With Uruguayan national team camp set to meet just one day after Seattle's trip at Portland on Aug. 28, his status is uncertain for that pivotal rivalry match.
Sounders midfielder and impact signing Nicolas Lodeiro has been named to provisional roster of the Uruguayan national team for its pair of World Cup qualifiers next month, and with camp set to meet just one day after Seattle’s match at Portland on Aug. 28, his status is uncertain for that pivotal rivalry match.
“Could be a little tricky,” interim Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer said Tuesday. “We’re working on it. We’re obviously going to do whatever we can to keep him around.”
Seattle is unbeaten in three matches since Lodeiro was signed from Boca Juniors late last month. He scored his first MLS goal in the 2-1 win over Real Salt Lake last Sunday at CenturyLink Field and has dished out one assist for each of his Sounders appearances.
That Portland match could prove especially vital in setting the course for the stretch run of this season. The Timbers are currently five points ahead of Seattle in the standings and occupy the Western Conference’s sixth-and-final playoff qualifying slot. The Cascadian rivals face off this weekend at CenturyLink before meeting again at Providence Park the following weekend.
Uruguay, which is currently in first place in South American qualifying, plays at Argentina on Sept. 1 and hosts Paraguay on the 6th.
The Sounders have a bye week between the Portland match on the 28th and their visit to seventh-place San Jose on Sept. 10.