Season-openers rarely have the number of compelling narratives that Friday’s will have. Not only will the Seattle Sounders be playing the team they dramatically beat in last year’s Western Conference final, but it’s a team with an overlooked local (Federal Way’s Hassani Dotson) and an inspired former club legend (Osvaldo Alonso). Oh yeah, and there will be about 7,000 fans in attendance, marking the first time the Sounders faithful have been allowed to watch their club in person in more than a year.
The Sounders have plenty going on, too. Nicolás Lodeiro is expected to miss the game with some sort of injury, Jordan Morris is out for the foreseeable future and they’re trying to replace a host of veterans who left in the offseason while working on a new formation.