Everything you need to know about Rapids-Sounders

The Seattle Sounders are riding a four-game unbeaten streak but still haven’t won a league match since May 13, a stretch of 12 straight games. Impossibly, they are still in the thick of the playoff race with tonight's game against the Colorado Rapids basically a six-pointer.

Here’s what you need to know:

Injury news

Sounders

Pedro de la Vega — Quad; Jesús Ferreira — Hamstring; Nikola Petkovic — Knee; Paul Rothrock — Hamstring

QUESTIONABLE: Yeimar Gómez Andrade — Calf

Rapids

OUT: Billo Diop — Knee; Ted Ku-DiPietro — Shoulder; Zack Steffen- Shoulder; Kosi Thompson — Suspended

QUESTIONABLE: Youssef Maziz — Leg

Opposition players to watch

Georgi Minoungou: The former Sounders winger has become a regular starter since his trade to the Rapids and will likely have plenty of motivation in this one. He has mostly been deployed off the left wing and continues to be one of the top dribblers in the league, even if his counting stats have fallen off a bit.

Paxten Aaronson: A record signing last year, the 23-year-old is still very much developing. But he has shown some positive signs and is currently tops on the team with five assists and is among the league's best chance creators.

Stats to look smart

6 – The Rapids have not allowed a single goal in their past six home games in league play and have allowed just nine goals at home all season. They are, however, coming off a 3–0 loss to St. Louis City at home in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals on Wednesday.

12 – For all the Sounders’ struggles this year, they have only allowed 12 goals in 12 road games this year. Only Supporters’ Shield-leading Nashville SC has allowed fewer.

Tactics to impress

As the Sounders have gotten more of their veterans back from injury, they’ve started to look more and more like themselves. Over the past three games, for instance, they’ve won the field-tilt battle and been able to play more in their opponents’ halves. That may stop today, though, as the Rapids tend to be a much more aggressive team in possession, which could allow the Sounders more opportunities to beat them on the counter.
The two main hallmarks of Matt Wells’ time with the Rapids has been a desire to play out of the back and a willingness to press. In their first meeting with the Sounders, they were burned a couple times by both but they’ve gotten far better over time.