Welcome to the Sounders FC Postsmatt Show. Sounders FC Sucker is brought to you by Provident, Swedish official healthcare partner of Seattle Sounders FC. The Sounders FC Postsmatt Show starts now. Everything comes up raid Green on Decision Day. Your Seattle Sounders a two to nothing win over Saint Louis CITYSC on the road they get to sing jingle bells and elsewhere around the Western Conference. On Decision Day,
everything goes Seattle's way. First off, Vancouver Whitecaps. A big thank you to the Vancouver white Caps for equalizing LAFC a one to one result, and with that Sounders jump LAFC for second place in the Western Conference. That's very important because for a Western Conference semifinal match, if it came to that, LAFC would have to come to Seattle, not the other way around.
And then just the cherry on top of the Sunday because of other results, Kansas City winning San Jose getting a draw the Portland Timbers at home tonight to the Houston Dynamo. Our friends, I'll use that lovingly, lose three one at home to Houston and get bumped from the playoffs with a just miserable, horrible loss down there at Providence Park. So I would say I feel for you Timbers fans, but I don't. They're out of the playoffs. We're
the two seed. Thank you Vancouver. What a night for Cascadia, Chance Fry, James Riley, my name is Jackson Feltz. We're here to react to all of it. But before we look ahead at the Sounders first round, which will be by the way against FC Dallas, that'll be the first round opponent. We gotta just start with this match, because Chance James, this was about as comprehensive of a victory. Stephen Fry club record now fourteen clean sheets in a season, about as comprehensive of a viction. Three chants
as we've seen a long time. They were excellent today. Yeah, congratulations first off to Stephan. That's a fantastic achievement. And I wrote some notes here that the guys did well. We just we punched the clock, we put the shift in and you know, they just work their tails off on both ends of the field. I mean Jordan's running off of every you know, for every ball, the defenders are all working hard. Luckily that we
picked up some yellow cards, but nothing haunted us. But in contrast, Saint Louis just lost their minds and you know, like we talked about it, lost their cools. Yeah, I mean, and it just showed that the regular season is totally different than a playoff atmosphere type game. And if this is how they're going to react, and you know, under duress, they're not going to go very far. Great point, James, go ahead,
Yeah, very true to piggyback on that again. Total team performance, like this was a playoff level performance by this team, and it's proven this is a Champions League performance by this team. I mean, like Chance said, everyone punched the clock, put in the shift. It was gritty, it was discipline, they had bite when they needed to, but most importantly, they were optortunistic and took the goals right when they needed to. And
they'll be singing jingle balls in the locker room. It's so interesting the concept of momentum, because momentum is the sort of thing where we've seen it go both ways in Sounders history, right. I mean, shoot, we've been to the playoffs all but one year, so naturally there are years where we've been rolling or we haven't been rolling, and things have fallen each direction.
But this is an interesting case right now, where for so much of the summer, guys, we've heard the narrative from people outside of saying, oh, the Sounders aren't playing very well right now, all the Sounders aren't playing real right the offense, YadA, YadA, YadA, And right now,
let's just look at look at it. I mean, they're unbeaten in nine they're coming off of you know, really in even the last four or five games, outstanding jobs overall, you get a two nothing win on the road, sailing into the playoffs, I mean chance for me, just the sports logic of momentum is if you're unbeaten in nine matches into the that puts you in a good spot in that locker room. Right now, are the players kind of feeling that momentum? Is that going to be a thing that can
fuel them moving forward into this first round? Yeah, they're absolutely feeling it. And the thing is, in the middle of the season, we weren't the ball wasn't bouncing our way in certain situations, and like tonight, the
second goal was a little bit you know, fortunate. It was a deflective ball that went pat went in on Reid shot and everything, but yeah, you start to feel that when you get that confidence rolling, it's an amazing feeling where you walk on the field and you can't be stopped and when you get on a roll like that, it's awesome. And James, it sort of feels like, you know, Dallas is going to be a tough game.
