http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders The news and updates in this feed come from Seattle Sounders on FootyTweets. en-us FootyTweets http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders http://footytweets.com/images/team_logos/301.png After controlling possession throughout the game, the Sounders FC had to settle for a 1-0 loss to the Portland Timbers in the Community Shield match. The 18,606 in attendance raised over 75,000 dollars for the Sounders charitable partners. . For more info on the news and updates please visit footytweets.com http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/news/250087 http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/news/250087 Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:35:01 +0000 . For more info on the news and updates please visit footytweets.com http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/podcast/250055 http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/podcast/250055 Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:11:06 +0000 . For more info on the news and updates please visit footytweets.com http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/podcast/250054 http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/podcast/250054 Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:11:06 +0000 . For more info on the news and updates please visit footytweets.com http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/podcast/250053 http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/podcast/250053 Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:11:04 +0000 This will be your home for the live blog between the Sounders FC and the Portland Timbers beginning tonight at 6.It will be a great opportunity to see your club as they get ready for MLS First Kick on March 25 against the Philadelphia Union.If you can make it out to the game, I'll be jumping around for a few hours before kickoff ... I will see you there.Sounders FC starters: Kasey Keller, Brad Evans, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Tyrone Marshall, Leo Gonzalez, Kevin Souter, Osvaldo Alonso, Peter Vagenas, Steve Zakuani, Fredy Montero and Freddie Ljungberg.Sounders FC substitutes: Terry Boss, Derby Carrillo, Patrick Ianni, Jeff Parke, Tyson Wahl, Zach Scott, James Riley, Nathan Sturgis, Stephen King, Roger Levesque, Sanna Nyassi, David Estrada, Tye Perdido, Ellis McLoughlin, Mike Fucito, Jamel Wallace, Lamar Neagle.Timbers starters: Steve Cronin, Quavas Kirk, Mamadou Danso, Ross Smith, Ian Joy, Stephen Keel, Ryan Pore, Rodrigo Lopez, James Marcelin, George Josten, Gabriel Obatoli.Timbers substitutes: Matte Pyzdrowski, Josh Cameron, Scot Thompson, Derek Gaudet, Alex Nimo, Doug DeMartin.The Sounders FC is in green shirts and blue shorts while the Timbers are in all white.01 - Portland took the opening kickoff and we are under way.02 - Great pass up the left side to Steve Zakuani, but it's cut off by a Portland defender for a Sounders throw 30 yards out.Note - GREAT work by Brian Pan to get this up and running.  He was scrambling behind the scenes and did a remarkable job of getting us up and running in time for kickoff.04 - Freddie Ljungberg passes to Steve Zakuani up the left side, but leads him too far and it goes over for a goal kick.05 - Offside called on Portland on a ball played up the left side.07 - Seattle turns it over in the midfield and Gabriel Obatoli sends a prayer of a shot toward the net from 45 yards out, missing wide left for a goal kick.08 - Steve Zakuani gets the ball deep on the left side and plays it off the defender for a corner kick.09 - Freddie Ljungberg takes the corner kick from the left side and it's played away by a Portland header in front of the near post.11 - SEATTLE ... SOUNDERS!!!!  I love our fans, man.13 - Portland plays a ball into Seattle's box from far out on the left side, but doesn't have anyone attacking and the ball rolls meekly to Kasey Keller.15 - Great ball played through traffic by Brad Evans to Steve Zakuani sliding at the far post, but Steve Cronin makes a solid stop and the ball goes the other way.17 - Brad Evans plays to Freddie Ljungberg at the top right corner of the box, where he is tackled hard by a Portland defender for a free kick.  On the free kick, Seattle blasts it on net on a quick kick and Steve Cronin parries it over for a corner kick.18 - Freddie Ljungberg takes the corner kick from the right side, but Portland plays it away.19 - Portland takes a corner kick from the right side and it's headed away in the middle of the box, but Portland regains control, only to have Tyrone Marshall block the second effort by Portland.19 - Fredy Montero races up the field to take a pass on the right side, but the ball loses pace and he has to wait for it before he can turn it up the field and Portland has time to recover.21 - Fredy Montero fights to get a ball from a Portland defender up the left sideline, then knocks it off of him for a corner kick.22 - Steve Zakuani's shot on another break up the field is shielded away for a corner kick.22 - Freddie Ljungberg takes the corner kick from the right side, but Portland clears it.  Seattle regains control in the midfield and re-establishes possession.23 - Portland makes a run up the right side, but Jhon Kennedy Hurtado cuts it off at the end line to turn control the other way.26 - Freddie Ljungberg roles it out to Steve Zakuani on the left side of the box, but the ball slows again and Zakuani's cross misses Fredy Montero at the far post.NOTE - Seattle has controlled possession most of the game.  