt Lake put that notion to rest in emphatic fashion.
Two of the top three teams in Major League Soccer during the regular season square off in the
opening match of the MLS conference semifinals (10pm, Fox Soccer Channel).
The No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, Real Salt Lake will look to win at Rio Tinto Stadium
in game one of the two-game series to put pressure on the No.
The Seattle Sounders enter the MLS playoffs as one of the league's hottest teams, but in order
to find success in the first leg of the Western Conference semifinals, they'll have to do so
without their midfield maestro.
Mauro Rosales has been ruled out of the first leg of the Sounders' series against Real Salt
Lake, according to the Seattle Times.
BY JONATHAN VERA
CARSON, Calif. – Playing a game with nothing on the line, the Seattle Sounders went into their
match against Chivas USA on Saturday night looking to stay healthy and looking to keep up their
recent outstanding form heading into the MLS playoffs.
Photo by Bill Barrett/ISIphotos.com
By THOMAS FLOYD
It's not terribly often that Jeff Parke contributes on the offensive end. The industrious
Seattle Sounders defender, in fact, is quick to acknowledge as much.
In his seven MLS seasons, Parke has been one of the more durable commodities the league has to
offer, starting at least 20 games each campaign.
Photo by Don Feria/ISIphotos.com
By THOMAS FLOYD
Well, the New York Red Bulls sure took the drama out of this weekend.
With New York's 1-0 win over the Philadelphia Union on Thursday, the 10th and final ticket to
the postseason was booked, and the Portland Timbers and Chicago Fire were eliminated from playoff
contention.
AP photo
By JOSE M. ROMERO
Good thing for the Seattle Sounders that they started off CONCACAF Champions League group play
with a bang, because they ended it with a whimper.
Major League Soccer has taken some major strides during the 2011-2012 CONCACAF Champions League,
but as the final games of group play approach, there is still work to be done before crowning this
campaign as a great success.
Only one MLS team, Seattle, has clinched a place in the knockout stage so far, but that could
all change Tuesday night.
By JOSE M. ROMERO
Kasey Keller won't turn 42 years old until next month, but what a gift he was given by his
Seatlle Sounders Saturday night.
Make that a few gifts.
On what Washington state government officials proclaimed "Kasey Keller Day" around the state in
recognition of the veteran goalkeeper's final regular-season home match as a Sounder, Keller made
seven saves and watched from between the pipes as his teammates rallied from a one-goal deficit
through 81 minutes for a wild 2-1 win over the San Jose Earthquakes at CenturyLink Field.
Photo by Andrew Katsampes/ISIphotos.com
By THOMAS FLOYD
The MLS playoff race sure is heating up.
With just a handful of matches remaining, nine teams are still competing for six available
postseason berths. A slate of influential weekend fixtures kicks off Friday with a critical clash
in the wild-card race between the Houston Dynamo and Portland Timbers.
Photo by Nick Turchiaro/ISIphotos.com
Kasey Keller's legendary playing career is winding down, and the expected crowd of more than
60,000 that will salute him at CenturyLink Field for his regular-season home finale Saturday night
is a testament to what he's meant to the city of Seattle and U.
For much of the first half of Saturday night's Seattle-Philadelphia match it looked as though
the short-handed Sounders would still find a way to knock off the visiting Union at CenturyLink
Field. Unfortunately for the reigning U.S. Open Cup champions, they squandered too many quality
scoring chances, giving Philadelphia continued life.
By ADAM SERRANO
Hector Jimenez has been living life under the radar in his rookie season, but when the
midfielder from the University of California has had his chance to see action, he's grabbed a hold
of it.
Jimenez was instrumental in the Galaxy's 2-1 victory over Morelia in the CONCACAF Champions
League, helping to create the winning goal.
Photo by Stephen Brashear/ISIphotos.com
By JASON MITCHELL
More than the usual smattering of Rave Green gear sprinkled the streets of downtown Seattle
Wednesday. A plane circled high above Lake Union in the late afternoon, trailing a 3,000
square-foot Sounders FC scarf visible from downtown to the city of Bellevue across Lake
Washington.
By JASON MITCHELL
SEATTLE, WA - New York Greek American in the late 1960s. A St. Louis brewery side in the 1930s.
The Seattle Sounders. After the Sounders topped the Chicago Fire 2-0 Tuesday night before a
raucous, record-breaking crowd, those are the lone teams to three-peat in the 98-year history of
the Lamar Hunt U.
Photo by Stephen Brashear/ISIphotos.com
Either way, history is going to made in Seattle Tuesday night.
Should the host Seattle Sounders defeat the Chicago Fire in the U.S. Open Cup final (10 p.m.,
Fox Soccer Channel), then they'll put the finishing touches on a three-peat, something that has
never been done in the Major League Soccer era and hasn't been accomplished since Greek American AA
did so in 1967-1969.
Photo by Tony Quinn/ISIphotos.com
By THOMAS FLOYD
Saturday's showdown between the Colorado Rapids and FC Dallas may be a rematch of last year's
MLS Cup, but neither team has looked anything like a title contender lately.
Dallas is 0-6-1 in its past seven matches in all competitions, while Colorado has gone 0-5-1 in
six games.
