Sigi Schmid isn’t afraid of Estadio Azteca.
The Seattle head coach will lead his team into the famed Mexico City stadium on Wednesday night, when his Sounders will face Club América in the second leg of their CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal series (8 pm ET, FS2, SportsNet World). Seattle twice took the lead in last week’s first leg, but couldn’t hold their home lead, drawing the Liga MX side 2-2 at CenturyLink Field.
América’s two away goals mean Seattle will likely need to win outright in Mexico on Wednesday to advance to the semifinals. MLS teams are 0-3-0 in Mexico in this year’s CCL quarters, but Schmid is still bullish about the Sounders’ chances on Wednesday.
“We were disappointed in not being able to hold the lead in Seattle, but we are also confident that we can win here,” he told media in Mexico City on Tuesday.
Schmid and the Sounders do have a history of pulling out CCL victories in Mexico, having topped Monterrey 1-0 in the group stage of the 2011-12 tournament. And, while they didn’t record a win in Mexico in the series, the Sounders did beat Liga MX club Tigres UANL in the CCL quarters in 2012.
Seattle’s chances could get a boost from a key injury to América midfielder Rubens Sambueza, who will miss Wednesday’s match after dislocating his shoulder in the club’s 4-1 league loss to Tigres on Saturday. The 32-year-old Argentine assisted on both of América’s goals in the first leg.
The Sounders need a win or to score three or more goals in a draw to advance to the CCL semifinals. A 2-2 draw would send the second leg into extra time.
“It’s obviously difficult for us to come here because it’s Club América’s home field,” Schmid said. “We also know that we need to win in order to advance.
“Our chances are there to win. I mean, it’s very difficult, but difficult does not mean impossible.”
