The regular season finale is here and there are playoff implications on the line as Sounders FC hosts the LA Galaxy on Fan Appreciation Night at CenturyLink Field.
Sounders FC vs LA Galaxy
October 27, 2013, 6 pm PT; CenturyLink Field
TV/Radio: ESPN; 97.3 FM; La Gran D 99.3 FM (Spanish)
LA’s Record: The Galaxy is third in the West at 15-11-7 (52 points), one point ahead of Seattle, though just 4-9-3 on the road.
All-Time Series: Seattle is 3-5-3 all-time against the LA Galaxy in MLS regular season games, but the Western Conference foes have also met twice in the playoffs (LA leads 3-1-0) and twice in the US Open Cup (Seattle leads 2-0-0) for an all-competitions mark for Seattle of 6-8-3. This season, LA won 4-0 in May and the two sides played to a 1-1 draw in September, both at the StubHub Center.
Injury Report: Sounders FC – OUT: GK Josh Ford (R patella fracture); M Shalrie Joseph (R knee sprain); M Steve Zakuani (adductor). QUESTIONABLE: F Eddie Johnson (sports hernia); F Obafemi Martins (groin); D Djimi Traore (knee injury); M Clint Dempsey (hamstring strain). LA Galaxy – QUESTIONABLE: D A.J. DeLaGarza (L elbow dislocation); F Landon Donovan (L ankle inflammation); D Todd Dunivant (R knee sprain); D Omar Gonzalez (L hip strain).
Key Player: Forward Robbie Keane has been a catalyst for the Galaxy against Seattle. In two matches this season, he scored a first-half hat trick and assisted the fourth goal in a 4-0 LA win in May, but was held to no shots in a stellar performance by Jhon Kennedy Hurtado and the Seattle defense in a 1-1 draw in September. This season, he has 15 goals and 11 assists for the Galaxy despite playing in just 22 matches.
Notes: The Galaxy will play without Juninho after the midfielder picked up his fifth yellow card of the season last week in a 0-0 draw with San Jose. Seattle will have midfielder Osvaldo Alonso return from a red card suspension served in last week’s 2-0 loss to FC Dallas. … Over the last two years, the home team has been dominant in the series. At CenturyLink Field, Seattle is 3-0-0 while outscoring LA 8-1. However, all of those matches were in the 2012 regular season and playoffs. At the StubHub Center, LA is 3-0-1 in the same stretch with a 9-1 scoring advantage. … LA forward Landon Donovan is tied with Jeff Cunningham for the all-time MLS goal-scoring lead at 134 career regular season goals. Cunningham broke the previous record, then held by Jaime Moreno, with a penalty kick at CenturyLink Field against Sounders FC in 2011. Seattle won the match over the Columbus Crew 6-2. … Sunday night is Fan Appreciation Night at CenturyLink Field and Sounders FC is expecting a crowd in excess of 64,000 in attendance, which will mean Seattle will break the league’s average attendance mark of 43,144 set by Sounders FC last season. Seattle is averaging 42,652 going into Sunday's match.
