The Seattle Sounders are traveling to southern California to take on the LA Galaxy on Saturday in their second of three meetings this season. Here is everything you need to know:
WHEN AND WHERE: Kickoff is at 7 p.m. PT at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif.
WHERE TO WATCH: The game will be televised on ESPN and ESPN Deportes.
WHERE TO LISTEN: The game will air on KIRO Radio 97.3 FM and in Spanish on El Rey 1360AM.
2017 RECORDS AND STANDINGS: Sounders: 8-7-6 (30 points, 5th West), Galaxy: 6-10-4 (22 points, 9th West).
ALL-TIME HISTORY: The Sounders are 6-9-7 all time against the Galaxy, including a 3-5-3 road record.
RECENT MEETINGS: The Sounders have won two straight games at LA dating back to a 4-2 win last September that helped springboard their historic run to the playoffs and MLS Cup. Seattle romped LA 3-0 this past April for its first road win of the year behind goals from Clint Dempsey, Jordan Morris and an Ashley Cole own goal.
STREAKING SOUNDERS: Seattle is unbeaten in its last five MLS matches including three consecutive victories. This is the Sounders’ first three-game winning streak since a four-game stretch from Sept. 17 to Oct. 2, 2016, the third game of which was their 4-2 win over LA.
SCHMETZER SUCCESS: Since head coach Brian Schmetzer took the reins last July, the Sounders are unbeaten against LA in three meetings (2-0-1). Before Schmetzer, the Sounders had won just one match in 11 against the Galaxy.
FAMILIAR FACES: Saturday night's match will see a familiar face on the opposing bench as LA named Sigi Schmid Head Coach Thursday morning. Schmetzer worked under Schmid since the Sounders inaugural MLS season in 2009. The Sounders parted ways with Schmid on July 26, 2016, and put Schmetzer at the helm.
MISSING INTERNATIONALS?
: Sounders forwards Dempsey (USA) and Morris (USA) and defender
Oniel Fisher
(Jamaica) are all competing in the
CONCACAF Gold Cup Final
on Wednesday evening in Santa Clara, Calif., but could potentially factor in Saturday’s game. LA Galaxy forward Gyasi Zardes (USA) will also be questionable.
LODEIRO RETURNS: After serving a one-game red-card suspension in the 3-0 win over the San Jose Earthquakes last Sunday, Sounders midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro will return to the lineup in Los Angeles.
CRISTIAN GOAL-DAN: Sounders midfielder Cristian Roldan has been on a tear in his past two games after returning from United States national team camp at the Gold Cup. He has three goals in his past two games, including both game-winners, and now has a career-high five goals.
KELVIN COMES THROUGH: In his inaugural Sounders start, new signing Kelvin Leerdam scored Seattle’s third and final goal against the Earthquakes. In his first two games, Seattle has a plus-six goal differential with him on the pitch and has not allowed a goal.
GALAXY GLOOM: LA has lost five consecutive matches, including three at home, and has just one win in its last eight. The Galaxy are calling Saturday a “must-win game” as they try and right the ship.
LASSITER LEGACY: Galaxy forward Ari Lassiter scored his first MLS goal in LA’s 4-3 loss at the New England Revolution last week. Lassiter, 22, is the son of former forward Roy, who still holds the MLS single-season goal record with 27 in 1996 while with the now-defunct Tampa Bay Mutiny.
DUTCH DEFENSE: LA added Dutch fullback Pele van Anholt on July 12 to try and shore up its defense. Van Anholt, 26, signed from Eredivisie side Willem II, a club that competes against new Sounder Kelvin Leerdam’s former club SBV Vitesse.
