FC Cincinnati vs Seattle Sounders

FC Cincinnati welcome Seattle Sounders to TQL Stadium on Saturday, August 22, for MLS Regular Season matchday 21. The 7:30 PM ET kick-off pits two sides navigating contrasting health situations against the backdrop of a crowded seven-match stretch for the hosts.

Team News and Injury Latest

Pat Noonan’s Cincinnati will be without Gerardo Valenzuela, who serves a suspension, but otherwise the squad is close to full strength. Thomas Barlow — six goals in only 703 minutes — is set to spearhead the attack once more, while Pavel Bucha (five goals, 15 chances created this season) provides both scoring and creative thrust from midfield. Kenji Mboma Dem, with 24 shots and four goals across 859 minutes, adds another dimension in the final third.

Seattle’s roster, by contrast, has been ravaged by a run of injuries that manager Brian Schmetzer’s staff are still investigating internally. Designated Player Pedro de la Vega suffered a season-ending quad injury on his long-awaited return to action, compounding what Sounder at Heart research identified as one of the most injury-prone campaigns in MLS. Paul Arriola, Hassani Dotson, Yeimar Gómez Andrade, Jordan Morris, and Nikola Petkovic are all ruled out of this trip, while co-captain Cristian Roldan is listed as questionable with a quad issue. Schmetzer said Roldan and Morris are “getting closer” but emphasised the club will be “a little more cautious with return to play” after the wave of re-injuries.