Sounders-Red Bulls Preview

While the Supporters' Shield won't be awarded until the end of October, MLS' regular-season prize could take another step toward changing hands this weekend at Red Bull Arena.

Four days after capturing the U.S. Open Cup, the Seattle Sounders will try to further progress toward the league's next trophy in Saturday night's visit to the Shield-holding New York Red Bulls.

The Sounders (17-7-3) overcame a first-half deficit in Tuesday's Open Cup championship for a 3-1 overtime win in Philadelphia. Chad Barrett tied the match in the 47th minute, and Clint Dempsey and Obafemi Martins scored in extra time.

"We've got to go forward," coach Sigi Schmid said. "We enjoyed the Open Cup. We enjoyed the victory. I wanted the team to feel good about it and enjoy it and celebrate it, but now it's back to business. We've still got other goals for the season, and this game on Saturday is important in terms of achieving that."

It was their fifth straight win across all competitions to match a franchise-best run, on which the club clinched a playoff spot to ensure a run at the MLS Cup as well.

"This is one out of three. We're trying to win all three this year," defender DeAndre Yedlin told the club's official website. "We're excited and we're going to keep pushing forward. I love the city. I'm happy to bring any hardware back to the city. That one was for all of Seattle."

Dempsey has scored three times on the winning streak, but it's Martins who has posed the greatest threat with six goals on the run, including two multi-goal efforts in his last four league matches.

In MLS play, the Sounders hold a three-point lead over Los Angeles in the Western Conference standings as well as the Supporters' Shield race with a game in hand.

The Red Bulls (9-8-11), who trail the Sounders by 16 points, won't be retaining the Supporter' Shield and enter the weekend in fourth in the Eastern Conference with two teams just a point behind. They're chasing New England for the third spot, and enter the weekend four points back.

They also traveled for a non-league match midweek, a 1-0 loss at Montreal on Wednesday in the CONCACAF Champions League.

New York played that match as well as a 2-2 draw at Philadelphia last Saturday without Bradley Wright-Phillips. The league's leading scorer has been out with a hamstring injury.

Should Wright-Phillips be out again, there's the option of pushing Tim Cahill forward into a role he plays internationally and thrives in.

"With the Australian team, I know my job," Cahill told the league's website. "I have to make the box and I know where the ball's going to go before it even gets in there. My last eight games with Australia I've scored seven goals and against some of the best teams in the world."

In addition to one of their star's health, the Red Bulls could be concerned with their record against the West, going just 1-2-4.

The clubs have played to draws in single matches over the last two seasons, including a 1-1 final in Seattle on Sept. 29.