TUKWILA — A knockout match against No. 3 seed Los Angeles FC awaits either the Sounders or FC Dallas in the Western Conference semifinals.
LAFC swept sixth-seeded Vancouver in their best-of-three opening-round series. The No. 2 seed Sounders and seventh-seeded Dallas play Game 3 of their series Friday at Lumen.
MLS changed its postseason format for this year, and many complained about not having a single-elimination tournament or even aggregate scoring for the series. But the league managed to create drama with the switch.
Expansion side St. Louis City SC won the top seed in the West but was kicked out of the postseason by eighth-seeded Sporting Kansas City in two games, getting outscored 6-2.
The league also tweaked postseason rules. Instead of playing extra time, matches that are level after regulation are decided by penalty kicks. No. 5 seed Real Salt Lake used a PK shootout against fourth-seeded Houston to force a Game 3 in the West, while top overall seed FC Cincinnati needed PKs to dispatch the eighth-seeded New York Red Bulls in Game 2 to take their Eastern Conference opening round series.
Dallas snapped the Sounders’ 10-game unbeaten streak with a 3-1 win in Game 2 at Toyota Stadium last week. Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer said if the streak was going to end, that’s the ideal way because it doesn’t harm the team.
There’s another chance to advance.
“The verdict is still out on whether this is the right thing or not,” Sounders keeper Stefan Frei said of the playoff changes. “Ultimately, it’s led us to what I think it should be, which is the higher seed gets rewarded with the home-field advantage and it’s a do-or-die game. That’s about as much of an advantage as you could hope for.”
Rowe returns
One of the positives after the Dallas match was midfielder Kelyn Rowe subbing on in the 84th minute for left back Nouhou. Rowe missed approximately four months of play because of a hamstring injury and two months before that with a sprained knee.
Rowe, a 12-year veteran, was a stopgap to the Sounders’ lack of depth at left back, although not his best position on the field. While he was out, Schmetzer found reliable young players in Cody Baker and Reed Baker-Whiting, the latter starting three of the club’s final six matches due to Nouhou being called up for international duty with Cameroon.
“In the back of my mind, I’m going, ‘Darn it, that could’ve been my time as well,” Rowe said. “But I’m so happy to see these young guys who push everyday — they take a lot of crap. They’re the ones that are working after (training’s over) and are in-and-out of rotation. It’s hard mentally. For them to get the positive and find that time on the field and continue to grow; you saw their game rise a level every time they played and that’s really cool.”
Injury update
Sounders midfielder Joao Paulo left training early Tuesday with soreness in his knee. Schmetzer expects him to be available for selection Friday.
Baker-Whiting has been out with a left hamstring strain since the road win against St. Louis last month. He didn’t participate in training Wednesday but Schmetzer didn’t rule out the possibility of his return, if needed Friday.
Bald Frei, bearded Rowe?
Rowe isn’t shaving his beard as long as the Sounders are winning. Despite it itching, he said he can’t let go of the superstition.
Multiple Sounders players are bearded, prompting the younger players to ask Frei what he looks like without the beard. The conversation turned into a playoff dare.
“If we win the whole thing, that’ll be the first time I shave in 15 years,” Frei said. “I want to win, but I don’t know if I want to see that either.”
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