They continue to look for that last touch before getting a shot off ...30 - Portland takes a free kick from 48 yards out, but overplays George Josten going into the box and it goes clear for a goal kick.32 - Long ball played to Steve Zakuani on the left sideline, but it flies over his head to the sideline for a Portland throw.35 - Hard push from behind knocks Fredy Montero down in the box after a great pass from Freddie Ljungberg, but there is no call and Portland keeps the ball.36 - Steve Zakuani makes his defender look foolish on the left side of the box, but his cross to the middle is cleared away.39 - Another hard foul by Portland knocks Fredy Monteor to the turf on the right sideline.39 - Freddie Ljungberg takes a long free kick from the right side, but Steve Cronin skies to make the grab in the middle of the box.NOTE - The rains are coming down.  We'll see how this effects play on the field.43 - Fredy Montero gets the ball into the box on the right side, then drops the ball back to Osvaldo Alonso, but he mishits his shot and it bounces into the box for an easy play by Portland.44 - Portland gets their first threat on the goal.  Ryan Pore dribbles up the left side, then Gabriel Obatoli gets behind the defense to one-touch it in for a goal.  Portland 1, Sounders FC 0.45 - As the clock rolls over to 45:00 the referee blows the whistle to signal halftime.Halftime StatsShots - Sounders FC 5, Timbers 4.  Shots on goal - Sounders FC 1, Timbers 1.  Fouls - Sounders FC 2, Timbers 6.  Offside - Sounders FC 0, Timbers 2.  Corner Kicks - Sounders FC 4, Timbers 1.  Saves - Sounders FC 0, Timbers 1.Jeff Parke and Roger Levesque sub on at halftime.  Tyrone Marshall and Freddie Ljungberg sub off.46 - Seattle kicks off to start the second half, attacking the south goal.47 - Seattle and Portland bounce the ball back and forth in the midfield until Steve Cronin finally picks it up in the box and knocks it further down field.48 - Seattle plays a ball into the box up the left side, but Steve Cronin beats his man to the ball for the grab.48 - Another ball played into the box by Seattle, but Roger Levesque is whistled offside ... Seattle's first  of the game after being called nine times in their previous game in Vancouver.50 - Peter Vagenas sends a corner kick in to Roger Levesque at the top of the box, but his volley shot is stopped by Steve Cronin.53 - Fredy Montero is clipped from behind as he shoots from 22 yards out, but no call is made as he tumbles to the ground.54 - Alex Nimo subs on for Rodrigo Lopez.  Nimo came to the Timbers in a loan from Real Salt Lake today.58 - Tough call ... the referee misses an apparent hand ball in the box on Portland, then the ball goes over for a corner kick.  Peter Vagenas takes the corner and it is played away quickly.60 - Gabriel Obatoli goes to the ground with some cramping, apparently.60 - David Estrada subs on for Kevin Souter and immediately sees action up the right side, but is bested by a double-team in the corner.62 - Doug DeMartin subs on for Gabriel Obatoli.63 - Long cross played to Roger Levesque on the right sideline, but it skips over his head for a Portland throw.65 - Portland is playing very physical with David Estrada up the right side and sneding frequent double-teams his way.  He is not shying away from the pressure, but has been dispossessed twice.66 - Fredy Montero is called for a foul just outside the Portland box when he jumps for a header.  It is the second foul by Seattle in the offensive third in the last couple of minutes.67 - Patrick Ianni subs on for Steve Zakuani.  Ianni goes in at center back, Jeff Parke moves to right back, Brad Evans to right mid and David Estrada to left mid.68 - Jeff Parke races forward to knock a ball away in the midfield.  Roger Levesque takes the ball and sends a cross to David Estrada at the far side of the box, but Portland gets to it first.ATTENDANCE is announced at 18,606.70 - James Marcelin is whistled for a foul as he and Brad Evans chase down a ball, picking up a yellow card in teh process.71 - Peter Vagenas takes the free kick from the right side, crossing a lofting ball to Jeff Parke for a header at the far post, but Steve Cronin makes the stop.73 - Roger Levesque backheels a ball to David Estrada up the left side, but it is misplayed and goes over for a goal kick.73 - Scot Thompson subs on for Quavas Kirk.74 - Stephen King subs on for Peter Vagenas.75 - Jeff Parke again comes way up the field to make a play, knocking the ball up the right side, then crossing to David Estrada and Roger Levesque at the far post.  Estrada gets the header off, but misses left of the post.77 - A little urgency from the Sounders FC.  Brad Evans slips a low cross through the front of the goal and it skips up to Estrada at the far post, but he heads it again outside the left post for a goal kick.78 - Brad Evans races out to take a pass over his head from Jeff Parke and splits four defenders witha a pass to Fredy Montero, but it just eludes him through to the other side for a throw.79 - Another great effort by the Sounders is stopped by Steve Cronin.80 - Tyson Wahl subs on for Leo Gonzalez.83 - Brad Evans splits a cross into the box from the right side, but Steve Cronin comes off his line to punch it clear.85 - Grat ball up the left side to George Josten, who gets Kasey Keller one-on-one, gets him to dive but dribbles around him.  With an open net in front of him he clangs the ball off the far post and Keller is able to grab onto it before Portland can get to the rebound.  