Come do you live from our Elliot Avenue studios of Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM. This is Saunders Weekly with your host Jackson Felds. Good evening and welcome into Sounders Weekly, everybody. Jackson Felds here. Good to have you with us on this back to being a Tuesday show here and a much more beautiful night here in Seattle than we've seen here in recent weeks. Weather finally turning. I think we're gonna get seventy plus degrees. This weekend is
gonna be wonderful. Unfortunately, the Sounders won't be here as celebrated. They're gonna be on the road in Sandy, Utah, heading over to face where you all, Salt Lake this coming Saturday. Before we dig into what happened the Sounders this last week, I'll on that note really quickly. I'll tell you that that match this Saturday, Sounders Salt Lake. You can hear that on our sister station, Sports Radio nine fifty KJR AM Providence Swee premat show
We'll begin at six o'clock, kickoff at six thirty. You can also watch the match on Apple TV, so make sure to check out that match coming up this Saturday, we'll prev that a little bit later on with Ari Lollianwall of MLS Soccer dot Com in our Around the League segment and our Sharp Vision Opponent outlook. Later on tonight, we'll also hear from Andrew Harvey, our
Puget Sound soccer expert. He'll tell us about the big wins for ol Rain, who got their win just a few hours before the Sounders at lumin Field, and a win for to come at Defiance on Sunday. It was a great weekend for local Puget Sound soccer. So Andrew Harvey will join us later on tonight. Coming up in a few minutes, you're gonna hear it from both Leo Chew and Jackson Reagan, who were a part of the Sounders win this last weekend at lumin Field. I mentioned it came just a few hours
after the Rain. It was a one nothing victory over Minis. Let's jump in before we hear from Chew and Reagan. Let's talk about it a little bit because you know, after what happened last week against Portland, and you know, if you listen to last week's show, you certainly know I was opinionated, I was emotional, I had calmed down by about Friday, I
think, and you know, finally turned the page. But listen, yeah, coming after Portland, it was very emotional, a lot of things going on, but you know, they turned the page, and I think we saw the Sounders come out and have a very professional performance. Academic. We
heard it being called in in the postgame show. Pete Viewing referenced that, I mean, just a workmanlike performance that you need if you are a Sounder team to be able to put together where let's be honest here, the first half was kind of boring, and a lot of this game was kind of
boring. It was, you know, a Minnesota team that didn't really do too much in attack, a Sounders team that was missing a bunch of players, and obviously, you know, on that note of injuries, you know, before we go any further, we'll wrap this together here because as we found out Saturday, Christian rolled on. He was questionable, but he was still out still in concussion protocol. We did learn that last week. If you haven't heard yet, Rawle Ruy Diaz, he has a strained right hamstring.
The sad news is that he suffered it on the very last play of his training regiment on last Wednesday's scheduled practice, So he was practicing last Wednesday. On the very very last play, they actually the attack built up this fantastic, you know, long series of passes that ended up in Roles scoring a goal. But in that goal, Rale tweaked the hamstring. So he is going to be out four to five weeks, per head coach Brian Schenzer, Well, now three or four weeks, but but you know he's gonna
be out for a while. So for role, it's just rehab, rehab, rehab. He's posting some inspirational things on Instagram, you know, saying keep working hard, that kind of stuff. So he's gonna be training and working to get back. But Rowle's gonna be out for a bit. In his spot a bear. He started against Minnesota this last weekend, thought he
did a fine job. We saw Jordan Morris start on the bench and then come on in the second half, the reason being he played eighty nine minutes in the United States men's national team game last Wednesday that they faced Mexico. Morris had a great game. He had the game tying assists there in the eighty first minute, a great ball one of the balls that you're typical of
seeing Leo Chu put into Morris. Morris puts it into Haysu's Ferreira. Ferreira puts it in the back of the net in the eighty first minute and the US get a one one draw there against Mexico in Phoenix last Wednesday. So because Morris played eighty nine minutes in that game on Wednesday, wasn't able to start on Saturday. Very understandable there. So what you had was you had
Albert Russnach move up a line. He's your right winger. Leo Chio starts on the left, a bear's uptop Nico in the middle and that fours him. You know, it was obviously it's a different combination of guys. You also factored in as we're talking about injuries here knew who was out with an illness very late scratch Kellen Rowe has to come in. Congratulations to Kellen Rowe as well. Three hundred and fiftieth MLS appearance across all competitions, three hundred
and fifty for Kellen Rowe. Congratulations to him and he put in a great shift. We talked about him in the prematch show that he's one of those guys. He's such a veteran you can tell him on short notice that he's going to start and he will give you a great performance. And he did Kellen Rowe with some really really nice minutes and some nice plays in that game. So great job there, you know, for him to just jump in
and put together that. Hopefully knew who comes back from his illness for this weekend against Royal Assault Lake Josha Tensio was still out of course, so you know, all these guys that are out, we hopefully we can get a couple of them back. Hopefully Christian can can progress through concussion protocol and he can get back, and you know, you know he listen. Even if he doesn't, you still look at a team that they could put out and
it's extremely strong. Obed Vargas has had a great game. He was fantastic in this game against Minnesota and this follows up another great performance he had against Portland. So Obed Vargas is really just you know, coming off of last year and what happened that injury, to work back from that and now to just jump right back to where he was at this exact time last year where he looked so and he looked like a bright, shining star at this point.
