The Los Angeles Galaxy have been the most dominant team in the 2024 MLS Cup playoffs, but they will face arguably the most consistent postseason performer in recent MLS history when they host the Seattle Sounders on Saturday in the Western Conference final at Carson, Calif.
The second-seeded Galaxy romped to a 6-2 win over Minnesota United in a West semifinal last Sunday, with Gabriel Pec, Joseph Paintsil and Dejan Joveljic all scoring twice.
That followed a Round 1 series sweep over Colorado in which Los Angeles outscored the Rapids 9-1 over two victories.
The Galaxy are also unbeaten in 19 fixtures at their home stadium in all competitions.
Despite all that, head coach Greg Vanney is keenly aware how much stiffer the challenge may be against a Seattle side that has won two MLS Cups and reached four finals since 2016. Vanney was the opposing manager in three of those finals, guiding Toronto FC to a 2017 MLS Cup triumph at the Sounders’ expense but succumbing to Seattle in the 2016 and 2019 finals.
“I think whenever you talk about Seattle and playoffs and this time of year, you have to talk about the culture that they have at the club,” Vanney said. “The grittiness. The resilience. The maturity. They’ve played in a lot of big games and won a lot of big games.”
That has been proven again this postseason, with fourth-seeded Seattle reaching this stage despite failing to win a game in regulation.
The Sounders earned a 2-1 victory over Los Angeles FC in a West semifinal in extra time on Jordan Morris’ 109th-minute tally, and they swept the Houston Dynamo in a Round 1 series that required a penalty kick shootout in both games.
“These are the games that show us what we got, show us what we’re made of,” Seattle midfielder Obed Vargas said. “We don’t take any team lightly. LA Galaxy and LAFC were top of the West for a reason, but we have full confidence that we have the weapons to exploit them.”
However, head coach Brian Schmetzer will be without at least one of those weapons. Influential attacking midfielder Paul Rothrock is done for the season with a major quadriceps injury. And Yeimar Gomez, the team’s defender of the year, is questionable after sustaining a hamstring injury in the win against LAFC.
–Field Level Media
