
Updates on news, views and developments of the South Sound soccer scene.
Contributors:
Don Ruiz joined The News Tribune in 1988 and has been covering sports since 1999. He is a long-time recreational soccer player and has covered the 1999 Women's World Cup championship game and a variety of international, national and local soccer matches. E-mail Don.Jon Billings is the director of communications for the Tacoma Tide. He'll be providing news, notes and updates on the Tide. E-mail Jon.
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That's the take from this week's MSL power rankings, which put the Chicago Fire as the No. 2 team in the league, and the Sounders at No. 3.
Here's what they have to say about the Fire:
Over the final 12 minutes of their 2-2 draw with Kansas City two weeks ago and the first 85 minutes of their draw with Columbus on Saturday, the Fire could not have looked more out of sync on both ends of the pitch. Then, in a five-minute period, they erased all their troubles. Still, the Fire defense is not playing at the high level it did a season ago.
And the Sounders:
Sigi Schmid's move to swap Freddie Ljungberg's and Brad Evans' positions midway through Saturday's win over San Jose was just what Sounders FC needed to get their attack back in order. Ljungberg has always excelled as a wing player, and Seattle's offense is at its best attacking from the outside, then funneling the ball in the box.
And here are the full rankings.
The teams will meet at 5:30 p.m. Saturday. And depth could be an issue for both. Because while the Sounders won a U.S. Open Cup match Tuesday against Salt Lake, the Fire meets Club America in an international friendly tonight.