Last year when he stepped in for Joel Paulo who got hurt in the CONCACAF Final, Obed he kind of just stole the scene before his injury, and Obed's jumped right back into the starting lineup these last couple of weeks and looked exactly the same player. He has a very very bright future now still just seventeen years old, and Obed is looking every bit the part of a starting midfielder in Major League Soccer and perhaps and even higher league. But we'll
see where Obed's career takes him. As for the Sounders, you know, a credit to Obed, the entire midfield, all of the back line, Stephen Fry over the last five games, because this is the first ever Sounder team to go five straight at home where they haven't given up a goal, five straight clean sheets at home for the first time in club history. So a massive congrats to everybody on that squad for the effort they put in and
finish it off here with one nothing over Minnesota this last Saturday. I talk about that with Jackson Reagan coming up in just a few minutes, but before we get there and before we also hear from Leo Chew to continue talking about that match, you know, for the third time, I'll say, you know, there wasn't a lot of big moments in that match, but the Sounders got the moment they needed. They defended so well, they had that
great defensive performance. But getting that goal, I mean on a throw in, what a flick from Freddy Montero back to russ Snack and and I mean Russknack we saw. I mean, that's the ability that he showed it for so many years with salt Lake. That's why he had so many goals is because he just has a knack for finding the back of the net, having these exceptional strikes, and he was given just a sliver of an angle and he found it. A really really nice goal there from Albert Russnack off that
Freddy Montero flick. So really, I mean, the Sounders got that great goal and then they defended strong. I mean, Jackson Reagan will mention it in his interview. That was the plan. Get the goal, defend like hell, defend like we know how to do, and then walk away with three points. They executed that plan. They got the goal, They got to defending, they got the win, and at the end of the day,
it's a good three points workman like. I'll say again, that's it's a performance that you need to have over the course of an MLS season, so that you know, in the late stages of a season, in the playoffs, you know you can pull off wins like that because you've done it before. So that's everything you would want from a Sounders you know, hard working, tough, grinded out one nothing win. We'll hear more about that from Jackson Reagan in a little bit, but before we hear from Jackson,
let's talk to Leo. Chu was able to talk to Leo in the locker room and not only did we talk some soccer, but we talked about his personal life. He's about to have a kid, he has his mom coming to town. So a fun conversation here we had in the locker room with Leo Chu after the Sounders one nothing win over Minnesota on Saturday's good game, that important on the win at home. So yeah, we're all happened after last week and what happened down in Portland. How important was it to get
a win today here coming off of what happened. Yeah, I think you don't have a good team and we never give up at all. So you lost. Was a bad game. But today we're coming for a different way,
you know, and we got to get toWin. You talk about never giving up, and for so much of this game here today, it was trying to break Minnesota down, right, And can you talk about kind of just you know, kind of just trying again and again and again and then they never give up, right, and eventually you guys get the goal. But what was that like kind of continuously trying to get it? I think when the team's coming and let me feel that they coming our fright little fright.
So that's hard for us play you know, the back line, the back line and twy again, twy again. But I don't know. We have a good team and we're gonna try again twa again and get a get a win, get a goal. Get then that's good. You've had such an amazing start to this season. So good. What's been the key to your success? I'm unlocking your success this year as opposed to in years past. I think this is I mean more comfortable you know here in Seattle and
the group, So I'm happy here and now and my deal happened. Everything's gonna be good. You know, your connection with a bar and Joel Paul having those two guys here, you know, talk about your friendship with those two guys. Yeah, I think that's changed too much, you know, because now we have it three brasideans here with talk too mud and that's better, you know for us. Do you guys have fun off the field? Yeah, totally have a week. You have good fun, you know.
