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Seattle Sounders
Major League Soccer
Nov 27, 2023 at 2.30am UK
CenturyLink Field
Los Angeles FC
Seattle
vs.
Los Angeles

Preview: Seattle Sounders vs. Los Angeles FC - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Monday's Major League Soccer clash between Seattle Sounders and Los Angeles FC, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Los Angeles FC can book a place in the Western Conference final for a second successive campaign with a victory on Sunday at Lumen Field against the Seattle Sounders in the second round of the MLS Cup playoffs.

Seattle narrowly defeated Dallas 1-0 in game three of round one to advance into the conference semi-finals, while the reigning champions swept their series with the Vancouver Whitecaps, winning the second match by a 1-0 score.


Match preview

Seattle Sounders players and fans celebrate a goal scored by Seattle Sounders midfielder Albert Rusnak on November 11, 2023© Reuters

Throughout the 2023 regular season, the Rave Green have squeaked by with a solid defensive shape, conceding the second-fewest goals in MLS (41).

That carried them through their opening round series against the Toros, where this team did just enough to get by, taking the lead after 36 minutes before shutting up shop in game two, holding their opponents to just one shot on target and winning for the 10th time domestically this year by a single goal.

A year after missing the playoffs for the first time in their MLS history, manager Brian Schmetzer stuck with the traditional mid-block that we are used to seeing from the Sounders, who were among the best in the league at denying scoring opportunities to the opposition.

Having an elite player in every line of the field and a relatively healthy squad in 2023, along with their ability to manufacture opportunities for their attackers to run at opposing defenders, makes them a dangerous team to defend.

The Sounders enter this match unbeaten in their previous five domestic fixtures at Lumen Field, with a clean sheet on four of those occasions, going three straight matches without conceding.

They have won 16 of their 17 last 17 home playoff games, with 14 of those victories occurring in normal time and their only defeat over that stretch coming on penalties versus Real Salt Lake in 2021 (6-5).

Los Angeles FC (LAFC) midfielder Timothy Tillman (11) is congratulated after scoring a goal on September 17, 2023© Reuters

Their game two victory in Vancouver was marred in controversy, but in the end, the Black and Gold were the victors, claiming their first playoff triumph away from home in club history.

Dating back to the beginning of the 2022 post-season, LAFC are now unbeaten in five successive playoff fixtures, while they are 14-0-3 when scoring first domestically in 2023.

Manager Steve Cherundolo usually has a very simple tactical approach, with straightforward passes that do not pull out many complex patterns but allow their quality attacking threats to get into solid scoring positions where they can work their magic.

The Black and Gold are a joy to watch in transition, creating the second-most shots in the league from high-pressing moments behind the New York Red Bulls.

Los Angeles are unbeaten in their previous five domestic contests as the visiting team, failing to concede in three of those encounters.

Sunday will be the third time they meet the Sounders in their MLS playoff history, with LAFC losing the previous two games against them by a 3-1 score both times.

Seattle Sounders Major League Soccer form:

Los Angeles FC Major League Soccer form:

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Team News

Seattle Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer on November 5, 2023© Reuters

Reed Baker-Whiting is questionable for the Sounders in this game because of a left hamstring strain, as Schmetzer went with the same starting 11 in game three versus Dallas.

Albert Rusnak has been massive in critical moments for the Rave Green this season, scoring seven winning goals, including two in the opening round of the playoffs, as Stefan Frei only had to make one stop for a clean sheet in that decisive encounter, enabling them to advance.

Neither Raul Ruidiaz nor Nicolas Lodeiro featured in the starting 11 versus Dallas, but they have each netted five times respectively against LAFC, and they both scored when they defeated the Black and Gold in the 2020 playoffs (3-1), as did Jordan Morris.

Cherundolo brought in three newcomers to the starting 11 from game one to two against Vancouver, with Aaron Long, Kellyn Acosta and Mario Gonzalez replacing Giorgio Chiellini, Mateusz Bogusz and Carlos Vela.

The regular season Golden Boot winner, Denis Bouanga, had the only goal in their previous encounter, his ninth in his last five games, and fifth in the playoffs, the most in club history, while Maxime Crepeau set a new career high with five saves for a clean sheet.

When they visited Seattle earlier this year, John McCarthy was between the sticks, stopping the three shots that he faced in a 0-0 draw.

Seattle Sounders possible starting lineup:
Frei; A. Roldan, Gomez, Ragen, Tolo; Paulo, Atencio, C. Roldan, Rusnak, Lodeiro; Morris

Los Angeles FC possible starting lineup:
Crepeau; Hollingshead, Maldonado, Chiellini, Palacios; Tillman, Sanchez, Bogusz; Olivera, Vela, Bouanga


SM words green background

We say: Seattle Sounders 1-0 Los Angeles FC

This is a classic attack versus defence matchup, and in the end, we believe the well-organised Seattle backline will find a way to frustrate the reigning champions.

How to watch

You can watch Seattle Sounders vs. Los Angeles FC and every MLS match this season live on Apple TV. Click here for more details on how to subscribe.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting over 2.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Over 2.5:data

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Data Failed

Who will win Monday's Major League Soccer clash between Seattle and Los Angeles?

Seattle Sounders
Draw
Los Angeles FC
Seattle Sounders
100%
Draw
0.0%
Los Angeles FC
0.0%
1
Collect / Create New Data
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Los Angeles FC (LAFC) midfielder Timothy Tillman (11) is congratulated after scoring a goal on September 17, 2023
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Eastern Conference

TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1FC CincinnatiCincinnati362110561402173
2Orlando City36209757391869
3Columbus Crew371891075522363
4Philadelphia UnionPhiladelphia361710961421961
5New England RevolutionNew England361510115950955
6Atlanta UnitedAtlanta3714121172611154
7Nashville SCNashville361310133934549
8New York Red BullsNY Red Bulls371211144245-347
9Charlotte FCCharlotte FC351013124757-1043
10New York City FCNY City34914113539-441
11CF MontrealMontreal34125173652-1641
12DC United341010144549-440
13Chicago Fire341010143951-1240
14Inter MiamiInter Miami3497184154-1334
15Toronto34410202659-3322

Western Conference

TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Seattle SoundersSeattle3716111045351059
2Los Angeles FCLos Angeles3616101060411958
3Houston DynamoHouston3715111155411456
4St Louis City361751464511356
5Real Salt LakeSalt Lake371410135154-352
6Sporting Kansas CityKansas37149145453151
7Dallas371213124441349
8Vancouver WhitecapsVancouver361212125754348
9San Jose EarthquakesEarthquakes351015103943-445
10Portland TimbersPortland341110134658-1243
11Minnesota UnitedMinnesota Utd341011134651-541
12Austin FCAustin34109154955-639
13Los Angeles GalaxyLA Galaxy34812145167-1636
14Colorado RapidsColorado34512172654-2827

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