The Seattle Sounders take on the San Jose Earthquakes of Major League Soccer tomorrow, 6:30 pm at Joe Albi Stadium in Spokane, WA in an A-League/ MLS Exhibition game. This exhibition match is the fourth time that the Sounders have played an MLS team. This game will be a rematch of the 1999 exhibition game that San Jose won 1-0 in a shootout.
This game is a Washington state homecoming for a Seattle native and former Sounders player, Ian Russell. Russell played the 1998 and 1999 seasons for the Sounders before being drafted by San Jose in 2000. Current Sounders players Kieran Barton, Chad Brown, and Ryan Edwards all played for the Spokane Shadow (PDL) team. The Shadow organization, hosts for this game, are owned by Brett Sports and Entertainment.
The Sounders are coming off a 2-0 victory over the San Diego Flash F.C., Friday at Seattle Memorial Stadium. Seattle has won three straight A-League games to climb into fourth place in the Western Conference. The Earthquakes lost an exhibition game to the Portland Timbers, 2-1, in Portland last night. Before that San Jose defeated Colorado, 2-1, on Saturday night in Denver. San Jose leads the Pacific Division of Major League Soccer.
In the last meeting between the two teams, San Jose defeated Seattle, 1-0, on June 7, 1999 in a game played at Renton Memorial Stadium. San Jose midfielder Richard Mulrooney scored the game-winning goal in the fifth round of the overtime shootout. Earlier in the game, Seattle had a goal by Russell taken away on a questionable offsides call. In 1997, Seattle defeated San Jose, 1-0, in a shootout before 6,601 at Seattle Memorial Stadium. Geoff Aunger scored the game-winning goal in the fourth shootout round. Seattle lost a 4-1 decision to the Colorado Rapids in 1998 in Marysville, WA.
Tomorrow's game renews the North American Soccer League rivalry between the old Sounders and Earthquakes teams. The NASL Sounders last faced the NASL Earthquakes on September 3, 1983, which resulted in a 2-1 Earthquakes victory at Spartan Stadium. Former San Jose Head Coach Laurie Calloway coached the Sounders in that game.
The Earthquakes were formerly the San Jose Clash, and changed their name before the start of last season, reclaiming a part of their North American Soccer League (NASL) roots. The Sounders rivalry with the Earthquakes dates back to the 1970's when both teams played in the NASL. Key players for the Earthquakes are:
Defender- Jeff Agoos- Traded to San Jose from D.C. United in the off-season, he is a member of the U.S. National team. He scored the game-winning goal for San Jose over Colorado on Saturday.
Forward- Chris Carrieri- The Earthquakes 2001 First Round Super Draft selection from University of North Carolina
Forward- Ronald Cerritos- San Jose's all-time leading scorer
Forward- Landon Donovan- played in the German Bundesliga, and is a member of the U.S. National team
Tickets can be purchased by calling the Spokane Shadow at (509) 326-4625 or (800) 325-SEAT.
--www.SeattleSounders.net--
