The Seattle Sounders are hosting the LA Galaxy on Saturday in the first of two regular-season meetings this season. Here is everything you need to know:
WHEN AND WHERE: Kickoff is at 1 p.m. PT at CenturyLink Field (TICKETS).
WHERE TO WATCH: The match will be televised on ESPN and YouTube TV.
WHERE TO LISTEN: The match will air on 950 KJR AM and in Spanish on El Rey 1360 AM.
2018 RECORDS AND STANDINGS: Sounders: 9-9-5 (32 points, 8th West), Galaxy: 10-8-6 (36 points, 4th West)
FORM GUIDE (most recent first): Seattle: WWWWW, LA: DLWDW
ALL-TIME HISTORY: The Sounders are 6-9-9 all time against the Galaxy, including a 3-4-5 record at home.
PREVIOUS MEETING: The Sounders and Galaxy played to a 1-1 draw at CenturyLink Field on Sept. 10, 2017. Gyasi Zardes opened the scoring in the first half for LA before Lamar Neagle equalized in the 85th minute.
TRAIN KEEPS MOVING: The Sounders are unbeaten in their last eight matches and have tied a franchise record with five wins in a row.
PLAYOFFS IN SIGHT: Seattle is looking to clinch its 10th consecutive playoff appearance and could get above the red line for the first time all season. A Sounders win AND a Real Salt Lake loss AND a loss or draw by the Vancouver Whitecaps would push the Sounders into the sixth and final postseason spot in the West.
NO NICO, NO PARTY:Nicolás Lodeiro has five goals and two assists in the last six matches and is hitting his stride at the perfect time.
SMITH STARS: New acquisition Brad Smith made his MLS debut last weekend when he started and went 73 minutes in a win over FC Dallas. He had four crosses and an 88-percent passing accuracy in a productive shift at left back.
RODRÍGUEZ RETURNS: Midfielder Víctor Rodríguez returned to game action last weekend when he came on as a substitute in the 77th minute. The 29-year-old Spaniard had missed the previous three matches with a right hamstring strain.
XBOX GAME PASS JERSEY: The Sounders will wear special “Xbox Game Pass” embellishments on the Rave Green kits on Saturday. Xbox Game Pass is a new Xbox One subscription service that provides unlimited access to over 100 great games, including new Xbox exclusives, for one low monthly price.
ZLATAN OUT: The Galaxy will be without five starters on Saturday, per a report from The LA Times, the most notable of which is forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Citing the CenturyLink Field turf, Ibrahimovic remained in Los Angeles along with injured players Romain Alessandrini, Giovani dos Santon, Jonathan dos Santos and Michael Ciani. Ibrahimovic has 10 goals and four assists in his last nine matches.
SIGI COMES BACK: For the second time since taking over the reins at the Galaxy, former Sounders Head Coach Sigi Schmid will return to CenturyLink Field. Former Sounders FC 2 Head Coach Ezra Hendrickson will make his first return trip to Seattle since joining Schmid’s staff before the start of the season.
TUESDAY BATTLE: The Galaxy played to a 2-2 home draw with the Colorado Rapids on Tuesday, twice surrendering a second-half lead. LA has just one win in its last five matches and only sits five points ahead of the Sounders, with Seattle having two matches in hand.
HIGH-SCORING MATCHES: The Galaxy enter this weekend with the third-most goals scored in the league with 48, but they have allowed 42 in 25 matches.