You know you're talking about getting comfortable here in Seattle, and we spoke to you a couple of days ago about how you're about to have a kid, and you're really quick on that. For those who didn't hear, you're what three weeks away? Right, Yeah, three weeks away? Nervous too much? You know, I'm a little excited, but my mother is coming next week, so now I'm more comfortable. You know, my mother's got to be here, and my wife chills. When my mother comes to stay with
us. I have to clean the entire house. I spent I spend an entire day cleaning my and my wife and we have to clean everything, you know, just we want to make sure everything is cleaned. Rum I get the same way meet too. Yea today good with my wife and I think, come on, we need to make sure that everything's been good at the home because my mother got got here, you know. Oh my goodness. Now the other side of it, when my mother comes, it means good food, good cooking to me too, I mean, I mean my my
mother food. But what are you looking forward? Tom? I like him Brazilian Jan Rose, carnative French fries, you know, like like Brazilians. That just yeah, me making my mouth water right there. That sounds great. Um. And then we also asked you a couple of days ago, Um, your your son that's coming, what's what's his name? And why? And what was the what was the thought behind that ada? So you know, Leo continue these great performances, man, Congratulations on the wind.
Go get him next week. Thank you, Gonna keep you lying and they go forward. It's good stuff there from Leo Chow sounders left winger who's put together great performances and hopefully we continue to see him do that. Obviously, with injuries to roll Ruy Diaz, we'll see if Jordan Morris continues to start
at that forward spot and see Leo continue to start at left wing. He certainly earned the minutes, but let's see if he can continue doing it for the Sounders in these next few games, and starting with Royal Salt Lake coming up on Saturday. From the midfield, we turned but to the back line and I mentioned a few minutes ago Sounders this team becoming the first ever to
go five straight at home without giving up a goal. It was one of the many topics we talked about with Jackson Reagan in the locker room after the game. Started off the questions by asking just generally about the win over Minnesota. We also talked about the Open Cup. But here was a conversation we had in the locker room with Sounders center back Jackson Reagan. Feels great, everything went pretty much according to plan, I would say, and another clean
sheets, So definitely happy. What was the plan exactly get the goal and then once we do, I mean kill him with possession, I would say. I think the last fifteen minutes was great. What happened last week in Portland? How important was it for you to guys to come out and get a w this week? Very big, I think, especially after last year, you know we lost three zero at home and then after that, I
mean, the momentum for the rest of the year was not great. So I think very important to bounce back this year because I mean I was definitely thinking about that repeating again this year. Jackson, you part of a back line that had the first time in Sounder history five straight matches at home without giving up a goal. Does that mean anything to you? Yeah, it's
awesome. Um, I mean super proud of that for sure. I think it's not just the back line as well, obviously Stephen Fry, but I think the whole team, um, midfield, cutting everything else, so we don't have to do as much. But I think it's a team award or accomplishment. You know that midfield in front of you, it's changed a little bit, and you know you're now seeing like Obed and JP next to each other, specifically on Obed right, he's coming into these last two games.
What have you seen from from him in these last two Ah, yeah, he's been great. I think another guy, just like I said with Kellen, like we have so many guys who can step up. I think we have a lot more duck this year just because guys keep developing. Um, We've brought some more people and so I think there's a lot of guys who can play in there and and do the job. It's a busy week for
the club obviously Open Cup and then RSL on Saturday. Um, you know, do you talk to Brian about wanting to get minutes in the Open Cup? Uh? Yeah, I think there's I mean, I'll just wait and see what he decides. But I think do you want do you want to play it? Yeah? Of course, I mean I want to play in every game. Um. And I think he has said that the club is putting more emphasis into making a deeper round this year an Open Cup. Um, so see, I don't know, I don't know what the lineup it.