We know, we'll talk about that later, but in terms of just controlling what you can control and just playing the way that the Sounders are playing right now. Nobody got injured, nobody got a red card. The full team's going to be available, you know, for these playoff games. I imagine that Brian Schmenzer is feeling pretty darn good about the entire situation right now, without a doubt. I mean always say, you know, players build
their own luck, Teams create their own luck. Deep in the playoffs and decision day, you need a bit of good fortune. Right. We go back to the klau Smiths early on. We go back to the penalty that's reversed now with Var, without Var, it's a penalty which is a soft one. And then again you have Stephan Fry. We said he would be called upon to make the saves. He did it like He's done time and time again. Calm, cold, collected and result oriented. The Sounders went
in today knowing everyone put on their work at work, Boots. It's a result oriented shift that we have to do and it was phenomenal. It was a playoff level shift that the guys put in. Total performance exactly, and I mean, if they play like this in the playoffs, we're going to see a long way. And you know with the record, I mean, listen, great goal from Albert Russnek. I think we saw great play from a lot of players around the team, but I mean it's a record.
So tonight's Toyota Man of the Match is Stephen Fry because congratulations to him on the record fourteen clean sheets in the season. Your local Toylet dealers are proud to present tonight's man of the match. I'll also tell you that Sounders FC Soccer is presented by Providence, Swedish official healthcare partner of Sounders FC. We'll take a break, we'll come back on the postmatch show continue talking about this
two to nothing victory. We'll give you the play of the match when we'll kind of talk about way this team shapes up heading into the playoffs ahead. More coming up next on the Sounders FC stream channel on iHeartRadio. Oh love that music. Love it even more on Decision Day because your Sounders. They get the win in Saint Louis two to nothing, a big win that slides them up above LAFC. Thank you to Vancouver Whitecaps for getting the equalizer.
And it's one one final between LAFC and Vancouver, and that allows the Sounders with their three points to jump them and get to second place. There in the Western Conference first round coming up against Dallas, it's a best of three series and the Sounders will be hosting two of those three games. First it'll be the Sounders at home, then they'll go to Dallas. Then if necessary,
there will be a third game back in Seattle. If the games, if any of those three games tight after ninety minutes, we go straight to penalty kicks. That is how it works. Well, it is time for our Emerald Quing Casino play of the match. We go back to the twenty third minute when Christian rolled On got up the right side and found found Albert
Russnack. Christian roll Don right corner. The box drives into the box, got time and space comes it back to Russnick and it's a goal for the Sounders and it's Albert Russnick again, back into that number ten position for the Sounders and a goal by there maestro in the midfield takes his time. Good break by the Sounders on the right hand side finds Roussnack who slides it into
the bottom corner of the goal and you could hear it right there. It quieted City Park in Saint Louis. They were quiet from that moment on and the play of the match was presented by Emerald Queen Casino, the betting capital of the Northwest, Jackson Fell's Chance Fry and James Riley back here for the postmatch show, Chris Kidd on the board and Keiley Dunning our director here in
here as well. Great call from Danny Jackson and Steve Zakawani tonight. You know, we were just talking the break and Kee brought it up about you know, am I more happy about the Sounders winning and getting the two seed or am more happy about the fact that the Portland Timbers lost at home three to one and got bounced from the playoffs. And I instantly said Portland, But I mean it is it is a conversation that is worth bringing up for just a few minutes, the fact that it is just that perfect of a
night for Seattle where they slide up. Portland is knocked out and you gotta wonder what the heck happened there because they fire their coach, they have a chance to still get in the playoffs and they just completely blow it on decision day. Yeah. Sometimes you know things just like we were talking about last year our season, we were for sure going to make the playoffs. There
were so many different chances, and the dust doesn't happen. Sometimes, you know, that happens, and you know sometimes they'll probably look back and you know, firing of their coach might not have been such a great idea. That's exactly right. I mean, Savareese was a was a really good coach and took him to an MLS Cup. So yeah, I can't imagine what people in Portland must be feeling like right now, but it must not be good, you know. Going back to the pregame show, James, you
had Stephen Frye as your as you're a player to watch. He was our Toyota man of the match, and I think overall, James, I mean, this is another you know mark for him. Fourteen clean sheets, a club record. You know, you can say what you want about Roman Burkei and there's a lot of good goalkeepers in MLS for sure, but this has just been a hell of a year for Stephan fry It really has. I mean to have him back there, that the confidence that a team has,
