Sounders at Santos Laguna CONCACAF Champions League semis leg two - Gamethread

This year is a bit of an oddity. It is very TFC 2012. Horrid start to the MLS season, yet a decent run in the CONCACAF Champions League. That year Santos Laguna shoved both Seattle and Toronto out of the tournament. The Sounders already have a better CCL performance than Toronto, beating a top Mexican side instead of the strange early 2012 LA Galaxy. The Sounders made history against Tigres and look to extend that history tonight in Torreon at 5 PM Pacific on Fox Soccer.

It will be hard. But there are some guides from film and life. Scroll down if you don't like it when Dave gets nerdy. The nerd section is in block quotes so you can ignore it easier.

Randal Graves: Which did you like better? "Jedi" or "The Empire Strikes Back"?
Dante Hicks: "Empire".
Randal Graves: Blasphemy.
Dante Hicks: "Empire" had the better ending. I mean, Luke gets his hand cut off, finds out Vader's his father, Han gets frozen and taken away by Boba Fett. It ends on such a down note. I mean, that's what life is, a series of down endings. All "Jedi" had was a bunch of Muppets.

Dante is wrong. Jedi had an intriguing battle that showed the value of sacrifice. As Ewoks fell they distracted the militarily favored Empire. AT-STs abandoned their posts to chase the minnows, and they were destroyed. The politician and the rogue storm one target and take it down. That opened things up for a mercenary to take out the big target and a young man to reunite with the man who fathered his career. The "Holy Trilogy" ends on an up note. Right now we could use an up note.

So here's to the fodder on the team to harass Santos into poor decisions. Here's to a free wheeling mid and a support attacker scoring early goals. Here's to the late appearance of a mercenary hero to join the action with a third. Herc can come join Sigi later.

Empire didn't have the better ending. It had the harsh conditions that set-up the heroics needed in the third tale. Seattle can write its story tonight. There is little hope. But it is hope which either overcomes the odds or gives you support while disaster strikes. I prefer hope.

TV: Fox Soccer 5 PM (Strong/Costigan)
Radio: No Radio

Tactical Keys

• Play As Unit
• Force Bad Passes
• Limit Santos Laguna's Success With Chances
• Give Yourselves a Chance

Player Matchups

• DeAndre Yedlin v Marc Crosas Calderon
• Mario Martinez v Juan Pablo Rodriguez
• Sammy Ochoa v Felipe Baloy

How We're Watching
Scarf: Nos Audietis 2012
Kit: 311/Sounders
Where I'm Watching: Golazo HQ

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