I'm sure he doesn't know yet. So we'll see what it is. And you're you're from here, so you know the fact that, like, you know, do the Open Cup mean a little bit more to you? The fact that you've seen this club and you kind of you know, been been watching this club win Open Cups year after year, you know, years ago. Yeah, I mean back when Sammy first came in them was yeah, um yeah, I mean I'd like i've last year was my first time playing an Open Cup and we lost. Uh, it'd be awesome to make
a round this here. Would you like to not have eleven rounds of penalty kicks this here? Yeah, that would also be nice. Yeah, Oh that's stressful. That's Jackson Reagan, Sounders FC center back. Good to talk to him in the locker room. So we'll take a break here in Sounders Weekly and we will look ahead a little bit more because coming up later on in tonight's show, we're gonna take a look around the league and around the
Sound. We'll preview the Sounders next match in MLS against Salt Lake with Aria Lillianwall, and we'll spend some time talking to him about the Open Cup ahead because the Sounders have a match tomorrow. They're at Starfire against San Diego Loyal. That match is going to be scheduled for seven pm. We hope that you can join us out there at Starfire Sports Stadium in tuck Willa. Should
be a very fun atmosphere as it always is. Four Open Cup matches, So that match we'll talk about RSL lot coming up later tonight as well. Andrew Harvey, our Puget sound soccer expert, will take us around the sound talk all Things Tacoma to finds ol Rain and local soccer. So more coming up on Sounders Weekly Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM. Now back to Sounders Weekly on your home for Saunders FC, Seattle's Sports Radio ninety three point
three kjr FM. Welcome back to Sounders Weekly, Every buddy Jackson felts here on this very nice Tuesday evening. Back to having our shows on Tuesday nights here on KJR seven to eight pm talking to all things at Seattle Sounders FC. Jackson fells here. Good to hear from both Leo Chew and Jackson Reagan in the locker room after Saturday's one nothing win over Minnesota. We'll get more preview for real Salt Lake coming up in our next segment with Ari lean Wall
of MLS Soccer dot Com. He'll take us around the league, and Andrew Harvey, our Puget Sounds soccer expert, will tell us all about Tacoma and ol Rains wins. But one thing that I failed to mention in that first segment there was the news that came out this morning for the Seattle Sounders, and that is that midfielder Danny Lava, a player that we've watched for years. Come up through the Sounders system, academy defiance, and then with the
first team. We'll always remember that. You know, it may not show it in the record books, but we know he scored a goal against Vancouver back in July a few years ago. So whether the record books say it or not, and they've obviously wiped that out, yeah, Danny had scored that goal. But nonetheless, he put together so many great outings in his time in Seattle, and he will in the future. But the news this morning was that the Sounders have loaned out Danny Lava to the Colorado Rapids for
the twenty and twenty three season. Now. As a part of this deal, they clubs. Both clubs retained the right to end the loan during the summer transfer window in a couple months, so this could be a very short term loan. It also could turn out that Danny spends the entire rest of the twenty and twenty three season with Colorado. But the important part was that the Sounders do not have a buy option. That means that Colorado does not
have the option to retain Danny past this season. Very simply, Seattle will send off Danny to Colorado. He'll get a ton more playing time, and then Danny will return to the Sounders at some point either at the end or middle of this season, and then he'll be a Sounder again. So he's still part of the club, but he's not on the roster, if that
makes sense. Should also know that as a part of the deal, Seattle has received Colorado's third round pick in next year's MLS or actually not next year, it's twenty twenty five MLS Super Draft, and they received ninety two thousand dollars in general allocation money. So the Sounders have gotten a couple things back for loaning Danny Laya out to Colorado for this year, but it was important
for the team to retain his control for the future. Passed twenty twenty three and earlier today out at Starfire where the Sounds we're playing an Open Cup match tomorrow against San Diego, had the chance to talk to Sounders General manager Craig
wible both about this deal. We started the questions by talking about the Open Cup and the impact on the Open Cup, the fact that Danny was about to start in the Open Cup match tomorrow before he was loaned out, and then we also talked about the summer transfer window ahead, So a lot of information here regarding Danny, the Open Cup, etc. From the Sounders General manager Craig Wible was able to talk to him out at training earlier this morning.