Great recovery by our captain.87 - Josh Cameron subs on for George Josten.87 - Steve Cronin slaps away Fredy Montero's free kick from 30 yards out.89 - Derek Gaudet subs on for James Marcelin.90 - 3 minutes will be added for stoppage time.91+ - Tyson Wahl swings in a left-footed cross from the left side and Jeff Parke races up the middle to dummy to Roger Levesque, but Steve Cronin pounces on the ball to make the stop.93+ - Tyson Wahl crosses the ball in to the middle.  Brad Evans skips it into the air for a Fredy Montero, but Steve Cronin again finds himself in perfect position to make the save.94+ - Steve Cronin kicks the ball out and the referee blows his whistle to signal full time.  Final score Timers 1, Sounders FC 0. . For more info on the news and updates please visit footytweets.com http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/news/250052 http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/news/250052 Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:11:02 +0000 Who Are The Portland Timbers?The Portland Timbers are a USL-1 club that will join Major League Soccer, alongside the Vancouver Whitecaps, in 2011.  They have been the chief rival of the Sounders for several years, dating back to the North American Soccer League in 1975.  All told, the two teams have met 60 times in the last 35 years, with Seattle holding a 34-21-5 edge in the series.From 1975-1982, they met 21 times in the NASL with Seattle going 13-8.  From 2001-2008, they played 38 times in the A-League/USL and Seattle again held the advantage at 20-13-5.  Finally, the Sounders FC of MLS topped the USL's Timbers 2-1 in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup in 2009 in front of a sellout crowd of 16,382 at Portland's PGE Park.In 2009, they won the Commissioner's Cup for the best record in the USL.  It is the only trophy they have won outright in their history.Last year they were led in scoring by forwards Mandjou Keita and Ryan Pore.  Keita scored 11 goals to go with a team-high seven assists.  It was his first season in the USL after playing three seasons in Malaysia and two years in Brunei.  Pore, who had a brief trial with the Sounders FC in 2009, finished with 10 goals in his first season in the USL.  Before that, he played four seasons with the Kansas City Wizards.This off-season they have bolstered their lineup with former MLS players Adin Brown, Ian Joy and Quavas Kirk.General admission tickets for the Community Shiled game are $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 6-17 and free for children under 6.  Proceeds from the match will benefit the team's four community partners: Boys and Girls Club of Washington State, Seattle SCORES, Soccer Saves and Washington Youth Soccer.  Following the match the Sounders FC coaches and players will sign autographs from the field. . For more info on the news and updates please visit footytweets.com http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/news/250051 http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/news/250051 Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:11:01 +0000 Taylor Graham is not one to live by the saying 'Better safe than sorry.'Admittedly, he pushes boundaries, particularly when it comes to soccer.  That's why he is taking a somewhat cautious approach to returning to the field from a second hamstring injury this preseason.Graham suffered a hamstring strain while the Sounders FC were in Casa Grande, Arizona, but was optimistic about a return while the Sounders were training in La Manga, Spain.  He put in all the work and followed his rehabilitation plan and felt like he was ready to make his return in the final match of the trip.  He entered the Sounders 1-0 win over SK Brann in the 67th minute, but had to be taken out in the 75th minute when he re-aggravated the injury.'When I got hurt again in Spain it was so frustrating because I felt really good and felt like I was working hard to get back before people had planned,' said Graham, who returned to the training field today.  'My personality is that I like to push the envelope a little bit and I made a mistake doing that a bit too soon.  But I feel great right now.  I just trained a whole day and didn't feel it once.  It's a matter of getting enough repetitions in practices before you play again.  Looking back on it, I don't think I did that in Spain.'Now back, though limited somewhat, Graham returns to a lineup that features four other top-quality center backs in Tyrone Marshall, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Patrick Ianni and Jeff Parke, who has been impressive in his trial.  That doesn't dampen the spirits of Graham though.'You always want competition.  But all I can do is all I can do,' Graham said.  'I know everyone's fighting for a spot and I've never been one to shy away from competition.'In the meantime, Graham will try day-by-day to get game-ready, leaving his fate up to the training staff and head coach Sigi Schmid, who is hesitant to push Graham back into the lineup too quickly.'He's not back full yet.  He was at this stage before and then he went back into a game and he felt it again.  So we still have to be careful with him,' Schmid said.  'Right now, for me, he is still not back.  Hopefully he will be back soon.'TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE FOR COMMUNITY SHIELDThe Sounders FC will face the Portland Timbers Thursday night at 6 pm in the first Community Shield match.  General admission tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 6-17 and free for children under 6.  Proceeds from the match will benefit the team's four community partners: Boys and Girls Club of Washington State, Seattle SCORES, Soccer Saves and Washington Youth Soccer.  