RENTON — Here we are again, except it won’t be here — as in Washington.
In a matchup where results are found in the slimmest of margins, the Sounders traveling to California for a knockout game against Los Angeles FC might be the change needed to finally get past their subduer.
Seattle’s past three tournament exits have been at the foot of LAFC at Lumen Field and Starfire Stadium in Tukwila. But the Western Conference playoff semifinal between the fourth-seeded Sounders and top-seeded Black & Gold on Nov. 23 will be at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.
Trade an atmosphere of apathy and doubt for aggression and disdain in search of a breakthrough? The Sounders are winless in their past 10 matches (0-8-2) against LAFC through all competitions, losing in the MLS conference semifinals last year and Leagues Cup quarterfinals and U.S. Open Cup semifinals in August.
“Maybe it’s good to change the scenery a little bit,” Sounders forward Jordan Morris said. “We’re a good team on the road. We’re also good, as a team, that can sit a little bit deeper [defensively], too, and counter. We have the ability, the weapons to do that. … Maybe that’s what you do on the road.”
Mentality is part of the tactics Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer has his team focused on in preparation for LAFC. Not that the team lacks a fighting edge, but there was a defiance Schmetzer would like to rekindle from the last time the club faced this situation.
In 2019, LAFC was the MLS darling who’d never lost at home. Despite it being their second year of existence, they were anointed a powerhouse without winning a title. As Supporters’ Shield winners, they were expected to easily win a Western Conference final against the Sounders.
By the end of the playoff match, the unruly crowd was throwing beers at Sounders players behind a 3-1 upset.
“We went down a goal and came back, we weren’t afraid to play,” said Schmetzer of striker Raúl Ruidíaz netting an equalizer in the 22nd minute and former Sounders midfielder Nico Lodeiro scoring the go-ahead goal in the 26th minute. Ruidíaz tacked on an insulting goal in the 64th minute.
“We put pressure on them and didn’t just sit back,” Schmetzer continued. “There’s a lot of good memories of that game, and we’ll try to get the mentality right.”
It’s the response to an early goal that could be most important.
LAFC scored the first goal 21 times during MLS regular-season matches this season, which led the league. The Black & Gold are 4-0 against the Sounders this year through all competitions, scoring in the opening half in three of those matches.
When the Sounders did hold LAFC defensively — in the Open Cup at Starfire — they conceded a penalty kick in the 83rd minute of the 1-0 loss.
Overall, LAFC has outscored the Sounders 9-1 this season. But they don’t need possession to cause havoc. It’s a bad bounce or inch of spacing or brief lapse of concentration that has attackers Denis Bouanga, Mateusz Bogusz, Kei Kamara and Carlos Vela dashing off to give the Black & Gold the needed goal to win.
Yes, Vela is back. The Mexican playmaker, who rejoined LAFC in September, joins Frenchman Olivier Giroud as the world-class attackers coach Steve Cherundolo can call upon from the bench. Or start, if he wishes.
“There’s nothing I’ve seen in the games that make me think this will be any different,” MLS 360 studio analyst Sacha Kljestan said of the past matches between the sides. “But what I’ve seen from the Sounders since that Open Cup loss, is that they’ve found themselves again. They look like the Sounders I’ve expected all year long, which is one of the best defensive teams, very organized and never make mistakes. You have to earn everything you get against the Sounders. In the playoffs, that’s a recipe for success.”
Seattle has been the league’s best defensive team the past two seasons, conceding 35 goals and collecting 13 shutouts this year. But LAFC is the team Seattle can’t seem to contain long enough to give their offense a chance.
Schmetzer is expected to have all his first-choice players available for the semifinal match. Morris (hamstring) and midfielder Albert Rusnák (hip) returned to training after missing Game 2 of the opening-round sweep against Houston this month. Forward Paul Rothrock (muscular) should return this week.
The Leagues Cup quarterfinal match is the only time this year the sides had their full complement of players. The Sounders lost 3-0.
“More than to prove something, we have a challenge,” Sounders center back Yeimar said, as translated from Spanish.
Rusnák agreed with the sentiment. Neither player was part of the 2019 roster that won the playoff match in L.A.
“I wouldn’t call it ‘personal,’ but there’s definitely a little bit extra in this game,” Rusnák said. “We can’t save anything for another game because there might not be another one. If we leave it all out [there and] play as a team, that’s how we’ll be successful.”
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