In the early stages of the tournament, we want to see guys that haven't been given a lot of chances to compete against professional competition to do it, and so in the early stages, probably see some rotation. I think that's normal when you look across the league for teams to do. We want to see guys under pressure. We don't always get to see him maybe eight
minutes, twelve minutes for some of the substitutes. So to give some of those guys a bigger run gives us a better chance to evaluate where we actually think they are, whether or not they're fitting in, and what they're long term looks like. Here, yeah, Danny was definitely starting this game until yesterday at about three fifty nine, Craig, just to take us through the
thought process there and then loading out Lava today to Colorado. And we've been asked, Cheez since the day I took this job, about most of our young guys, but the issue always comes up that the other team always wants to purchase price, and that means they control the future of the player, and so it's not always beneficial to the Sounders. And well, my job's to look out for the Sounders. So this this is a great situation where
they're a little depleted right now Colorado, They've had some injuries. There looks to be a lot of minutes to be consumed, and it's a wonderful opportunity for Danny to go. But also we have the leverage to still control Danny's future in terms of bringing him back to the Sounders this summer with a recall or allowing you know, this loan to extend through the end of the year,
but that would be the final piece of it. So it's a wonderful opportunity that doesn't present itself very often in my world, where a player has an opportunity perhaps go get more minutes than he would here and develop and then
we can bring him back a better player. But it sounds like a big important part of this was the fact that there isn't that buy option, so you know that you will have the option of at least having way a here of long term in the future in my world, making sure that we have the opportunity to control a player, That we make the decisions on where a player is and when they're with another team we can bring them home is always
something that's important to us, especially with the player like Danny come up through our system. We have a wonderful relationship. The conversations even with this situation, we're wonderfully open, and he's a really mature young man, and so being able to explain the entire situation to him and allow him to digest it and make the decision whether or not he wanted to take this opportunity was a
wonderful thing to be able to present a player. It doesn't always work that way, and that doesn't always get to be as amicable as this is. And in those conversations, doesn't sound like he's going to get a bunch of playing time there. I certainly hope, so, you know, I mean, look, he's got to go earn it. No coach and I love Robin Fraser. He is a wonderful coach in our league. No coach promises
minutes, so players earn him. And this is just a good opportunity right now, given some of the injuries they've caught for Danny to be in a situation that puts him a little bit closer to consuming a lot of minutes, because we had some minutes. But we're really hoping that he's able to go there and consume and develop and play a lot. Did you give us some insight on those conversations and how Danny took the news. Was he excited to
go? Danny's an amazing young man, really mature for his age. Well, people don't understand about Danny is you know he learned how to live alone and cook and and be a man at a very young age, and so uh, you know, with a player like him, with his level of maturity, the conversation was easy. The conversation was here's all the information, Danny, you get to make a decision and we're happy either way. Er you mentioned you know we may see one or two players go out on loan
later on this year. Are you interested in with with whoever? Those are? You're interested in those? Also not having a buy option? Well, there's there's a lot of ways to look at those opportunities. So sometimes you loan to sell, sometimes you learn to develop, and Danny is a great example loan to develop. But there are other players that we have to evaluate
their long term future and whether or not that means. You know, look, it is very rare in our world to loan to develop because it's very rare to find another team that needs that situation without wanting the option to retain the players. So that that is a very difficult thing to do at a high level, a first division level. But we'll evaluate a lot of things and we have a lot of talented young players right now that again, you know, the idea is not to have them stay here in practice every day,
is to make sure that they're playing soccer and getting better. And a lot of times that brings them, takes them away and brings them back, and sometimes it takes them away and we don't get them back for years. That's Craig Wible, Seattle Sounders general manager, talk to him out at training this morning there as you heard about the transfer window, about sending Danny Lava on loan to Colorado, the future for Danny Lava, the importance of being
able to have control over him past twenty and twenty three. Obviously he signed a large contract extension just a little bit of go so the Sounders still have Danny Lava on thy side, not the roster. They still have him essentially as a member of the club, just not on the roster. So Danny Lava is not garn from our hearts forever. He will certainly be back.
But good stuff there from Craig Wible out at Starfire. But it's now time to look ahead for what's the Sounders have coming up in the next four days. Both the Open Cup coming up tomorrow seven pm against San Diego out at Starfire, and Royal as Salt Lake in Sandy, Utah on Saturday at six thirty pm. Let's talk about both of those in around the League with Ari Lillienwall and take a trip around the Sound with Andrew Harvey. Both Ari and
Andrew are next on Sounders Weekly Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM. Now back to Sounders Weekly on your home for sunders FC, Seattle's Sports Radio ninety three point three kjr FL. Welcome back to Sounders Weekly, Jackson Felts here, good to have you with us on this much more beautiful Tuesday evening here in Seattle. Whether finally turning this week Unfortunately, the Sounders are hitting the road this week. We'll preview their match against Royal As Salt Lake with Ari
Lillienwall of mlsccer dot Com in around the league in just a moment. But I will tell you very quick Sounder fans, bud Light was rude to be a delicious and easy to drink beer. Bud Light, easy to drink, easy to enjoy. Pick up bud Light at your local retailer today. Please Enjoe responsibly now before it's we go around the sound It's time to go around the league? Are little? You know? All MLS soccer dot Com joins us right now. Are my good friend? How are you, sir?
