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Over the last several years looking at the Major League Soccer table has held a couple of truths:
1) The Western Conference is usually the better conference
2) And Seattle Sounders are usually in front of Colorado Rapids in that Western Conference table.
And then 2016 happened. In 2016 the Burgundy Boys are 11 points better than Seattle.
Just like we all predicted.
But as the Rapids head up to the Emerald City to take on the Sounders this weekend, the Rapids have a great chance to extend their lead in the West whereas Seattle can claw closer to the red line and a playoff place.
Here is our First Look at the Sounders:
The Records:
The Rapids are 7-2-3 (24 points, 2.0 PPG) and currently top in the Western Conference and tops in the Supporters Shield standings. The Sounders are 4-5-1 (13 points, 1.3 PPG) and sit eighth in the Western Conference and 12th overall in the Shield standings.
Recent Results:
23 April 2016: 3-1 win at Dick's Sporting Goods Park
18 July 2015: 1-0 win at Century Link Field
27 May 2015: 0-1 loss at Century Link Field
18 April 2015: 1-3 loss at Dick's Sporting Goods Park
5 October 2014: 1-4 loss at Dick's Sporting Goods Park
The Basic Statistics
| Games Played | Points | Win | Loss | Draw | Goals For | Goals Against | Shots | Shots on Target | |
| Colorado Rapids | 12 | 24 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 15 | 9 | 164 | 67 |
| Seattle Sounders | 10 | 13 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 10 | 12 | 129 | 51 |
Super Early Initial Thoughts
I don't want to jinx it, but facts are facts: The Rapids are a better team right now then the Sounders. Will that remain at the end of October when the season ends? Who knows. But for now...in this moment in time, the Rapids are a better team.
But coming into this match, the Sounders are starting to put things together as they are 4-2-1 (13 points, 1.86 PPG) in their last seven matches. Seattle had a number of off-season changes including the departure of Obafemi Martins and the addition of Jordan Morris. Integration takes time and Seattle should be there when the playoff teams are counted in October.
Not to be outdone, the Rapids are 5-0-2 (17 points, 2.43 PPG) in their last seven and those points have come both at home and on the road. And with the Rapids finally breaking their duck in Seattle last year they will not fear going into the CLink and taking on the Sounders.
So who wins this one? We will find out at 8PM MT on Saturday night.