Win and in.
That's all Sounders FC has to do Saturday in Kansas City to clinch a spot in the Major League Soccer playoffs. A win gives the team 44 points and will earn it one of four wild-card berths. Another win in the regular-season finale Oct. 24, plus some help from other teams, could send Sounders FC to a higher seed in the Western Conference.
For all of the frustrating draws at home, the gripes with the officiating and the missed scoring chances, Sounders FC (10-7-11) has accomplished two things: A) Guaranteed itself a winning record in its inaugural season; B) put itself in a position to have two opportunities to control its own postseason destiny.
The sooner the team clinches, the better, as far as coach Sigi Schmid is concerned.
"We'd like to take care of it this weekend if we can," Schmid said. "It's always a lot better to be in the position that we're in."
Saturday will end three consecutive road games that saw Sounders FC take leads in the first two games but win just one.
©2009 SEATTLE TIMES - For more news from The Seattle Times, visit www.seattletimes.com
To add a comment, please register or login.