LAFC vs Seattle Sounders: Predictions, Odds and Roster Notes

Another tough matchup for LAFC has them hosting the Sounders Sunday night, in what promises to be one of the best matchups of week 8. Can LA continue to dominate, or will Seattle pull out a victory on the road?

How to Watch

What: LAFC vs Seattle Sounders

Where: Banc of California Stadium Los Angeles, California

When: Sunday, April 21 @ 7 PM EST

How: MLS Live ESPN, MLS Live DAZN, FS1, Youtube TV (Listen on 710 ESPN LA or 950 KJR)

Seattle Sounders (away)

Head coach: Brian Schmetzer

Key Players: Jordan Morris, Raul Ruidiaz, Stefan Frei

Standings: 5-1-0 (2nd in Western Conference)

Seattle hasn’t won a match versus the Los Angeles football club, but their roster looks a lot different than it did last year. The new look Sounders definitely have a shot at winning this game.

If the Seattle football club wants to be the first team to hand Los Angeles their first loss of this year’s campaign, then they are going to have to find a way to keep them off of the scoreboard.

They will place their faith in one of the league’s best goalkeepers in Stefan Frei (only the league’s leader in stops through the first six matches with 24 stops). He has three shutouts on the season, but keeping the LA squad from putting the ball in the net will be a tall task for sure.

The return of a healthy Raul Ruidiaz allows the Sounders to rest a little easier, knowing that they have the depth to handle LA’s defense. And it will be necessary if they want to knock off the league’s best, and most balanced, team.

If Seattle wants to take home a victory they are going to have to do so by playing impeccable defense, I wouldn’t expect them to put up a lot of points this week. They’re playing the highest scoring team in the league, and the only way to find victory is to keep their heads on a swivel.

LAFC (home)

Head Coach: Bob Bradley

Key Players: Carlos Vela, Eduard Atuesta, Diego Rossi, Tyler Miller

Standings: 6-1-0 (1st in MLS)

This is a squad that has been absolutely crushing their opponents this season, with 21 goals scored, and only five goals allowed. But they’ll be matching up against a club that is equally stout on the defensive end.

But the soccer world said the same thing about their week 7 match against D.C. United, and they went on to score an astounding four goals against what is maybe the best defensive club in Major League Soccer.

Odds and Predictions

A match between two unbeaten teams, Sunday night’s matchup promises to be one the best we’ll see this week.

You can expect to see a defensive battle, but if Rossi and Vela continue their blistering scoring pace, then we may very well end up seeing yet another LAFC blowout.

It will be interesting to watch Frei go at LA, and you can be sure he’ll have his share of stops. But the LA firepower is likely to prove too much for Seattle, and I expect to see LA continue its domination over the league.

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