“This is the moment we’ve been working for all season,” said Sounders midfielder Cristian Roldan. “LAFC is a great team, but we believe in ourselves. We’re going to give it everything we have.”
The Sounders enter the series on the back of a 1-0 aggregate victory over FC Dallas in the first round of the playoffs. LAFC, meanwhile, received a first-round bye after finishing the regular season with the league’s best record.
“LAFC is a very difficult team to play against,” said Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer. “They have a lot of quality players and they’re very well-coached. But we’re confident in our team and we know we can beat them.”
The two teams have split their two matches this season, with LAFC winning 3-0 in Los Angeles in March, and the Sounders taking a 2-1 victory in Seattle in August.
“The Sounders are a dangerous team,” said LAFC midfielder Eduard Atuesta. “They have a lot of experience and they’re always a threat at home. But we’re ready for the challenge. We’re confident we can get a result in Seattle and take control of the series.”
The winner of the Western Conference Semifinals will advance to the MLS Cup Final, where they will face the winner of the Eastern Conference Semifinals between the Philadelphia Union and FC Cincinnati.