Following the match the Sounders FC coaches and players will sign autographs from the field.After training on Wednesday, Schmid displayed the Community Shield, which will be awarded to the winning team on Thursday night. . For more info on the news and updates please visit footytweets.com http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/news/250050 http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/news/250050 Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:11:00 +0000 Offside calls mar preseason game between longtime rivals. . For more info on the news and updates please visit footytweets.com http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/news/248493 http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/news/248493 Sun, 07 Mar 2010 06:35:01 +0000 . For more info on the news and updates please visit footytweets.com http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/podcast/248489 http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/podcast/248489 Sun, 07 Mar 2010 05:05:00 +0000 This is your home for the live blog of the Sounders FC preseason match against the Vancouver Whitecaps FC.  The game kicks off at 4 pm.It's a bright, sunny day here at Burnaby's Swangard Stadium - 50 degrees right now with expectations to hit 55 by kickoff.  Should make for a good match.And I already ran into some Sounders FC fans on the WWU campus who were on their way up for the game.  From what I understand we should have over 200 in attendance waving their Sounders FC scarves.NOTE: I just got word that Marlon James will be out of today's game with a knee strain.  The Whitecaps FC forward scored in Seattle's 3-2 win over Vancouver February 11 and added two more in a 2-1 win over Real Salt Lake February 20.  Also out of action for Vancouver are midfielder Jonny Steele, who was the 2008 USL-1 MVP. . For more info on the news and updates please visit footytweets.com http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/news/248478 http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/news/248478 Sat, 06 Mar 2010 23:05:01 +0000 The Sounders FC will face their longtime rivals from Vancouver and Portland over the next seven days. . For more info on the news and updates please visit footytweets.com http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/news/247864 http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/news/247864 Sat, 06 Mar 2010 01:35:01 +0000 Kevin Souter wasn't far from seeking options outside of the MLS when Sounders FC technical director Chris Henderson called him last week.Waived by the Kansas City Wizards after two seasons in their midfield, Souter was looking for a place to play.  When it didn't look like one would materialize, he briefly considered looking elsewhere to play.  However, the Sounders FC came calling and now he is on trial with the MLS club with hopes of landing in the Seattle midfield.'Things didn't work out the way I would've liked in Kansas City.  I came back this year and the new management had their own ideas and I didn't really fit in with that.  Which is fair enough,' said Souter, 26.  'They wanted to make some changes, so I ended up on the proverbial scrap heap.'This isn't the first time Souter has had to pull a quick change of direction.  A product of the Scottish club Aberdeen's youth system, Souter came to America to pursue his craft after Aberdeen dropped him in 2004.  He made a brief stay with Buckie Thistle in his native Scotland, then he joined up with Graceland University, an NAIA school in Lamoni, Iowa.After missing the playoffs in his freshman year, he helped lead the Yellowjackets to the NAIA national title in 2006, earning Honorable Mention All-American honors.'During my college years, I really excelled.  My coach there brought me into a leadership role that I've always tried to tap into,' Souter said.He earned 2nd Team All-American honors as a junior, then caught on with the Wizards during an open tryout session.He took some time to adjust to the MLS level, but was starting for the playoff-bound Wizards by the end of the season.  His second year in 2009, however, was marred by injuries and he was only able to get on the field for one regular season game.This off-season, Kansas City underwent a coaching change and Souter was waived last week after nearly a month of training camp.  Coming to Seattle, he joins some familiar faces though.  Along with defender Tyson Wahl, fitness coach Dave Tenney and assistant equipment manager Brett Johnson, who all came to Seattle from the Wizards, Souter also played for the Des Moines Menace of the PDL with trialist Lamar Neagle.'There are a few characters over here.  It's pretty cool to come over here and reconnect with these guys who seem to be doing well over here,' said Souter.  'If there is ever going to be a team in the league to go to, Seattle is the most exciting place to be.  So I'm excited to get the opportunity to come over here.'Now with a clean slate, Souter hopes his simplistic style of play can fit in with the Sounders as they gear up for their second season in Major League Soccer.  