While you were lamenting the Sounders 13-match winless run, San Diego decided to go on two lengthy winless runs of their own. They're currently in an 8-match segment without a win and previously this year hit 9 without a dub.
Yet, because this is MLS where 60% of teams make the playoffs and parity is king, San Diego is only 8 points off the Sounders. The two sides chose different paths to mediocrity.
Seattle is still a team that doesn't play with pace, low on the passing charts for a Schmetzer team, but is shooting well. San Diego love to have the ball and rarely shoot. The Sounders combine for 76 goals scored (for and against) in their games. SDFC combine for 109!
Yet, Sounders are 10th in shots taken, while San Diego are 25th. Where Seattle puts more shots on target, they fail to take efficient ones compared to San Diego.
If you hated the horseshoe of lethargy in the first half against Montreal you should expect to dislike this match. Neither team is in the top half of the league in shots within the six, nor in the top third for shots in the penalty area.
If San Diego controls the tempo they'll have nearly 100 more passes than Seattle, all in the midfield. If the Sounders control the tempo, the two sides are likely to be even in passes with Schmetzer's team having a field tilt near the SDFC defensive third.
Watch today's game for Seattle's pressing attackers. If they're able to break San Diego's 60% possession and near-90% completion (due to short passes in non-dangerous places) the pace of action should break from lethargy to exciting.
Otherwise this will be a game where one team tries to destroy via extremely boring possession and the other is forced to defend and counter.
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Catching up on Sounder at Heart
Here's what you missed on the site this week.
Sounders
Next match: Tonight at San Diego FC at 7:30 pm PT on Apple TV.
Seattle will clinch a berth in the Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs if:
- Seattle win at San Diego AND Minnesota lose/draw at Houston AND Salt Lake lose/draw vs. St. Louis AND LA lose/draw at LAFC AND Portland lose/draw vs. Charlotte
- Everything you need to know about San Diego FC-Sounders
- Breaking down the Sounders’ three remaining position battles
- Yep, the Sounders have another injury
- Realio’s Ratings: Boos, bailouts, and barely bypassing the bottom
- Milestone met: WA Legends presses on
This newsletter was made possible through the support of Full Pull Wines, a boutique wines reseller that has been sponsoring us since 2011.
Reign
Next match: Sunday, Nov. 1 hosting Orlando Pride at 2 pm PT on an ESPN network TBD for Decision Day.
If Reign win they're in the playoffs. Other results could still see them advance.
- Reign and Royals fight to scoreless draw in Utah
- Seattle Reign jump back into playoff spot with win over Chicago
- Seattle Reign sign Madison Curry through 2028
Defiance
Finished season 9th in MLS Next Pro Western Conference with an 11-12-5-3, -4 record. The leading scoring was Mark Bronnik with 13 goals, tied for sixth in the league. Charlie Gaffney tied for sixth in assists with 8.
Tops on the team for G+/game with significant playing time;
- Forward Bronnik at 0.24 with his best subset being receiving at 0.21
- Winger/CM/LB Rafael Jauregui at 0.03
- DM/CB Mark O'Neill at 0.03
Looking back at the news
Everything else you need to know
NWLS and women's soccer
- NWSL dropping 'Rodman rule' restrictions; all players now eligible in wider settlement (ESPN)
- It's time to expand the definition of NWSL MVP and 'look beyond the scoring' (The Athletic via Yahoo)
- Montreal Roses Win The NSL Supporters’ Shield (Northern Tribune)
- The reason it’s so hard to figure out women’s sports coverage (The Fixture)
- Why broadcasting legend Andrés Cantor left Telemundo to launch Netflix’s women’s World Cup coverage (Philadelphia Inquirer)
- USWNT big board: 2027 World Cup roster questions and answers (ESPN)
MLS and men's soccer
- MLS eyes $400 million TV deal amid crowded soccer landscape (Awful Announcing)
- ‘As bullish as I’ve ever been’ - USL rebrand reflects owners’ belief in promotion-relegation, but stadiums and expansion remain hurdles (Goal)
- FIFA has begun soliciting bids for rights to the 2030 World Cup (Sports Media Watch)
- St. Louis City wins U.S. Open Cup in PKs, with backup GK in place of injured Bürki (New York Times)
- 2026 Canadian Championship: Forge Makes History In Win Over CF Montreal (Northern Tribune)
- An online museum that sets the standard for celebrating soccer history (Soccer America)
Puget Sound culture and news
- Discover bites for every budget across the region and support the local economy through good food (Seattle Restaurant Week)
- Tabletop games like D&D act as “drama therapy in the wild” to boost players’ self-concepts (PsyPost) My open table campaign will resume in January 2027.
- I had a D&D designer make the perfect monster to torment my group (Polygon)
