Everything you need to know about LAFC-Sounders

The Seattle Sounders will close out the pre-World Cup portion of their schedule with a road game against LAFC. After blazing starts, both teams have hit a bit of a speedbump, albeit ones of very different sizes.

The Sounders have claimed just five points from their last five, while LAFC are winless in their last five and have just two wins in their past 11 across all competitions.

Here’s what you need to know:

Injury news

Sounders

OUT: Pedro de la Vega — Knee; Nikola Petković — Knee; Yeimar Gómez Andrade — Hamstring

QUESTIONABLE: Paul Arriola — Adductor; Alex Roldan — Hamstring

LAFC

OUT: Igor Jesus — Leg; Hugo Lloris — Leg; Sergi Palencia — Leg; Jacob Shaffelburg — Leg

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Opposition players to watch

Denis Bouanga: Perhaps no player has given the Sounders more nightmares than Bouanga, the winger who seemingly only needs one chance to cause a world of pain. Even in a season where he’s a bit off from his previous heights, he still has 11 goals and two assists across all competitions and has been putting up numbers even as LAFC have struggled.

Son Heung-Min: At their best, Son and Bouanga form arguably the best attacking tandem in MLS history. While neither has been at their best this year, Son still has 14 assists across all competitions. He’s a handful, to say the least, even if he hasn’t scored a goal yet this year. Expect him to drop into the midfield and create plenty.

Stats to look smart

450 – Not only has LAFC not won any of their past five matches, but it has been 450 minutes across all competitions since they’ve even held a lead in a match.

0 – Although the Sounders have scored a couple of big wins in the playoffs at LAFC, they’ve yet to win a regular-season game there and only even have tied there once.

Tactics to impress

• Once known as a team that almost exclusively wanted to beat teams with transitions, Marc dos Santos has LAFC playing a bit more neutral. That’s not necessarily been a welcome change to some of their stars, notably, who feel like they’ve been shackled a bit.
• It will be interesting to see which Sounders team shows up. On the road, Brian Schmetzer’s side has been content to sit back and defend but at home they have continued to press aggressively. LAFC seems like a team that would prefer teams give them space.

Kit matchup

Standings

Other reading

Cristian Roldan makes USA’s World Cup roster, report says

The Guardian has obtained the full USMNT World Cup roster.

Paul Rothrock sees opportunity for growth

The midfielder isn’t satisfied with the way he’s played so far this year and has high expectations for the rest of the season.

Brian Schmetzer shoulders blame for Galaxy loss

Head coach says he may have made at least one too many lineup changes.

Final call to get IV before the World Cup starts

If you’d like the World Cup edition of our print magazine before the World Cup starts, get your order in by Monday.

More listening

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