Real Salt Lake Vs. Seattle Sounders, MLS Cup Playoffs 2011: RSL Obliterates Sounders 3-0

For more on this game and playoff series, check out Seattle Sounders blog Sounder At Heart and Real Salt Lake blog RSL Soapbox. We’ll have live coverage of this match in our RSL vs. Seattle Sounders StoryStream. For more on the entire world of soccer and the rest of the MLS Playoffs, check out SB Nation Soccer.

Someone should probably remind Keller he’s getting up there in age because he’s not playing like it. It’s Seattle’s Man of the Match and keeping this one from getting away from the Sounders. At some point his team is going to have to help him out or the Sounders will take a multiple goal loss.

For more on this game and playoff series, check out Seattle Sounders blog Sounder At Heart and Real Salt Lake blog RSL Soapbox. We’ll have live coverage of this match in our RSL vs. Seattle Sounders StoryStream. For more on the entire world of soccer and the rest of the MLS Playoffs, check out SB Nation Soccer.

Now, these two all-MLS midfielders will face each other in a two-legged playoff tie. For all the acclaim heaped upon those at the back and those up front, if either can outplay the other edge out an advantage for his team in the center, the tie completely changes. As far as central midfield play goes, you won’t see anything better in MLS.

The Sounders are undoubtedly hoping to have Rosales for as much time as possible, but are understandably worried about making the situation worse and potentially causing longterm damage. Rosales had five goals and 13 assists during his first year in MLS, numbers that have earned him consideration for league MVP. The Sounders are 13-4-8 (1.88 points per match) when Rosales plays at least 15 minutes and 5-3-1 (1.78) in all other matches.

For the latest Sounders news and analysis, be sure to visit Sounder at Heart.