Seattle Sounders FC

The Sounders begin their quest for an MLS cup at home on March 17, against Toronto FC.  This marks the fourth year for the franchise, which some consider one of the most successful expansion teams in any sport in US history.   The depth of the squad will definitely get tested, and coach Sigi Schmid will have a hard time getting younger players to step up into the gaping holes left by many veteran players that are no longer with the team.

The Sounders also look to compete in two more competitions this year as well.  Soccer has the weirdly un-american approach of being able to win multiple trophies/championships in one year.  The Sounders have won three straight US Open Cup Championships, but this year may be their most difficult challenge yet.  With the change in the process for deciding where games are played, the Sounders will look to have some very difficult road challenges in the early rounds of the Cup, that they were largely able to avoid these last three years.  They also have a host of new squad players that will get time here that are much less experienced than in previous years.  Even with all the issues that have come up in 2012, there is no real worry about losing out on the cup until another MLS team takes the competition seriously, like the Sounders have!

The last competition is the CONCACAF Champions League.  The Sounders will play their home-and-away series against Santos Laguna starting March 7.

Overall, it looks to be a very exciting year for the Sounders!