Schmid close to setting starting lineup

Sounders FC coach Sigi Schmid closed his team's practice for all but 15 minutes Tuesday, as he worked on tactics and moved closer to setting a starting lineup for the season opener.

The Major League Soccer expansion franchise plays its first game March 19 against the New York Red Bulls at Qwest Field.

"Once you get to be two, three games in the season, everybody can fill out everybody else's lineup card pretty much, but at this point of the season, it's a little more uncertain," Schmid said. "People really don't know what the lineup is, so we'd rather have New York guess a little bit and New York would rather have us guess a little bit."

Schmid also said decisions largely have been made about who will make the final roster.

"We're just trying to finalize things," he said.

Forward Roger Levesque and defender Zach Scott, two former United Soccer Leagues Sounders, are in the running to make the senior roster. Former Washington Huskies Ely Allen and Kevin Forrest and former Los Angeles Galaxy player Mike Randolph, all nonroster invitees, could be candidates for the four-man developmental roster because they are each younger than 25.

Ljungberg ahead of schedule

Midfielder Freddie Ljungberg was able to take part in everything Tuesday except the 11-on-11 scrimmage, and is eager to get back into game action.

"I just need to get out on the pitch and play football, I mean soccer," Ljungberg said.

Ljungberg said his hip surgery has made his hamstring stronger. When he sought a medical opinion on a sore hamstring from kick-boxing in December, his broken hip was discovered and surgery was recommended.

Ljungberg said Seattle trainers are being cautious because his recovery is far ahead of schedule.

Notes

• Sounders FC reserves (nonstarters in Thursday's match Colorado) play Friday at 10 a.m. at Qwest Field against the Seattle Wolves of the USL's Premier Development League.

Sounders FC has five reserve games scheduled during the regular season, the first Concordia University of Portland on March 20 at 1 p.m. at Qwest Field. There is no longer an organized reserve game schedule in MLS, but teams can organize their own games against local teams.

• No. 2 GK Chris Eylander injured his knee in practice Monday and didn't participate Tuesday. He was to be examined later in the day.

• GK Jordan Jennings, who played at Seattle University, was with the team for Tuesday's practice.

José Miguel Romero: 206-464-2409 or jromero@seattletimes.com