Seattle Sounders U-23 come into Centennial Stadium tonight at 6:35 p.m. boasting a pair of strikers, Santi Patino and Niklas Brodacki, who are touted as potential future Major League Soccer pros.
鈥淭hey are two very strong attackers,鈥� warned Highlanders head coach Thomas Niendorf.
Patino has two goals and two assists for the undefeated 1-0-2 Seattle U-23 squad, which has been associated with the MLS Sounders, and wears the familiar light-green and blue kit with the Xbox logo. Brodacki has one goal so far for Sounders U-23. He scored 17 goals this season in collegiate soccer to lead Central Arkansas to its first NCAA Div. 1 post-season tournament appearance in program history.
鈥淏oth strikers are MLS quality but need to keep working. Both Patino and Brodacki have a chance at the next level,鈥� is the assessment of Sounders U-23 GM and head coach Darren Sawatzky, in a team statement.
The Highlanders know the two have upside and will be a handful to contain tonight.
鈥淲e need to be defensively well organized, and strong in one-on-one situations, against those two strikers,鈥� said Niendorf.
鈥淥verall, we expect a hard-fought game against a physical, strong and well-organized Sounders U-23 team.鈥�
Victoria comes into the United Soccer League Premier Development League fixture at 1-4.
鈥淭he boys remain positive and upbeat and we had a good week of training,鈥� said Niendorf.
鈥淓very one of our games has come down to a few critical moments.鈥�
The opposition has converted more in those situations than have the Highlanders.
鈥淲e need to be sharper and more clinical in those moments,鈥� said Niendorf.
The Highlanders cross the strait on Sunday for a PDL fixture at Swangard Stadium against TSS Rovers. It will close out their two-game Juan de Fuca Plate season side series, which began with a 3-2 Rovers victory last Sunday at Centennial Stadium, with the winning goal scored after Victoria went down to 10 players.
