The Seattle Sounders are hosting LAFC on Saturday in their second and final meeting of the regular season. Here is everything you need to know:
WHEN AND WHERE: Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. PT at Lumen Field (TICKETS).
WHERE TO WATCH: The match will be available to watch on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
WHERE TO LISTEN: The match will air on 93.3 KJR FM and in Spanish on El Rey 1360AM.
2024 RECORDS AND STANDINGS: Sounders: 10-7-7 (37 points, 6th West), LAFC: 13-5-5 (44 points, 2nd West)
FORM GUIDE (all competitions, most recent first): Seattle: WWWWW, LAFC: DLWWW
PREVIOUS MEETING: LAFC defeated the Sounders 2-1 at BMO Stadium on Feb. 24 in the opening match of the 2024 MLS season. Timothy Tillman and Mateusz Bogusz scored for the hosts, while Pedro de la Vega converted from the penalty spot for Seattle.
U.S. OPEN CUP PREVIEW: The Sounders and LAFC will meet yet again on Aug. 27 in the semifinals of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup when the Black and Gold visit Starfire Stadium. The winner will face the winner of Sporting Kansas City and the USL Championship’s Indy Eleven in the final on Sept. 25.
INCREDIBLE FORM CONTINUES: Seattle enters this weekend winners of six consecutive matches in all competitions and unbeaten in eight. The Sounders have lost just twice over their last 18 contests dating back to April 30.
FREI ON THE VERGE OF HISTORY: A clean sheet on Saturday would give Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei his 113th career shutout, passing Kevin Hartman for second on the all-time MLS list. Only Nick Rimando had more clean sheets.
REST AND ROTATION: Wednesday’s 2-0 victory over St. Louis CITY SC was a win-win for Head Coach Brian Schmetzer, who was able to also gain valuable rest for the likes of de la Vega, João Paulo and Yeimar.
DEFENSIVE PRIDE: The Sounders and LAFC own two of the better defensive records in the league. Seattle has conceded just 26 times, which is the third-best mark in MLS and the fewest in the West. LAFC has allowed 30 goals, which is tied for sixth.
GIROUD SIGHTING: Saturday could potentially mark the first MLS appearance of legendary French forward Olivier Giroud, who agreed to join LAFC from AC Milan this summer. France’s all-time leading goalscorer is eligible to play as of July 18 when Major League Soccer’s Secondary Transfer Window opened.
DOUBLE TROUBLE: LAFC is led in attack by the dangerous duo of Bogusz and Denis Bounaga, the latter of whom was the 2023 MLS MVP runner-up. Combined, they have scored 26 goals and recorded 15 assists this season.
