The Seattle Sounders are warming up for MLS play in a year’s time by continuing to dump the league’s teams out of the Open Cup. They beat Chivas USA for the second successive year Tuesday on goals by Taylor Graham and Sebastien Le Toux, proving that last season’s two victories over MLS opposition were “no fluke,” according to Coach Brian Schmetzer.
“This, perhaps, makes people truly believe that we have good players on this team,” said Schmetzer. “It also is proof that the Open Cup tournament is an exciting format.” There’s no debating Schmetzer’s point about the format, but it would help the competition if MLS teams would, or could, field more first-choice players. Chivas, however, has the Superliga, the CONCACAF Champions League and the rest of the MLS regular season ahead, and so rested several senior players just two days after playing New York.
“We feel we can compete with any team in the country,” said Graham. “And we relish the opportunity to do that with MLS teams.” Seattle, which reached the semifinal last year before losing to FC Dallas, travels to the Kansas City Wizards next week for the quarterfinal matchup.