Three matchups to watch when the Seattle Sounders host New York City FC in Champions League Semifinals on Wednesday

The Seattle Sounders are taking on New York City FC on Wednesday in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions League Semifinals (7 p.m. PT; FS1, TUDN 1090 KJR AM, El Rey 1360 AM | TICKETS). Here are three matchups to watch:

Raúl Ruidíaz vs. Alexander Callens

It will be a battle of Peruvian international teammates on Wednesday as Ruidíaz and Callens go toe-to-toe. Ruidíaz played the entire second half in the Sounders’ 2-1 win at Minnesota United last weekend, looking influential after returning from an injury that had plagued his opening to the MLS season. Callens, meanwhile, may be without longtime center back running mate Maxime Chanot, who was injured recently while away with the Luxembourg national team.

Jordan Morris vs. Nicolás Acevedo

This is a huge mismatch on paper for the Sounders, as Morris matches up against the 22-year-old Acevedo at right fullback. The young Uruguayan has big shoes to fill for veteran Anton Tinnerholm, who is recovering from an Achilles injury. This should prove favorable for Morris, who at his healthiest and best is one of the biggest nightmares to defend on the wing in MLS. He’s already scored three times in all competitions this year and is looking more and more like his old self before his ACL injury cost him almost all of 2021. Seattle will need him to have a massive series streaking down the left-hand side, especially on the counter, where the Sounders have been devastatingly effective so far in 2022.

Xavier Arreaga vs. Taty Castellanos

Arreaga started over the weekend after returning from FIFA World Cup Qualifying with Ecuador and put in a solid shift before exiting in the 76th minute. All signs point to him being available on Wednesday, which is a huge boost for the Sounders, who will likely be without 2021 MLS Defender of the Year finalist Yeimar as he continues to recover from an ankle sprain. Arreaga will need to have his defense organized as one of the most lethal strikers in MLS comes to Lumen Field. Castellanos is the reigning MLS Golden Boot winner and already has four goals in four CCL games. He’s capable of turning nothing into something, and with the away goals tiebreaker in effect, keeping a clean sheet and the 23-year-old Argentine off the score sheet is vital if Seattle wants to make its first CCL final in club history.