Real Salt Lake-Sounders Preview

The first time Real Salt Lake traveled to Seattle this season, the Sounders ended the Utah club's 12-match season-opening unbeaten streak in assertive fashion.

The second meeting in Salt Lake ended in three points for the home side and stands as Seattle's last loss before its current four-match unbeaten streak.

The rubber match between two of the Western Conference's elite comes Friday night in Seattle with the visitors looking to impose bookends on that streak to inch closer to the Sounders in the Supporters' Shield race.

Real Salt Lake had a 6-0-6 record before a 4-0 defeat in Seattle on May 31, then got some revenge with a 2-1 win Aug. 16. The Sounders are (16-7-3) are 3-0-1 since that day, though their recent success has been somewhat overshadowed by Los Angeles' dominant climb to within a point of them for the conference lead.

Nevertheless, the Sounders have won three straight, and they've been idle since a 4-2 road victory over Chivas USA on Sept. 3. Obafemi Martins scored twice in the opening 17 minutes and Andy Rose followed with two more before halftime. Martins has four goals during the win streak and has scored in each of his last two games with Salt Lake.

Seattle is coming off an eight-day break leading into five matches in 16 days, a stretch in which the club figures to display its depth at the attacking positions.

Rose has been a key addition to coach Sigi Schmid's selection choices with two multigoal efforts in three starts across all competitions since returning from a knee injury Aug. 10.

"I think having Rose back into the mix is a big thing. Micheal Azira is starting to play sharp again at training which is also a big thing," Schmid told the club's official website. "... Having those options makes things a little bit easier as you go into it."

Add Kenny Cooper and Chad Barrett to that list, and the workload in the attack could be considerably less taxing on Martins and Clint Dempsey, who has two goals in his last three starts.

Salt Lake (12-5-10) is experiencing similar depth now that Alvaro Saborio is back. The club's leading scorer for the past four seasons returned Saturday from a 16-match absence due to a foot injury, and he immediately contributed with the game-winning header seconds after coming on in the 76th minute of a 2-1 win over FC Dallas.

"I was laughing," midfielder Javier Morales told the club's official website after assisting on the corner kick. "I couldn't believe it. Always it's better when Sabo is in the box."

He's scored in four straight matches and adds to an attack consisting of Olmes Garcia, Robbie Findley, Sebastian Jaime and Joao Plata, who will return after missing the Dallas match while with Ecuador on international assignment.

"It's definitely going to make my life a little bit more difficult with the decisions, but whatever decisions myself and the staff come up with it's going to be what's best for the team," coach Jeff Cassar said. "It's going to be challenging, but it's a good challenge."

In Seattle, Salt Lake has never really had the proper weapons. The club has won twice in nine trips and been shut out in the other seven, including four straight.