Brian Schmetzer is about as evenhanded as they come, unfailingly gentlemanly when addressing the media.
Yet a trace of defiance crept in when the Seattle Sounders’ head coach fielded questions on Tuesday about Saturday’s Audi MLS Cup Playoffs Western Conference semifinal clash with LAFC at BMO Stadium (10:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass), where the Angelinos’ 10-game unbeaten run (8W-0L-2D) against the Rave Green has, understandably, become an inescapable topic.
“Well, we’re not going to shy away. We’re not going to change dramatically who we are,” Schmetzer said. “We’re still going to press high on goal kicks; if we have possession in their half of the field, we’re going to counter-press – it’s not like we’re going to change everything. There’s just subtle tweaks that we have to make. Because we haven’t got good results against them.”
One-sided rivalry
That’s one way to put it. The combined scoreline of these teams’ tangles this season, all LAFC wins, is 9-1 in the Californians’ favor. The Black & Gold have encountered Seattle in knockout ties three times over the past year – at this stage of the ‘23 playoffs, in Leagues Cup 2024 and U.S. Open Cup – and on all three occasions, they advanced.
All-time, Seattle have won just five of the 22 meetings with LAFC, dating back to the latter club’s inaugural match in 2018, a visit to Lumen Field. There’s a clear pattern and growing sample size, and it favors the Black & Gold.
“Obviously they have gotten the better of us the last few times and it’s frustrating,” Sounders forward Jordan Morris told MLSsoccer.com at Seattle’s Longacres training facility this week. “We know how good of a team they are, but we know how good of a team we are as well and I think you see that over the back half of the season, how we played and climbed the table and got to where we are.
“So I think just having confidence, belief that we can play with anyone in this league, including this team.”
Seattle resurgence
Those at the southern end of this Western Conference grudge match emphasize how tense past games have been, and how hard they had to labor to navigate past the Sounders. They know just how quickly…
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