Sounders | Veteran Levesque finds offensive magic again

Earlier this season, it seemed as if Roger Levesque might disappear and fade out of the Sounders' picture. Virtually nonexistent on offense, the team's former leading goal scorer was almost lost in the shuffle of a deep Sounders team.

But the five-year veteran rekindled his offensive magic when he recently shifted from outside midfielder to his natural forward position.

Two goals and five assists in the last three contests have Levesque entrenched up front for the Sounders, who are 11-1-2 in the last 14 matches.

"As the closest guy to the goal at forward, you're supposed to score," said Levesque, who led Seattle with 15 goals when the club brought home the USL First Division championship in 2005. "If you're going to be in position in front of the goal, you need to make something happen. You need to help your team."

Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer could tell a one-game benching of Levesque four matches ago didn't sit well with the player.

"I was in a pinch having 13 or 14 guys who could say they should be starting on a USL First Division team, so I had to give rest to certain guys," Schmetzer said. "I had to manage egos. So when I rested Roger one game, he didn't like it much. It was his body language. But Roger's a good pro."

When Levesque returned to the starting lineup, he had a goal and two assists in a 3-1 upset of Chivas USA of Major League Soccer in a third-round Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup match on July 18.

"Roger's always done the dirty work," Schmetzer said. "It's always been his work rate that got him in the lineup. He just said, 'You know I don't like this [sitting], and come September I'm not going to be sitting.' "

Levesque, who has 34 goals and 20 assists in five years with Seattle, admits his demotion to the bench stirred his competitive juices. He sat for the first 60 minutes before subbing in the July 12 match, a 1-0 win at home against Vancouver.

"That situation pushes you more," he said. "If you don't perform, you may get left off the field."

Levesque is second to Frenchman Sebastien Le Toux on the team with 18 points on five goals and eight assists. Le Toux has 25 points on 11 goals and three assists.

Streaking Sakuda

When fifth-year Sounder Kevin Sakuda starts tonight at Vancouver, he will boost his starting streak to 112 matches overall and his USL First Division run to 99.

"He's dependable," Schmetzer said of the defensive-minded midfielder. "It means he's been injury free and he takes care of himself. To start 100 games for this franchise, because we've got a good team, that says a lot.

"Not a lot of guys start 100 games for any team. It's testament to how steady he plays."

Notes

• The Sounders (9-5-4, 31 points) are currently second in the USL First Division standings and on course to return to the playoffs after missing out last season for the first time since 2001. Seattle has qualified for the postseason 11 times in the last 13 seasons.

• After scoring two goals in the win over Chivas USA, Le Toux was named Player of the Round in the third round of the Open Cup.

• Levesque was named to the USL First Division Team of the Week after notching a goal and an assist in a 3-2 win at Rochester last Saturday.