The Seattle Sounders have a lot to play for on Sunday at CenturyLink Field when Real Salt Lake comes to town. Playoff seeding is far from determined and if certain results go against Seattle, the Sounders could be out of the playoffs for the first time since entering the league in 2009.
Playing simply for pride and professionalism after being eliminated from postseason contention last week, RSL is not going to make it easy for the Sounders on Decision Day.
“We want to finish the season on a high note. So we’re going to put out a team that’s looking for next year but also a team that’s going to upset some people in the northwest hopefully,” Real Salt Lake Head Coach Jeff Cassar said in his weekly interview on ESPN 700 on the Bill & OC Show on Thursday. “It’s going to be a team that we think can beat them and get the result that we want.”
It will be a festive atmosphere in Seattle for the match. In addition to the over 50,000 expected in attendance as the Sounders opened up the full stadium at the Seahawks home stadium for the fourth time this season, Seattle music legend Mike McCready of Pearl Jam will play the national anthem on his signature 1959 Fender Stratocaster guitar.
With all the pomp and circumstance of the event, RSL plans to put its best foot forward.
“They’re pulling out all the stops,” Cassar said. “We’re going to get their best lineup and we’re going to give them our best shot as well.”
Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. MT with live television coverage on KMYU. Hear the full interview with Cassar here.
