Our prediction for this MLS match:
Thursday’s football game at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park pits together Colorado Rapids and Seattle Sounders, the two teams who are vying for top position in the Western Conference. Colorado have been having their ups and downs of late, with the team beating both Austin and Minnesota, while losing to Seattle and Real Salt Lake. The Rapids are eyeing their eighth home win of the process, and you should bear in mind that they have suffered only one defeat in front of home fans this season.
The Sounders, on the other hand, head into the match following a 2-1 loss to Houston Dynamo, and seeing that they are five points clear of second-place Sporting Kansas City, the visitors would be happy with one point from the match. All Delem, Lodeiro, Morris, and Ruidiaz miss out with injuries for the away team, while Colorado defender Danny Wilson is back from suspension.
Highlighted Player (Diego Rubio):
Diego Rubio is a Chilean attacker who signed his first professional deal with Colo-Colo. Rubio, though, made only eight league appearances (scoring three goals) for the Chilean outfit and in 2011 he moved to Europe, signing a deal with Primeira Liga team Sporting Lisbon. After playing only 11 league matches for the Lions, the 179-cm tall striker joined Spanish club Valladolid at the age of 22.
It has to be noted that during his spell with Sporting Lisbon he was loaned to the likes of Pandurii Targu Kiu and Sandnes Ulf. On September 1, 2016 Diego Rubio signed a permanent teal with Sporting Kansas City and he has been playing for the MLS club ever since.
Rubio was born on May 15, 1993 in Santiago, the capital of Chile, and he made his debut for the Chilean national football team in June, 2011 against Paraguay. His contract with Sporting Kansas City expires on June 30, 2017.
Highlighted Team (Seattle Sounders):
Seattle Sounders are an American soccer club that compete in the Western Conference of Major League Soccer. The Sounders are owned by the likes of Joe Roth, Paul Allen, Drew Carey and Adrian Hanauer and they play their home games at CenturyLink Field.
The club won the 2016 MLS Cup, with the team beating Toronto FC on penalties in the trophy game at BMO Field. Swiss goalkeeper Stefan Frei won the MVP honor after pulling off several brilliant saves in the 2016 MLS Cup final.
Winning of the MLS Cup is undisputedly the club’s biggest success, but it has to be noted that the Sounders clinched the Supporters’ Shield trophy in 2014. Seattle hold rivalry with Portland Timbers, but Vancouver Whitecaps are regarded as the club’s bitter rivals as well.
Experienced attacker Clint Dempsey is undisputedly the club’s most significant star and he has been playing for the CenturyLink Field outfit since 2014. He scored eight goals in the league in the 2016 season and, no doubt, he helped the Sounders win their first ever MLS Cup.