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Sports

Sounders hope to stay hot against 'Quakes

By Sports Network
Published | Updated

Seattle, WA (SportsNetwork.com) - Seattle Sounders FC turned in the most impressive performance of the opening weekend in Major League Soccer, and the team will try to follow it up with another strong outing at CenturyLink Field against the San Jose Earthquakes.

Seattle's 3-0 win over the New England Revolution made quite a statement to the rest of the league, and it showcased the dynamic attacking duo of Clint Dempsey and Obafemi Martins.

Since joining the Sounders midway through the 2013 season, Dempsey and Martins have combined very effectively to lead the Seattle line.

And when they are clicking like they were against the Revs, expectations for the Sounders are extremely high.

"I think Clint having a full preseason with us, and Oba at the same time - you can only benefit from that. They looked great tonight," said Seattle's Brad Evans. "They cause so much trouble, it's insane. If we keep those two guys healthy, we give ourselves a great chance of going to MLS Cup."

Evans certainly has reason to be excited about the Dempsey-Martins partnership as Dempsey scored two goals and assisted on another against New England, while Martins set up a goal and scored one himself.

Seattle head coach Sigi Schmid has won nearly everything with the Sounders, except for MLS Cup, and the opening weekend was certainly an encouraging sign.

Dominic Kinnear's return to the San Jose sideline didn't go as well with the 'Quakes losing 1-0 at FC Dallas on a last-gasp goal from FCD's Blas Perez.

Kinnear inherited a side that finished on the bottom of the Western Conference last season, so expectations aren't exceeding high.

But the team will still be disappointed at being so close to recording just its second clean sheet in the last 16 games, especially with the fact that San Jose had one of the weaker defensive units in the league last term.

"It was a game of mistakes," Kinnear said following the match. "They made a couple, we made a couple. It was a little bit unfair at the end, but that's the way the game is."

The teams split their three meetings last season with each winning at home before a 1-1 draw in Seattle, and San Jose will be hoping to end its brief road trip to start the season with at least a point before returning home to tangle with the Chicago Fire in the opening game at Avaya Stadium next weekend.