St. Louis FC are in the Puget Sound area for the first time in their short history to try their hand at beating our own Seattle Sounders 2. Unfortunately for S2, St. Louis is yet another team facing S2 in the midst of a hot streak, having shot into the playoff race with four wins in their last five. That said, S2 is also a bit of a changed team in recent weeks. If this version of St. Louis came to Cheney two months ago, they would most likely be looking at an easy win, but S2 have been putting in much more impressive home outings in the last month, winning their last two home games after losing six of their first nine.

This improvement in form has come while Coach Hutchinson has pushed an already young lineup even younger, especially among the front seven (David Estrada aside). S2 has often shaded younger as the season winds down, but usually it has not resulted in improved performances or results. This time is different, though, thanks to the continued excellence of Denso Ulysse and the marked improvement of former/current Academy players Shandon Hopeau and Azriel Gonzalez. Those three youngster will be looking to make S2 an unlikely spoiler to the Western Conference teams looking to make the playoffs.

Their own bid for the postseason is all but dusted, but tonight the youth get their first chance to ruin someone else’s party. They can throw dust in St. Louis’s eyes, quench their red hot form, and steal three points that serve no purpose for S2 but that St. Louis desperately need. They can start to make Cheney a fortress and possibly begin to write their own chapter in Sounders lore. As one legend retires, transforms from present to past, S2 players can begin their own transformation from the future to the now.

nos audietis in somniis | nos audietis in altum

you will hear us in your sleep | you will hear us from the deep

this is our Sound

Keys to the Game

• Maintain some defensive balance
• Take some risks pushing into the final third
• Don’t stop tracking runners unless you are sure a teammate is picking them up!!

Lineups

How to Watch

Match date/time: 7:00 PM PT, Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Venue: Cheney Stadium, Central Tacoma, Puyallup-White River Watershed, Cascadia.

Streaming: ESPN+ (Talent: Andrew Harvey, Dave Clark and James Riley)

How I'm watching

Outfit: An outfit imbued with optimism and belief in the future.

Where: I’ll be at that old ball field we love called Cheney Stadium.