The Sounders need a positive result against Los Angeles FC — and outside help — to reach the postseason when the two teams clash on Saturday in Seattle.
The Sounders (11-12-10, 43 points) are in the 10th position in the Western Conference entering Decision Day, and only nine teams will qualify for the playoffs. The Portland Timbers and Colorado Rapids also have 43 points but are higher in the table due to tiebreakers. The logjam also includes the No. 7 Los Angeles Galaxy (44 points), No. 11 Real Salt Lake (42) and the 12th-place Minnesota United (41).
Only three of those six teams will make the postseason field.
“Personally, I don’t like it,” Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer said of the team needing to play their way in. “We shot ourselves in the foot in multiple games … There’s plenty of games to say coulda, shoulda, woulda.
“The most important thing for us is that we play up to our potential, and that will give us the best chance at winning the game. It’s as simple as that.”
Yet Seattle is winless (0-3-2) over its last five matches. Last week, the Sounders were routed 5-1 by the host Vancouver Whitecaps.
So, Seattle isn’t performing like a team ready to notch a big victory.
“The whole season we went through ups and downs — definitely more downs than ups — but it’s still there on the table for us,” Sounders midfielder Albert Rusnak said. “Last game of the season, we have to win, and then we’ll see what happens in the other games.”
LAFC (12-10-11, 47 points) will have a more relaxing time after already clinching a playoff spot. They will be the No. 6 seed in the West playoffs.
But LAFC has struggled over their past eight matches (1-3-4), and interim coach Xavi Tamarit said he would like to see improvement. LAFC are 1-1-3 since Tamarit replaced Marc Dos Santos.
“For them it’s a really important game,” said Tamarit, “but also for us it’s a really important game. I don’t feel for them — it’s more important than for us. Of course there will be a lot of people, they need to win … so it’s going to be a very good test.”
Last Sunday, LAFC was outplayed at home and lost 3-1 to Minnesota United.
“That is simply not acceptable,” Tamarit said. “It cannot happen again and, frankly, I believe the players and I are in complete agreement on this.”
LAFC star Denis Bouanga has 18 goals and is two away from his fourth straight 20-goal season.
LAFC defeated visiting Seattle 1-0 on May 24 when Timothy Tillman scored in the 86th minute.
–Field Level Media
