CenturyLink Field was absolutely buzzing on Nov. 10, 2019 as the Seattle Sounders lifted their second-ever MLS Cup trophy in front of nearly 70,000 fans.
To achieve such a historic feat on your home turf is something every team dreams of doing. And now, the Rave Green have a chance to play MLS Cup at home once again with a win over LA Galaxy on Nov. 30 in the Western Conference Final.
“We’re fighting for something,” said midfielder Obed Vargas.
Since both LA and Seattle finished higher in the league standings than Orlando City and New York Red Bulls, the winner of Saturday night’s Western Conference match will earn the right to host MLS Cup.
“It would be exciting,” said Head Coach Brian Schmetzer. “[Would] love for our fans to do the March to the Match again. I mean, some of those memories are really good, the parades after the things we won.”
From lifting the MLS Cup trophy in 2019, becoming the first MLS team to win a Concacaf Champions League title in 2022, or winning two consecutive Open Cup titles (2010, 11’), the Sounders know what it is like to lift trophies on their home turf.
The expectation is to continue this success with a title match on Dec. 7, but the Sounders must turn their attention to Saturday’s battle in Los Angeles in order to even reach this opportunity.
“We know that there's two games left to the ultimate goal, which is lifting a cup, but we take it one game at a time,” said defender Jonathan Bell. “We know that if we win this next game, we get to host, and so that's going to be a big momentum push for us.”
The team remains “pragmatic,” according to Schmetzer, knowing the challenge ahead against the strong Southern California side.
“It's going to be a tough game, and we have to focus not on all of the things that could be but on the things that we should be focused on, which is getting all the details right to make sure we give ourselves a chance to win the game,” he said.
