The Seattle Sounders (10-5-5, 35 pts.) host the Puerto Rico Islanders (7-4-9, 30pts.) this Saturday August 4th at Qwest Field in a USL First Division regular season match. Kickoff starts at 7pm.

The Sounders confidence is running high after capturing their second consecutive Cascadia Cup and extending their unbeaten streak to nine games with a 2-0 win over Pacific Northwest rival Portland Timbers on August 1st. The Cascadia Cup is a Pacific Northwest competition played between USL First Division clubs Portland, Vancouver, and Seattle.

The second-place Sounders have also closed the gap to two points behind first-place Portland. With a win against Puerto Rico and a Portland Timbers tie or loss, Seattle can move into first place.

The Seattle offense continued its hot streak against Portland and has scored at least two goals in its last six matches.

Dynamic midfielder Josh Gardner scored his first league goal of the season against Portland and has been a consistent threat down the left sideline in his first campaign with the Sounders. The former Los Angeles Galaxy member has netted goals in consecutive home matches after going scoreless in the first 22 games of the season.

Goalkeeper Chris Eylander and the stalwart Seattle backline will look to continue their dominant play at home this season against the Islanders. The Sounders defense has given up only 5 goals in eight home league games this season.

The Puerto Rico Islanders also come into the match red hot with a six game league unbeaten streak to move into 4th place in USL First Division.

The Islanders boast the USL First Division’s most explosive offenses with 28 goals in 19 games. The Islanders employ an offense-by-committee wit 12 different players scorinng a league goal for the club.

Chilean midfielder Alejandro Gonzalez is a lethal option up front for the Puerto Rico Islanders. Gonzalez started his soccer career in Chile and has been highly effective this season with three goals and 3 assists in only 804 minutes.

Former Sounder Marco Velez, the club’s leader in minutes played, anchors the backline and is a member of the Puerto Rican national team.

Next up for the Sounders is a U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal match against the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer on August 7th at Qwest Field.