Los Angeles FC are just one win away from making it to the MLS Cup Final in their second year of existence. LAFC have followed in the footsteps of Atlanta United much of the season, but they have surpassed the defending champions by posting a league record amount of points on their way to winning the Supporters’ Shield, and LAFC finished with the best goal differential in the history of the MLS. We’ve seen great regular seasons fall short in the playoffs before though, and LAFC are facing a dangerous team in the Seattle Sounders. Seattle has made it to the MLS Cup Final in two of the last three seasons, so the Sounders have an experience edge.
Don't miss the MLS Western Conference Finals at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles, California at 10 p.m. ET on Tuesday, October 29, 2019. Catch every moment of the match live on ESPN.
MLS Western Conference Finals Betting Odds at BookMaker.eu
Los Angeles FC -232
Seattle Sounders +529
Draw +399
Over/Under 3 and 3.5
Odds Analysis
Seattle finished second in the crowded Western Conference this season by nipping Minnesota United on the last day of the regular season. That gave the Sounders home field advantage in their first two playoff matches, and they used a boisterous crowd to their benefit in wins over FC Dallas and Real Salt Lake.
The Sounders dueled with FC Dallas throughout their first-round clash, and Jordan Morris notching his third goal in extra time gave Seattle a wild 4-3 win. There weren’t as many fireworks in Seattle’s 2-0 win over RSL on Wednesday, but they earned the victory thanks to continually putting pressure on Nick Rimando. Seattle put 10 shots on target compared to just one for the visitors in that match.
LAFC earned a first-round bye due to their dominant performance in the regular season, and they had to vanquish their biggest rival to get to this point. The club had never beaten the Los Angeles Galaxy in their El Trafico rivalry prior to last week. The five prior meetings saw two Galaxy victories and three draws, so LAFC needed to overcome some baggage to advance.
Carlos Vela, Diego Rossi, and Adama Diomande came through after incredible regular seasons with the trio scoring all five of LAFC’s goals in a 5-3 win over the Galaxy. This triple threat will be out to have similar success against the Sounders.
Key Absences
Seattle has not had Will Bruin since June due to a torn ACL, but he is the only player listed on the injury report for the Sounders.
The hosts will be without Javi Perez, Josh Perez, and Danilo Silva for this match. Midfielder Mark-Anthony Kate and forward Rodolfo Zelaya are both questionable.
Player to Watch
Vela has been phenomenal throughout the season. He finished the campaign with a record 34 goals despite playing in just 31 games, and he smashed the single season scoring record. LAFC’s No. 10 was great at getting teammates involved too, doling out 15 assists to make this attack incredibly potent. If Kaye is out or significantly hampered, Vela might have to play more of a set-up role, so keep an eye on that.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
It’s tempting to take Seattle at this price, but the last time these teams met LAFC won big. They hammered the Sounders 4-1, and Seattle is not strong enough in the back to hold LAFC at bay for long. For the Sounders to win, they must score multiple goals, but even then I don’t believe it will be enough given the overall talent on LAFC.
Major League Soccer Odds: Los Angeles FC 3, Seattle Sounders 1
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