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First Kick is just a few days away. That game will feature the defending Supporters' Shield winners, the LA Galaxy, and will be showed live on ESPN. It should be an exciting game, packed with pomp, circumstance and actual meaning.
In the meantime, we'll have to settle for one more preseason game as the Seattle Sounders take on the Colorado Rapids in what is being billed as the second annual Community Shield. With this game being between last year's MLS Cup and U.S. Open Cup winners, it would be understandable if you assumed this was the start of a new tradition similar to the one in England where the FA Cup and Premier League winners meet in the preseason. There's no indication of that being the case, though, as the first Community Shield was between the Sounders and Portland Timbers in 2010.
More importantly, this is the final chance for players to make an impression on coaches before the season starts. Most of the Sounders' roster spots appear to be spoken for, but there's always a chance that something interesting happens when they play under the lights at Qwest.
If you're not attending the game, you'll have to be satisfied with watching "intermittent action" as KONG broadcasts its season preview show during the game. There is no live stream, at least not from Seattle. The broadcast starts at 6:30 p.m. with a 2010 review.
Starting lineups (courtesy of @JoshuaMayers):
Sounders FC lineup: GK Keller, D Riley, D Hurtado, D Parke, D Gonzalez, M Fernandez, M Alonso, M Evans, M Zakuani, F Montero, F Nkufo.
Colorado Rapids lineup: GK Pickens, D Kimura, D Moor, D Wynne, D Wallace, M Mastroeni, M Larentowicz, M Smith, M Mullan, F Cummings, F Casey
Anyway, this is your gamethread. Enjoy.