Live from the Rio Tinto Stadium

Seattle Times Josh Mayers settling in at the Rio Tinto

Hello from the Rio Tinto Stadium. It’s 5.45 here and the latest news is that it is incredibly windy, as a storm descends on Salt Lake City, slightly earlier that the locals expected.

It’s also pitch black. The RSL side have done a pre match jog around the stadium.

Seattle is 3-0 up in the press box with the arrival of Times Josh Mayers and TNT’s Don Ruiz who have just arrived. The Sounders ancillary staff are also here in fine fettle. But the bad news is the buffet is not open yet!

The wind has died down a little and the stadium is filling up with workers, security and media folk.

The Sounders squad has arrived and looking a little tense. There are some very serious determined faces there. This being their home ground. the RSL players are naturally a little more relaxed.

Sounders fans have begun to arrive.

We have the RSL Line up:

Rimando; Beltran, Borchers, Olave, Mansally, Beckerman, Grabavoy, Johnson, Morales, Saborio, Paulo Jr.

Subs: Reynish, Velasquez, Watson-Siriboe, Alvarez, Gil, Steele, Espindola

Mario Martinez is in the Seattle XI.

Sounders: Gspurning, Burch, Johansson, Parke, Hurtado, Alonso (c), Evans, Martinez, Tiffert, Johnson, Montero

Bench: Hahnemann, Caskey, Estrada, Ochoa, Rose, Scott, Zakuani

Sounders fans now in good voice. There about 100 here so far but there is still half an hour till kick off. Few RSL fans in stadium as yet.

Kenny Cooper scored from a penalty and then is forced to retake it in DC v NY game. It’s saved by the substitute keeper and United steal the game through Nick De Leon. This MLS year is finishing with a bang.