especially a backline has when you have a goalkeeper like that is phenomenon. I've played, been fortunate to play, you know, in front of you know, one of the best, in Casey Keller, and it's just a lift. It's just a massive lift for the group. But to see him pull off the staves that he did in that composure, the way he has it, it's just is tremendous. Obviously great fortune in the clous one that he
sails over, but other than that, he was flawless. Stephan Frye had a flawless game other than that one babble in the first two minutes of the game. Yeah, I would almost give him a play of the game as well. Second half, he goes down to his right hard shot, he holds it and the look in his eyes if you saw that close about him, he is dialed in and laser focused. And I agree with James one
hundred percent. When you get a goalkeeper that's hot, just like in hockey or something, you really I mean, a shot gets taken and you're not worried. You know they're going to save it. And Steph was on today. He was really, really good. Absolutely finishes the year with fourteen clean sheets. Not only is that club record that's best in MLS, Sounders finished
the season giving up thirty two goals. That's five less than the next lowest team in the Western Conference and it's tied with Nashville for the lowest in the entire league. So you go into the playoffs, we always say defense wins championships. They go into the playoffs with the hottest goalkeeper in MLS, who
has the clean sheet mark, top mark in the league. And you go in with the best defense with the lowest goals given up, and you go in with an attack that is healthy, loaded, deep, and also on fire coming off in you know, two goals in the last three games LA and then now in Saint Louis everything right now coming up for Seattle, it's looking very very good. Sounders e FC Soccer is presented by Providence, Swedish official healthcare partner of Sounders FC. Also, Delta Airlines is proac Delta.
Let me just restart this. Delta Airlines is probably do one soccer ball for every mile ran by Sounders FC players this season through Ray Foundation's one Mile, One Ball program. We'll continue on the postmatch show and wrap it up by looking ahead to Dallas in the first round that comes up next. On the postmatch show following a two to nothing Sounders win on the Sounders FC stream channel
on iHeartRadio, welcome back to the postgame show. Following a Sounders to nothing win tonight on Decision Day over Saint Louis City on the road, the Sounders get up to second place in the Western Conference. That's where they will finish this season, and they will be playing FC Dallas in the first round. It's a best of three series. Seattle will start at home, then go on the road to Dallas, and if necessary, come back to Seattle.
So we will get dates on that per PR. We're hearing that we will get dates on all of those games coming up here in the first round in the next tomorrow, we think so that is what we are hearing and hopefully we get updates tomorrow on when we can share all the info for the Sounders round. But I'll tell you that now that the Rave Green are in the twenty twenty three playoffs, don't miss a minute of the action. You can get your tickets now. Head to soundersfc dot com slash tickets to get yours
before they're gone. As the Sounders will be hosting FC Dallas in the first game of the first round here coming up in the next week or so. And we say or so because we just don't have that exact date, but Dallas ahead. Let's quickly take a look at what happened against Dallas this season. Two matches at home, a one to one draw back on July fifteenth, and on the road another one to one draw that came back on Saturday
September sixteenth. Both of those games, you know, especially the second one marked by the chance for Jordan Morris the end of the game where he tried to pass it off to new instead of taking the shot himself, had a chance at goal, could have been a two to one Sounders win. Ultimately it ended up as a one to one draw. But I'm looking at this game, guys as in this matchup against a Dallas team that has forty one goals scored on the year. That is the same as Seattle thirty seven goals
given up, that's second best in the West to Seattle five more. A very similar team in that sense. But I will note chance that their offense really does run through one person. Hees who's Ferrara, And if you lock him down, as many teams have, Dallas kind of doesn't have another answer. Yeah, well, as we have to do here. You've got to look back on the history of the games and analyze it and everything like that. But honestly, after tonight, I just feel as though the Sounders have
taken another step to be the team that everybody's going to fear. Yeah, the team that has done it before, the team that gets down, gets gritty and wins games. So honestly, obviously the coaching staff is going to prepare them for everything they need to face against Dallas. But we need to have Dallas worried about us and James we have a hit. You know, Dallas is a team that we have history against. I mean we have we
faced them a number of time in the playoffs. I remember I think we just saw the on this date a couple of days ago where Jordan Morris had his hat trick and a four to three added time where extra time win at Loominfield a few years ago back in twenty nineteen. I mean, this is this is a I wouldn't say a rivalry, but it's certainly two teams that know each other well, no, without a doubt. And again you're into the bonus round right with the postseason, so everything goes out the window and