They will face the Vancouver Whitecaps tomorrow at 4 pm at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby, BC. . For more info on the news and updates please visit footytweets.com http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/news/247841 http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/news/247841 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 23:35:01 +0000 . For more info on the news and updates please visit footytweets.com http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/podcast/247776 http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/podcast/247776 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 21:06:30 +0000 . For more info on the news and updates please visit footytweets.com http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/podcast/247775 http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/podcast/247775 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 21:06:29 +0000 . For more info on the news and updates please visit footytweets.com http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/podcast/247774 http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/podcast/247774 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 21:06:29 +0000 Ellis McLoughlin is faced with the harsh reality of professional sports.After signing with Hertha Berlin after one year at the University of Washington, McLoughlin is now left to find another pro team in need of a hard-working young striker who can finish with both feet because of financial issues at Hertha Berlin.  Fortunately for McLoughlin, 19, he may find that team in his hometown Seattle Sounders FC.  He joined the club on trial Wednesday after the team returned from Spain for the final leg of training camp.The Seattle native has followed the team online since their inception and saw all that he needed to see from his hometown team when he was in attendance for the 3-3 draw with DC United June 17.'I was not expecting anything like that,' he said.  'That was better than anything I've seen in Germany.'McLoughlin began his soccer journey at Bishop Blanchet High School, where he played his freshman year before enrolling in the USSF Residency Program in Bradenton, Florida.  After finishing his time with the U-17 program, he played one season for Dean Wurzberger at UW before getting the call that Hertha Berlin had interest in him.He left the following day for a short trial and was signed before he had time to settle back in Seattle.  After a few months training with their youth team, he finally joined their first team and played in a limited role there over the next two seasons.  That role became even more limited when the club signed two new players at his position, pushing him further away from a long-term starting role.'It's been a great experience, but I'm hoping to learn from that and move on to another team,' McLoughlin said.According to Sounders FC general manager Adrian Hanauer, McLoughlin would enter the league through the allocation process, meaning the Sounders would not have first crack at him and would likely have to trade for his rights.  McLoughlin, however, made no mistake of where he wanted to play in MLS.'This is my home – Seattle's my home.  I've only heard great things, so I might as well give it a try,' said McLoughlin.  'I'm proud of Seattle.  It'd be great to play for my home team.'He knows nothing will be given to him, but that's no problem for McLoughlin.'I know that I don't have a place on this team, but I'm willing to work for one, for sure.'Gearing Up For VancouverThe Sounders played two separate games in training today, playing one 11v11 game, then shrinking down the field to a 7v7 game.One team in the 11v11 game was Kasey Keller, Brad Evans, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Tyrone Marshall, Leo Gonzalez, Sanna Nyassi, Osvaldo Alonso, Nathan Sturgis, Steve Zakuani, Freddie Ljungberg and Fredy Montero.The other team was Derby Carrillo, James Riley, Jeff Parke, Zach Scott, Tyson Wahl, Kevin Souter, Peter Vagenas, Stephen King, Mike Seamon, David Estrada and Mike Fucito.McLoughlin came on late in the 11v11 before the game went to 7v7.Chris Eylander (finger), Terry Boss (ankle), Nate Jaqua (osteitis pubis), Patrick Ianni (osteitis pubis) and Roger Levesque (ankle) all did work on the side.The Sounders will train on Friday before facing the Vancouver Whitecaps at 4 pm Saturday at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby, BC. . For more info on the news and updates please visit footytweets.com http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/news/247773 http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/news/247773 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 21:06:28 +0000 . For more info on the news and updates please visit footytweets.com http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/podcast/247192 http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/podcast/247192 Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:05:01 +0000 Blaise N'Kufo will join the team after playing for Switzerland in the World Cup and adds a veteran with a scorers mentality. . For more info on the news and updates please visit footytweets.com http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/news/247180 http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/news/247180 Thu, 04 Mar 2010 18:35:04 +0000 Forward has Scored Record 111 League Goals for Holland’s FC Twente . For more info on the news and updates please visit footytweets.com http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/news/247179 http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/news/247179 Thu, 04 Mar 2010 18:35:03 +0000 The Sounders FC entered their final phase of training with a return to Starfire after one month on the road. . For more info on the news and updates please visit footytweets.com http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/news/246686 http://footytweets.com/seattlesounders/news/246686 Thu, 04 Mar 2010 02:35:01 +0000