Audi 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs – Western Conference Final
Los Angeles Football Club vs. Seattle Sounders FC
Banc of California Stadium – Los Angeles
October 29 – 10:00 PM ET
TV: ESPN, TSN, TVAS, ESPN Deportes
It's the upstarts vs. the old hands in the Western Conference Final on the Audi 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Second-year side LAFC don't have much playoff experience to speak of, but have conquered all in 2019. They finally overcame their bogeymen, city rivals LA Galaxy, in a 5-3 thriller to write another memorable chapter in a record-setting season. The Supporters' Shield winners, who set a record for most points by an MLS team in the regular season, overcame their first playoff test by beating the Galaxy for the first time in six tries and should now have plenty of reason to believe they can take on any comers.
Next up for Bob Bradley's side is a team that has very much been there and done that. The Seattle Sounders are in the playoffs for an MLS-record 11th consecutive season, and have ably stepped up to dispatch their first two Western Conference rivals, beating FC Dallas, 4-3, and Real Salt Lake, 2-0. The 2016 MLS Cup winners will almost certainly have to find another level, though.
Despite finishing second in the West, they trailed LAFC by 16 points at the end of the regular season and garnered one point from their two regular-season meetings (a 4-1 loss at LAFC and a 1-1 tie in Seattle, both in April), bringing their overall record against Tuesday's opponents to 0W-3L-1D in the regular season. Still, the Sounders have a bevy of experience playing in (and winning in) the playoffs, and could pose Bradley's men another formidable test.
Los Angeles Football Club
- Injury Report:
- OUT: Javier Perez (M) - left ACL tear
- OUT: Alejandro Guido (M) - illness
- OUT: Danilo Silva (D) - lumbar disc surgery
- QUESTIONABLE: Rodolfo Zelaya (F) - left foot contusion
- Suspended: None
- Suspended after next caution: None
- International duty: None
Seattle Sounders FC
- Injury Report:
- OUT: Will Bruin (F) - right ACL tear
- QUESTIONABLE: Roman Torres (D) - left hamstring strain
- Suspended: None
- Suspended after next caution: None
- International duty: None
Series Matchup at LAFC
- LAFC: 2 wins, 5 goals
- Sounders: 0 wins, 1 goal
- 2 draws
MLS Cup Playoffs
- This is the first all-time meeting between LAFC and the Seattle in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs
Officials
- Referee: Jair Marrufo
- Assistant Referees: Frank Anderson, Logan Brown
- 4th Official: Ted Unkel
- VAR: Geoff Gamble
