2015 Seattle Sounders FC season


The 2015 Seattle Sounders FC season was the club's forty-first year of existence, and their seventh consecutive season in Major League Soccer, the top flight of United States soccer. Including previous Seattle Sounders franchises, this was the 35th season of a soccer team playing in the Seattle metro area.

Background

The Sounders came into the 2015 season following a successful 2014, winning the U.S. Open Cup for the fourth time as well as winning the Supporters' Shield for the first time in franchise history. By winning the Double, the Sounders became the sixth Major League Soccer team to win two major trophies in one season. This was the first time a club managed to win two trophies since the 2011 Los Angeles Galaxy. It was also the first time since the 2003 Chicago Fire for a team to do the Open Cup/League double.
Seattle also qualified for the 2014 MLS Cup Playoffs for the sixth consecutive time. Seattle came into the playoffs with the ability to become the first MLS club to win the Treble. Seattle ended up losing in the Conference Finals 2-2 on aggregate, losing by away goals.
By virtue of winning the Supporters' Shield, the Sounders qualified for the CONCACAF Champions League after a two-year drought from the competition.

Roster

Major League Soccer teams are limited to eight players without U.S. citizenship, a permanent resident, or the holder of other special status. These international roster slots can be traded. Sounders FC began the 2015 MLS season with eight international slots; it was announced they traded with DC United for a ninth slot during the Summer Transfer Window.

Competitions

Preseason

Desert Diamond Cup">2015 Desert Diamond Cup">Desert Diamond Cup

Major League Soccer

League tables

Western Conference
Overall

Results summary

Results by matchday

Matches

MLS Cup Playoffs

Knockout round

Conference semifinals

FC Dallas win 4–2 on penalties after 3-3 aggregate and advance to Western Conference Finals.

U.S. Open Cup

CONCACAF Champions League

Group stage

Friendlies

Transfers

For transfers in, dates listed are when Sounders FC officially signed the players to the roster. Transactions where only the rights to the players are acquired are not listed. For transfers out, dates listed are when Sounders FC officially removed the players from its roster, not when they signed with another club. If a player later signed with another club, his new club will be noted, but the date listed here remains the one when he was officially removed from Sounders FC roster.

In

No.Pos.PlayerTransferred FromFee/NotesDateSource
80 Seattle Sounders FC AcademySigned HGP deal
21 New York CosmosReturn from loan at the end of 2014 NASL season
22 Chivas USAReturn from loan at the end of 2014 MLS season
4Free agentDiscovery Signing
17 Washington HuskiesSigned HGP deal
1Free agentOut of contract at Montreal Impact and was not selected during the 2014 Re-Entry Draft
7 Washington HuskiesGeneration adidas; 16th pick of the MLS SuperDraftJanuary 15, 2015
99 North Carolina Tar HeelsSigned MLS college senior contract; 48th pick of the MLS SuperDraftJanuary 20, 2015
13Free agentDiscovery SigningFebruary 10, 2015
91 New Mexico Lobos40th pick of the MLS SuperDraftMarch 17, 2015
22 Marquette Golden Eagles75th pick of the MLS SuperDraftMarch 17, 2015
18Discovery SigningJune 1, 2015
28 Esbjerg fBJuly 29, 2015
23Discovery SigningFreeAugust 4, 2015
16Free AgentFree, Signed as DPAugust 7, 2015
29Discovery SigningTargeted Allocation MoneyAugust 12, 2015

Seattle's first signing ahead of the 2015 season was the signing of 17-year-old Victor Mansaray to a Homegrown Player contract. In December, 2014, English defender Tyrone Mears was added to the roster as a Discovery Signing; Mears had been a free agent since July when he was released by Bolton Wanderers following the 2013-14 English Championship season. Seattle added All-Pac-12 forward Darwin Jones from the Washington Huskies as a Homegrown Player on January 9, 2015.

Draft Picks

Draft picks are not automatically signed to the team roster. Only those who are signed to a contract will be listed as transfers in. Only trades involving draft picks and executed after the start of 2015 MLS SuperDraft will be listed in the notes.
DatePlayerNumberPositionPrevious ClubNotesRef
January 15, 2015 Cristian Roldan 7MF Washington HuskiesMLS SuperDraft 1st Round Pick ; pick acquired from Real Salt Lake in exchange for pick #27 and allocation money
January 15, 2015 Tyler MillerGK Northwestern WildcatsMLS SuperDraft 2nd Round Pick ; pick acquired from New England Revolution in exchange for future considerations
January 15, 2015 Oniel FisherMF/DF New Mexico LobosMLS SuperDraft 2nd Round Pick
January 20, 2015 Andy CravenFW North Carolina Tar HeelsMLS SuperDraft 3rd Round Pick
January 20, 2015 Charlie LyonGK Marquette Golden EaglesMLS SuperDraft 4th Round Pick
January 20, 2015 Andy BevinFW West Virginia MountaineersMLS SuperDraft 4th Round Pick

Out

No.Pos.PlayerTransferred ToFee/NotesDateSource
26RetiredWaived
4 Orlando City SCOut of contract; selected in Expansion Draft
7 New England RevolutionWaived; selected in Re-Entry Draft Stage 2
29 Orlando City SCWaived; selected in Re-Entry Draft Stage 2
1RetiredWaived
13 New England RevolutionWaived; rights along with allocation money traded for the 33rd pick in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft
18RetiredWaived
23RetiredWaived
22 Toronto FCWaived; rights traded for a 2nd round pick in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft
17 Tottenham Hotspur$4,000,000
Sounders 2
Sounders 2
77Waived
33 Montreal ImpactWaived

On August 13, 2014, it was confirmed that DeAndre Yedlin would be transferred to Tottenham Hotspur of the Premier League for a reported transfer fee of $4 million. Yedlin departed for the English club in January 2015.

Recognition

; MLS Player of the Week
WeekPlayerOpponentRef
11 Chad BarrettVancouver Whitecaps FC

; MLS Goal of the Week
WeekPlayerOpponentRef
1 Clint DempseyNew England Revolution
7 Obafemi MartinsColorado Rapids
9 Obafemi MartinsNew York City FC
13 Marco PappaNew York Red Bulls

; MLS Save of the Week
WeekPlayerOpponentRef
9 Stefan FreiNew York City FC

; MLS Team of the Week
WeekPlayerOpponentRef
1 Clint DempseyNew England Revolution
1 Obafemi MartinsNew England Revolution
1 Tyrone MearsNew England Revolution
5 Chad MarshallHouston Dynamo
7 Stefan FreiColorado Rapids
7 Lamar NeagleColorado Rapids
9 Chad MarshallNew York City FC
9 Obafemi MartinsNew York City FC
9 Dylan RemickNew York City FC
11 Chad BarrettVancouver Whitecaps FC
13 Marco PappaColorado Rapids and New York Red Bulls

Kits

TypeShirtShortsSocksFirst appearance / Info
HomeRave GreenBlueRave GreenMarch 8 vs. New England Revolution
Home Alt.Rave GreenRave GreenBlueMarch 28 at FC Dallas
Home Alt. 2Rave GreenRave GreenRave GreenJune 24 at Philadelphia Union
AwayWhiteWhiteBlackMay 9 at Columbus Crew
ThirdBlackLight greenLight greenMay 3 at New York City FC