UPDATE: Nelson Haedo Valdez picked up a knock in warmups and has been replaced by Lamar Neagle. Chad Barrett takes Neagle's place on the bench.
Ever since Clint Dempsey joined the Seattle Sounders in 2013, pundits have been licking their chops at seeing them face the LA Galaxy with both sides featuring their first-choice players. For one reason or another, it has mostly failed to play out that way. Not this time.
The Sounders' starting lineup is about as close to first-choice as they've used all year, with all three Designated Players, Andreas Invaschitz and Osvaldo Alonso on the field. The only significant exception is the absence of Chad Marshall, who's out with a neck sprain.
The Galaxy counter with a lineup with Giovanni Dos Santos and Robbie Keane up top and Steven Gerrard in the midfield, as well as all their other top players.
Here's how the line up:
It’s YOUR @SoundersFC starting XI: Frei Mears Scott Evans Gonzalez Valdez Alonso Pineda Ivanschitz Dempsey Martins
— Sounders Matchday (@LIVESounders) October 5, 2015
And the subs: Perkins, Ockford, Remick, Rose, Friberg, Pappa, Neagle
— Sounders Matchday (@LIVESounders) October 5, 2015
#LAGalaxy XI: Ricketts; DLG, Gonzalez, Leo, Rogers; Zardes, Juninho, Gerrard, Lletget; Keane, Dos Santos #SEAvLA pic.twitter.com/Kzzys22KUQ
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) October 5, 2015
#LAGalaxy subs vs. @SoundersFC: Rowe, Vayrynen, Villarreal, Gordon, Garcia, Romney, Gargan #SEAvLA match center: http://t.co/Kc3bisVLUx
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) October 5, 2015
Should be fun.