I'm good Jackson. Thanks for having me back as I always Yeah, good to have you back as always. Ari. Let's start as we always do, with getting your two cents from what you saw from the Sounders one nothing win over Minnesota at lumin Field this last weekend. Yeah, that's a that's a solid win. You know, that's the kind of win that you need to be able to get in MLS. You go into that game shorthanded. Christian rolled On is out, josh A Tensio is out, Raoul ruy Diez
is out. Jordan Morris can't start because he was with the US national team, so you have to rotate it up and grind one out against a Minnesota team that you know coming in here they're gonna set up shop and try and make that game as difficult as possible and try and keep you off the score sheet at all costs. That's exactly what they did. I thought they played their game plan pretty well. Neither team really had many chances during the game. I thought it was kind of a snoozer game for most of it.
But you get that one moment of quality from Albot Rusnack and that's all you need to take those three points and run. Definitely no style points on that one. But like I said, when you're in the grind of a season like this shorthanded, don't have all your weapons at your disposal. That's exactly the kind of result that you need to be able to get. So credit
to Seattle for getting that one done. I think you're absolutely right. We said that in the postgame show that you know, that's the type of win. It's a workman like effort ed one of those wins that you have to put together over the course of a season. Ari let's take a look in the sharp vision opponent alic At, Seattle's next opponent coming up this weekend, and this match is going to be over on Sports Radio nine fifty KGr AM, a Providence, Swedish premat show will begin at six o'clock, kickoff at
six thirty. You'd also watch the match on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Coming up this Saturday, four Sounders and Royal Salt Lake as the Sounders are on the road and ari RSLs. We know SIT's ninth place in the Western Conference, they are in the playoff picture, but we know they just took a loss this last week. What can you tell us about about Salt Lake since the Sounders saw them and what the March fourth. I believe it's
it's been a while, anything changed notably with RSL. I wouldn't say anything much has changed with them. I mean, if you look at the table, like you said, ninth place, they're only at one point one three points per game. And Seattle did beat them the first time they played at blooming Field earlier season, so you might look at that and think that it's
an advantageous situation for Seattle even going on the road. But one thing that I can tell you is that away games at Real Salt Lake are extremely extremely hard to pull results. I don't know the exact record off the top of my head, but I do know that dating back years now, it's been very tough sledding every time Seattle goes to play there. You know, it's at altitude a little bit, not as much as Colorado, but I think
that's partially a factor for why it makes it so hard to play. And they have a really rowdy home crowd, so for whatever reason, Seattle has really struggled to get results there in recent years. So I guess what I'm saying is I would not look at RSL's record and think that that has any effect on how difficult y're easy it's going to be for Seattle to get a result here. This is gonna be an extremely hard game, just it always is, no matter how RSL is doing on the table. This is a
hard, hard game. The way I look at in away game at RSL is if you get a draw and a point, you take that and you and you run. Because most times Seattle goes there, they come away with zero points. That's just how it's gone for years now. So expect a very very difficult pulling Keeth type of game. It is not going to be pretty well, you know what I mean. Seattle put in a good defensive, workman like performance against Minnesota. Would love to see, you know,
kind of just a repeat of that. If you can nick one and you know, walk away with a slim win like this, that's great. But even I think you're right, you know, and just walk away with the drafts or road game in a tough environment. I think you're absolutely dead on right there about RSL. Yeah, I think that's the thing to take from this is don't let the standings and don't let the two nothing win back in
March deceive anybody. This will be a tough game, and I'll tell you that Tonight's a point of Alok was presented by Vission Modern Lasic and Lens, the official Lasic provider of Sounders FC. But alright, that's not the only game for Sounders this week. They have the Open Cup. It's gonna be Wednesday, San Diego Loyal game at Starfire. You know, we've heard Brian Schmittzer in his postgame you know locker room, you know, talk to the
guys saying they were gonna put a renewed emphasis. He said that in press conferences as well. Um, you know, from your perspective is you know, somebody who sees the entire league, how much should Seattle put put into the Open Cup this year? Not only in this game, but you in all the games that they play in Open Cup this year. I think they should emphasize it a little bit more this year. You know, I'm not I'm not staying put out your a one first choice lineup for this game against