you just have to get refocused and get as prepared as possible. You fear no opponent, but you give each opponent the utmost respect, and that's how they'll approach it. But certainly a team that we've had some success against, and they have some players on team level, players that that can also you know, influence and galvanize their team. They have Sebastian Legit, they have Paul Ariola in addition to Hayesus so all three of those players being more attack
minded players. And so the Sounders will approach it like they always do big games, and they'll be well prepared, they'll compete and be result orient. I always forget that they brought Ariola over from in the offseason and you know, he hasn't done as well statistically as anybody would have liked, but he is still a dangerous player. Paxton pal McCall as well, was once the next big thing and he hasn't, you know, but there's been a lot
of you know, points of disappointment I think in Dallas. But the talent and is there, The names are there. You we're gonna go into a playoff series and you're gonna hear when we asked Brian Schmitzer about you know who on Dallas do you got to watch for, He's gonna have a lot of
names to list for sure. Last point that I want to make before we end the night tonight's broadcast is going back to what you just said Chance about how this team is right now functioning as the team to be feared the hunted as opposed to the hunter, because they right now are the team everybody doesn't want to face, considering they just beat the top seed in the Western Conference
to nothing at that top seeds home. And I think the point about playoff experience is really is really on point because we talk a lot about you know, you know, playoff experience and Saint Louis is a team that has a lot of newcomers in this league. And yes, they are veterans of soccer. They've played around the world, they've played in big games around the world
for their careers. But in the sense of experience, and I want you both answer this, how valuable is it to have players who have experienced the playoffs, specifically in this league and specifically on this team. I think it's it's important, but having experience at a high level in high pressure games,
whether you're playing here or in Europe, it makes a difference. It's but the thing that I believe will make the biggest difference for especially Saint Louis, is that they have these new fans that they want to win for, and that puts added pressure. When you've already won a couple of championships, you can be a little bit more relaxed because you've got a couple of rings in your closet, right, And I think that saying that you start pushing and
you can struggle. So I think that the Sounders is if you just want to compare those two teams, I think that we have an advantage there, even if it's equal amongst the player's experience. Yeah, James, what do you think in terms of the value of a playoff experience here? Certainly for me, the value of playoff experience is invaluable not only playoff experience, but
championship winning experience. A lot of these players, I mean I was counting upwards over ten guys that have actually won championship, not alone, have just been in playoffs one, Championships, MLS Cup, champions League. That puts you in a whole different category. In addition, with the fan base that will be there support us, right ecs and everyone else, my family, I'm sure, chance and every like, it just brings such a just different
atmosphere and so the group should that helps galvinize the group. You should walk into playoff series very confident, very confident the opportunity to play in front of your home crowd again, and very confident knowing you have playoff experience, but more importantly championship winning experience. Absolutely so well, we will get again dates for the first round game Sounders against de FC Dallas coming up, we think
tomorrow, that's what we're hearing. Should note really quickly, just as I look at the schedule for Lumenfield, the Seahawks have a home game on Sunday, October twenty ninth against the Browns. So that probably throws a little bit of a wrinkle, but we'll get the exact date come hopefully tomorrow, and we'll see exactly what's gonna happen. I will tell you that what you're gonna be able to do is listen on this Wednesday to Sounders Weekly over on Sports
Radio ninety three point three kjr FM, seven pm. Sounders Weekly will be looking ahead to this game. We're also, of course going to give you those dates and information and really start to break down all this ahead because it will be an exciting, exciting playoffs here for the Sounders that starts here in just about a week or so. So I want to thank everybody with the broadcast tonight. Great job from Chris Kidd here in the booth, Keey Dunning,
our director doing a great job. Great call tonight from Danny Jackson and Steve Zachawani, James Riley, Chance Fry, thank you both outstanding. My
name is Jackson Feltz. We thank you all so much for listening. We'll talk to you on Wednesday for Sounders Weekly, and then from there we'll tell you when the next game is, but thank you everybody for listening tonight, once again from City Park in Saint Louis, your Sounders getting a decision to win in Portland missing the playoffs, with the Sounders winning a final score of two to nothing,