Sounders at FC Dallas, Western Conference Semifinals leg 2: One Good Question

Heading into the second leg of the Western Conference Semifinal match against FC Dallas, the Seattle Sounders are in unfamiliar territory — ahead with a large lead. In this two-leg aggregate-goal (away goal tiebreaker) format the 3-0 win in leg one is huge. But there are still 90 minutes left. FCD can go down in history with a comeback. The two teams know each other well. This is their seventh meeting in just a year. Each side is ready for their Sunday, November 6 match (FS1, kickoff will be about 6:23 PM).

All that’s left is to play the 90, or 120, minutes.

Drew from Big D Soccer answers One Good Question. Leg one’s Three Questions are here.

SaH: Can Dallas make history and come back?

BDS: I want to be optimistic about it and given my love of the Chicago Cubs, I think anything is possible. This team is resilient and capable. Oscar Pareja has proven he can put together a team that can overcome a lot of odds along the way. They've come from behind in several big games this season and have that special ability at home to produce a lot of magic when they need to.

But a 3-0 hole against a team like Seattle without an attacker like Mauro Diaz is a very large mountain to climb. I think they'll make it close but in the end the quest for a treble is going to fall short for this group.

Predicted lineup: Pareja mixes it up and goes all in on an attacking group for this one:

Chris Seitz, Atiba Harris, Walker Zimmerman, Matt Hedges, Maynor Figueroa, Carlos Gruezo, Kellyn Acosta, Michael Barrios, Mauro Rosales, Ryan Hollingshead, Maxi Urruti

BDS: What does Seattle have to do to ensure they don't give up one of the biggest comebacks in MLS history?

SaH: If they just play their game, not some bunker-y, bus-park-y horror show, they should be fine. Even repeating their worst result this year would mean that we get a fun bit of extra time. It's been a long time since the Sounders lost a match by 4 or more goals. Only four MLS losses and a single CONCACAF Champions League loss in their eight-year MLS history are that poor. One of those involved an early red card. That would harm the Sounders chances, so avoiding a silly red in the first few minutes is key.

Coach Brian Schmetzer has been clear: The Sounders do not go on the road to draw, or to lose mildly. They play soccer games to win. They know that a single Seattle goal forces Dallas into a situation where they need to score five. People should expect the Sounders to come out as an aggressive side trying to shift the game-state dramatically. Considering FCD essentially needs to do the same, the first 15 minutes should be soccer in 5th gear.

Projected lineup and any other notes worth sharing: Torres, Ivanschitz, Fernandez and Evans all have minor injury issues. Clint Dempsey is still out due to an irregular heartbeat.

Stefan Frei; Joevin Jones, Chad Marshall, Zach Scott, Tyrone Mears; Osvaldo Alonso, Cristian Roldan; Jordan Morris, Nicolas Lodeiro, Erik Friberg; Nelson Haedo Valdez