San Diego, like you do have to rotate in this situation. But I think, like when you look at Seattle's initial entry into the league, the Open Cup was really the thing that helped launch them kind of on to the national stage. They won it four times every year they were making lengthy runs. The games a Starfire are always a spectacle. It's a lot different dynamic than a game at women because you've got the smaller capacity the crowds right on
top of the field. But it creates a really electric environment for a soccer game. So it's fun memories for the organization in that tournament. Over the years, and the last few years they kind of gotten gotten away from that
day. They haven't had as much success in that competition. Over the last four or five years, So I think this year is an opportunity with the depths, they have to kind of recapture that old magic a little bit, and I think that's something that they should go for because you know, it just hasn't been the same the last few years in that tournament with them getting bounced a little earlier. You miss out on some fun moments with that,
and it's always an opportunity to get a trophy. You get a Champions League spot for winning this turn. Yeah, it's worth going for and it's worth taking seriously, and I think they will. I'll be interested to see what lineup Schmetzer puts out there on Wednesday, but I expect it to be a solid lineup, and I think it should be a good game because anytime you're they're playing a lower division opponent, that opponent's going to be bringing it because
it's their chance to kind of make their name with an upset. It's plenty incentive for them to be to be playing hard as well, so you know, you combine all those factors together, I think it should be a fun game on Wednesday, and I do think that if Seattle wins it, you're you're going to see them fielding stronger and stronger lineups the deeper they make it. Because I think Schmetzer has talked about how they do want to reemphasize this
tournament. Yeah no, and I think that's absolutely right. The point about Champions League is a big one, and you know, I don't remember who said it, but I think there is some validity to this statement that it's the easiest way to get into Champions League is winning the Open Cup, just
based on the competition level for a number of the rounds. So if you do put the emphasis and you do, you'll make your way through the tournament and go get another trophy, and obviously a trophy means a lot, and get yourself back in Champions League because that's then an easy route to get to the back to the Club World Cup, which is ultimately where this whole thing lies, is getting back to the stage in Morocco or wherever it is being
held that the Sounders got to earlier this year. And you know, open cups a great route to do that. So Ari Leleianwall was our guest MLS Soccer dot Com. Ari another game on Wednesday, Tomorrow night is Conkercalfe Champions League for LAFC and Philadelphia Union. They are facing off in the semi final of this year's CCL tournament. I mean, it's the rematch of MLS Cup last year, Ari, how do you handicap this one? Yeah, I'm this is the biggest game of the week league wide in my opinion. Just
a lot going on here. I mean, first of all, they're they're facing off for a chance in the Champions League final, so we already know that there's going to be a club that gets a chance to replicate what Seattle did last year. So there's a lot to think about with just what that says about how far the league has come and how much MLS clubs have improved
when it comes to being able to compete in conquercalf Champions League. And then you've also got the factor of this is a rematch of last year's MLS Cup, which I was at that game in LA and that was one of, if not the best soccer matches I've ever been to in terms of just the the excitement of what happened on the field and the atmosphere at the most stadium in LA. That was a crazy one and every time these two teams get together. It's a crazy game like that. There's been games where you've seen
forty yard free kick Alazo's three three draws back and forth. It's just very theatrical when when these two teams play, So for them to be playing over two legs for a shot in the CCL final is huge. I don't know who's gonna win, you know, I think LAFC is the favorite. If you look at their league form, in their CCL form, it's kind of hard to see anyone taking them down right now. But if there is a team that could do it this year, Philly can compete with them. They've
shown that they could have easily won that MLS Cup last year. They were in position to do so until Garrett Dale got one on them in extra time and they won it in penalties. But I'm just so intrigued at that matchup and there's so much on the line for both of those clubs and for the league. So it's that's definitely one that's worth tuning into if you're hunting for other MLS games to watch this week, that's the one I'd watch, even you know, it's not in the league season, but Ambiens League is an
even bigger deal. So that's the match of the week for me. Well, at six pm tomorrow night, they're between Philly and LAFC and conacalf. You know, are we have a couple more seconds here, so as you know, I look back to the league and what happened here this week, and we have time for one more question. I mean, I loved seeing Cincinnati be Portland, but one that also stood out to me was the Galaxy finally getting wing and then they get a win over an Austin team that we've
continued to see just kind of faulter this year. Are they don't they don't look anything like the Austin team we saw last year? Yeah, I think.
