Brian Schmetzer faces significant selection headaches as his "Seattle Sounders" side prepares to face "Vancouver Whitecaps" in their upcoming MLS clash. The veteran coach must navigate through a miniature injury crisis with four key players sidelined ahead of what history suggests will be a tightly contested affair.
"We've got our work cut out for us with these injuries, but the squad has depth for exactly these situations," a determined Schmetzer might emphasize as his team looks to build on their impressive 3-0 victory in their last meeting with Vancouver.
The Sounders enter this fixture following a disappointing defeat to Minnesota United, where they dominated possession (66%) but fell to a 4-1 loss despite young Kalani Kossa-Rienzi finding the net. That result stings particularly after watching the likes of Albert Rusnák and Paul Rothrock score in their previous encounter with Vancouver.
On the other side, Jesper Sørensen's Whitecaps are still reeling from a brutal 5-0 thrashing by Cruz Azul in CONCACAF Champions League action. The Canadian outfit has managed just seven goals across their last six matches – not exactly inspiring form.
Interestingly, the head-to-head record between these Pacific Northwest rivals couldn't be more balanced – two wins apiece and two draws in their last six meetings, with both teams scoring exactly seven goals each.
The injury report makes for concerning reading for Sounders fans. Paul Arriola (cruciate ligament), Yeimar Gómez Andrade (muscle), Jordan Morris (unspecified) and Kee-hee Kim (calf) are all unavailable. Vancouver, meanwhile, only misses Ryan Gauld with a knee issue.
Despite their personnel challenges, Seattle looks set to deploy a 4-2-3-1 formation with Stefan Frei between the posts and Danny Musovski leading the line. Vancouver will likely counter with a 4-3-3 setup featuring Yohei Takaoka in goal.
Can the depleted Sounders repeat their October success against Vancouver? Form suggests this will be closer than their previous 3-0 triumph, with predictions pointing toward a narrow 1-0 away win for Seattle. The ball's in your court, Schmetzer.
