The Seattle Sounders go into the locker room after a very unconvincing first half trailing to Costa Rican side CS Herediano with a fantastic curled free kick from midfielder Josimar Arias the difference on the scoreboard. The Sounders are lucky to trail by just one after a defensive miscommunication led to an earlier shot hitting the post for the visitors, and aside from one Nate Jaqua shot that was deflected in front of goal the Sounders have not looked at all like scoring. Seattle has been sloppy at the back, disjointed in the midfield and completely toothless up top and though Sigi Schmid is not typically one to make halftime substitutions this is as good a game to make an exception.
Seattle biggest problem has been a complete lack of creativity, allowing Herediano to invite pressure with little fear of being unlocked. Seattle only real idea in the attack has been to cross aimlessly into the box, and Herediano's defense has had little trouble dealing with the service. What's perhaps most concerning for the Sounders is that Herediano, sensing that Seattle presents little danger in the final third, has continued to press and look dangerous even after going ahead. If the visitors can grab another goal, the Sounders likely don't have enough substitutions at their disposal to conjure up a winning comeback.
Still, despite Seattle playing as poorly as they have all season, the gap hasn't been large enough to think that they're incapable of winning this game. They'll likely need some personnel changes and a bit of a tactical shift, but they're clearly the more talented club. But with Monterrey getting a win tonight a loss would make things very uncomfortable for the Sounders as it would put their next two opponents within three points and something of a nightmare three-way-tie scenario a distinct possibility.