The Seattle Sounders will look to extend their current 4-game unbeaten streak in a nationally televised match against the Carolina Railhawks this Friday June 15 on Fox Soccer Channel at 5 PM Pacific Standard Time.

After starting the season slowly, the Sounders (4-4-4) have righted the ship with a 3-0-1 record in their last 4 league games and moved into third place in USL-1. The forward combination of Sebastian Le Toux and Nathan Knox has ignited the Sounders offense of late. Most recently, Le Toux scored twice and Knox scored and assisted on one goal in the Sounders 4-1 romp over the Banat Arsenal Tuesday night in a US Open Cup opening round match.

Interestingly, the Sounders turnaround began with a 1-0 victory over this Carolina Railhawks team on May 23. The intensely fought match concluded with the Sounders hanging on with only 10 men after a second half red card to goalkeeper Chris Eylander for retaliation. The match also marked Sounders Coach Brian Schmetzer’s move to a 3-5-2 formation that has played a key factor in the team’s recent good form. Goalkeeper Eylander will once again be in the net for the Sounders.

Friday’s match is the USL’s game of the week and pits the USL’s best home team against one the league’s best road teams. Carolina, an expansion team in its first year of existence, has yet to lose at home. Seattle, on the other hand, has proved to be road warriors of late with a 2-0-1 record in their last 3 road games.

One source of inauspicious news for the Sounders is that key midfielder Leighton O’Brien injured his back in Tuesday night’s match and will be unable to travel with the team. Midfielder Hugo Alcaraz-Cueller will also not travel with the team due to an Achilles injury.

Sounders fans will gather to watch the nationally televised game at Kells Irish pub in downtown Seattle. The Friday night atmosphere is expected to be lively and festive.

The Sounders will return home after the Carolina match to play the first ever co-ed benefit match with the Sounders men and women’s teams on Sunday June 17 at 4 PM at Issaquah High School. All proceeds will benefit Marin Morrison, an inspirational swimmer from Sammamish who is currently battling a brain tumor. The Sounders will then play two consecutive home games against the Montreal Impact on June 23 and Miami FC on June 28 at Qwest field.