The Seattle Sounders visit LAFC on Tuesday (7:00 p.m. PT; ESPN, ESPN Deportes, 950 KJR AM, El Rey 1360 AM) in the Western Conference Final of the Audi 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs. Here are four matchups to watch.
Raúl RuidÃaz vs. Walker Zimmerman
In just four postseason matches, RuidÃaz has four goals and three assists. LAFC have never faced RuidÃaz, making him even more of an X Factor on Tuesday night. Zimmerman, meanwhile, has been mired in a spell of inconsistent form since returning from the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup. RuidÃaz’s clever movement in the final third will be the key to breaking down an LAFC defense that conceded just 37 goals during the regular season.
Over the last few months, RuidÃaz has seen his role in both possession and counter-attacking sequences for Seattle increase. Look for the Peruvian to check into midfield when Seattle attempt to hit in transition, linking up with Nicolás Lodeiro and Cristian Roldan. If Zimmerman follows him, that will open up gaps for Jordan Morris and Joevin Jones to make slashing runs in behind.
Nicolás Lodeiro vs. Eduard Atuesta
Lodeiro is consistently one of the top midfielders in MLS during the regular season, and yet he somehow elevates his game in the postseason. Seattle’s midfield maestro put on a masterclass against Real Salt Lake in the Western Conference Semifinals, carving the visitors as he launched counter after counter.
Lodeiro won’t be afforded the same time and space against LAFC that he enjoyed in the win over RSL, as the Black & Gold have suffocated teams all year by employing a relentless re-press when they cough up possession. At the heart of their defensive scheme is Atuesta, who blends defensive bite with comfort on the ball. The Western Conference Final will likely be decided by whether Lodeiro or Atuesta emerges victorious from this individual matchup.
Jordan Morris vs. Steven Beitashour
Morris has maintained his excellent form during the regular season into the playoffs. In Seattle’s wins over FC Dallas and RSL, the MLS Comeback Player of the Year was lethal in transition, which could be the key to a win over LAFC on Tuesday. The Black & Gold tend to send both full backs forward in possession to create overloads all over the final third. This will leave acres of space for Morris to exploit with his blistering speed.
Defensively, Morris will have to monitor Beitashour closely all evening, as LAFC’s most effective pattern of play in the final third involves penetrating runs from the outside backs. When one of the wingers plays a negative pass to a midfielder in a central position, their outside back on the opposite side will bomb forward as the opposing defensive line steps forward. Leerdam will be preoccupied with the winger on his side, so Morris will need to track Beitashour when he runs in behind.
Sounders Defense vs. Carlos Vela
This one isn’t an individual matchup because we don’t know where Vela will play – he’s played on both wings and as a striker in the past two months. And in all likelihood, Vela won’t be contained by a single player. It will require a team effort to mitigate the Mexican winger’s influence.
With 34 goals and 15 assists from just 31 starts during the regular season, Vela might be the most dangerous attacking player in league history. If he lines up in the middle, Seattle’s center backs will need to decide whether to track him as he drops into midfield. But if he lines up on the wing, then either a defensive midfielder or once of the center backs will need to shade across, providing support to the outside back.
Vela only had five starts in 2019 in which he failed to register a goal or an assist. If Seattle can extend that figure to six, they’ll likely book a spot in MLS Cup.