You know, it's still early enough in the season where any team that's struggling can turn it around, but Austin getting to the point where their regression is looking pretty clear, and a lot of people actually kind of predicted that because if you looked at their underlying numbers from last year, they were overperforming their expected goals by a crazy amount, and that's the type of thing that is very hard to replicate from year to year if you have an outlier year
like that. You usually tend to come back to earth the next season, so it's not a huge surprise to see Austin regressing a little bit. I am a little surprised to see it to this degree because when you look at their roster, they still have a lot of the pieces that contributed to the
great season that they had last year. I'm still waiting to make a definitive conclusion, probably a few more weeks, but for right now, it looks like Austin has regressed, which that will have ripple effects in the Western Conference, and you know, a galaxy they get their first win of the season there, you know, I think there's still plenty of questions as to whether
they can put together a sustained renom form too. So that's two teams right there that we're supposed to be competitive in the Western Conference that don't look like it right now, and it's basically just a waiting game now to see if they can they can turn it around. That's exactly right. Should be mentioned, by the way, for those who don't know, Nashville is now part
of the Eastern Conference. They got a one one draw with LAFC, so I no longer have to contend with Nashville out West with the inclusion now of Saint Louis who also got a one one draw against Colorado. So lots of things to watch there in the Western Conference, Ari, great stuff is always my friend. Will take another trip around the league next week. We'll talk about whatever happens in Seattle and RSL and look ahead to the next SKC match
the following Sunday. So as always, my friend, thanks so much, take care and we'll see out there. Yeah, thanks Jackson, talk next week. Go stuff from Ari, Lilian Wall of MLS soccer dot com on around the league, and before we take a trip around the Sound, I'll tell you that Sounders FC and Boeing are teaming up to support the Washington Youth
Soccer Community Corner on match days this season. Join us in Steam as we welcome Washington youth soccer players and coaches to cheer in the Rave Green courtesy of Bowing. All right, from around the league, we now go to around the Sound and you know, from good news with the Sounders of one nothing win, we stayed on with good news, a Tacoma win, a Rain win, and here to talk about exactly what happened in both of those games. And much more. It is our Puget Sound soccer expert Andrew Harvey.
Big weekend for soccer around the Sound Jackson to come a Defiance left it late last weekend, but walked away with three points from a road win over his Houston Dynamo two University of Washington and Sounders Academy product Geomiglietti scored the game winner in the ninetieth minute as Defiance defeated the ten man Houston side two to one. On Sunday, Defiance are back at home to face La Galaxy Too this Sunday at eight pm. That match will air on Mlsnextpro dot Com. Ol
Rain had a big week last week. They took down Angel City FC convincingly in their first group stage match or the NWSL Challenge Cup two nil last Wednesday, before putting Chicago Red Stars to the Sword five to two on Saturday. Bethany Balzer and Jess Fishlock both had races in that match, with Megan Rapino either scoring a goal or forcing an own goal depending on who you talk to, for the fifth one in that contest. The Rain were away next at
Racing Louisville on Saturday at four thirty pm. That match will air on Paramount Plus. I'm Andrew Harvey and this has been around the sound. Great stuff there from Andrew Harvey, our Puget Sound soccer expert. Yeah, great wins there for Tacoma and ol Rain. But looking back to the Seattle Sounders again. Open Cup match coming up this Wednesday at Starfire. We'll hope to see out there Tomorrow night down there at Starfire Sports Stadium. Should be a fun
and exciting atmosphere against San Diego Loyal. We know that Brian Spencer has said there's going to be a renewed emphasis on the Open Cups as Ari and I were talking about a few minutes ago there, this will be a emphasis and we expect it to be a good team. We'll see what Brian Schmitzer throws out there tomorrow against San Diego. So hope to see you out there Starfire for that and then once again, the other match coming up this week is
going to be on Saturday. I'll tell you that you can listen over on Sports Radio nine fifty KJR AM this Saturday Providence, Swedish premat show at six o'clock, kick off at six thirty. As the Sounders are in Sandy Utah to face Royal Salt Lake. You can also watch the match on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. So check out your Sounders couple times here this week. It's a busy week for them and Sounders FC Soccer is presented by Providence
Swedish, the official healthcare partner of Sounders FC. So busy week. Thank you to all of our guest tonight. Great to talk in the locker room there with both Jackson Reagan and Leo Chew. Check out the podcast in case you missed those previously, or if you missed Arillenwall of Andrew Harvey here this segment taking us around the league or around the sound You can find our podcasts
wherever you get your podcast just search Sounders Weekly. Also on the iHeartRadio app Sounders Weekly there and nine three three KGr dot com the Sounders on Demand page. One final note before we break, and that's the fans. There's still time to join the Sounders FC family this year with a twenty and twenty three season. Membership members enjoy access to ticket pre sales, pro shop discounts,
invites to exclusive events. Secure your membership today by visiting SOUNDERSFC dot com slash memberships, So good luck here to the Sounders tomorrow against San Diego in the Open Cup, and then we will talk to you on Saturday over on nine fifty AM nine fifty KGr AM for Sounders and Royal Assault Lake six o'clock pre six thirty kickoffs, so we'll talk to you for both of those. Have a good evening everybody and has always go Sounders.