Sounders FC hits crucial part of the schedule with five of its next six games at home

TUKWILA — The race for a playoff spot, it can be argued, begins tonight at Qwest Field for Sounders FC.

It's only the 13th game of the season, with 17 to go. But Sounders FC (4-3-5) has five of its next six games at home, where it has lost just once in six matches. The San Jose Earthquakes, the last team Sounders FC defeated, are in Seattle for the second time this season to begin this key stretch of games.

Wins can, if nothing else, preserve the team's position as one of the top eight teams in Major League Soccer. Two conference winners and runners-up, plus the teams with the four best records in the league regardless of conference, will be in the postseason in November. Three standings points for a win is a major incentive for Sounders FC, which started hot but has fizzled of late.

Sounders FC hopes a week of hard practices with an emphasis on being aggressive in the goal area offensively will translate into a win.

"We get three points, and we're back up in the mix again," defender Tyrone Marshall said. "We're not too far behind. We need to start getting back to that winning mentality again."

Sounders FC is tied for third place in the MLS Western Conference. It is trying to keep pace with Chivas USA and the Houston Dynamo, the top two teams in the West.

Seattle was the toast of MLS, going 3-0 in the first three weeks of the season, and is now trying to find that magic again.

"It's a streaky league. I think obviously when you look at our first six games we got 12 points, which is two points a game, which is a good streak," coach Sigi Schmid said. "And then you look at our last six games and we've got five points, so that's a bad streak. It's time we put together a good streak."

As advantageous as home games would seem, the next few weeks could be taxing for Sounders FC. It plays regular-season games today, Wednesday at home against D.C. United and three days later on the road at New York. That's three matches in seven days. Then a home match June 28 and a U.S. Open Cup match looming around July 1, possibly at Portland.

"We love playing at home, so we have to take advantage of that situation," goalkeeper Kasey Keller said.

The time to take advantage is this weekend for sure. San Jose is 2-7-3 overall, in last place in the West and winless on the road this season, including a 2-0 loss at Qwest Field on April 25. The Earthquakes have surrendered 24 goals, 15 on the road, and in an effort to change their fortunes revamped their roster with two trades and a signing this week.

"They're a team that can play pretty loose and sort of throw everything out there and say, 'Hey, we're just going to go for it,' " Schmid said. "We're trying to win games. We're trying to get points. And the longer a team like that hangs around the more dangerous they become."

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