Saturday, March 8 | 1:45 p.m. PT
🏟: Lumen Field - Seattle, WA
🖥: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, FOX, FOX Deportes
With a four-game winning streak in all competitions on the line, and with vengeance on its mind following the defeat that ended its 2024 season, LAFC travels to Seattle to take on its greatest non-derby rival on Saturday afternoon at Lumen Field.
LAFC’s fiery on-field history with the Sounders goes back farther than that of any other MLS opponent. A new chapter will be written Saturday in each club’s third game of the 2025 MLS regular season.
BACK AND FORTH
The rivalry’s memories are painful and joyous, whichever side you’re on. LAFC stunned Seattle in the first game in Black & Gold history, in March 2018. The upstarts beat the tradition-rich Sounders again, by the same 1-0 scoreline, the following month at the first home game LAFC ever played. Seattle got its revenge when it came to LA on the heels of LAFC’s record-setting 2019 regular season—the greatest year in MLS history at that time—and bounced the MLS Cup favorites from the playoffs with a 3-1 win on the Black & Gold’s home turf. After that, LAFC simply took over the series, reeling off a 10-game unbeaten streak against Seattle from 2021 to 2024 in which it claimed eight wins, conceded just three goals, and blanked Seattle seven times across all competitions.
Then came last November.
EXTRA-TIME STUNNER
LAFC had defeated the Sounders in three straight elimination matches over the preceding thirteen months (the 2023 Western Conference Semifinal, the 2024 Leagues Cup Quarterfinal, and the 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Semifinal)—all on the road—headed into last year's Western Conference Semifinal. LAFC was the West’s top seed. Seattle was seeded fourth. LAFC was playing at home, where Seattle hadn’t won since 2019.
With the game tied 1-1 in the 110th minute, Seattle striker Jordan Morris pounced on a faulty clearance near LAFC’s goal, spun, and without looking booted a dart into the upper right corner, buckling the knees of the 22,000 LAFC supporters in attendance. LAFC’s season was done. Seattle’s season ended a week later in Carson, Calif., at the hands of LAFC’s archrivals. Which brings us here. To the 24th installment of a rivalry so hot-blooded that it feels like a crosstown derby.
SATURDAY’S MATCHUP
In MLS play so far in 2025, Seattle has drawn with Charlotte 2-2 and lost to Real Salt Lake 2-0. Like LAFC, the Sounders are among the 10 MLS teams invited to participate in Concacaf Champions Cup. Seattle advanced past Antigua GFC of Guatemala (6-2 aggregate) in its opening-round CCC series. On Wednesday Seattle tied Cruz Azul 0-0 in Leg 1 of their Round-of-16 series. Those two sides will meet again in Mexico City three days after LAFC and Seattle do battle.
HOME FORTRESS
In its five games so far in 2025 LAFC has yet to allow a goal from open play (450 total minutes in all competitions). It has not allowed a goal of any kind in its four home matches (360 minutes).
Denis Bouanga scored his first two goals of 2025 against Columbus on Tuesday night. Last year he scored three times against Seattle in four games. This season Bouanga is seeking to become the first MLS player in history to record three straight 20-goal seasons.
NEW FACES
Recently acquired Ukrainian fullback Artem Smoliakov made his LAFC debut in the club’s 1-0 win over New York City FC on March 1, replacing Sergi Palencia in the 77th minute. Another European arrival, Designated Player Cengiz Ünder, landed in LA on Tuesday and met his new teammates for the first time at the LAFC Performance Center. The Turkish winger is unlikely to play against Seattle on Saturday.
The 2025 LAFC Secondary Kit
LAFC’s 2025 Secondary Kit is regal, refined, and designed to be worn by players and supporters who expect success.
THE BLACK & GOLD CAN WIN IF
It keeps playing as if Lumen Field is its home ground. LAFC is 3W-0L-2D over its last five trips to Washington state, across all competitions. The recent Concacaf performances turned in by defender and captain Aaron Long and midfield workhorse Mark Delgado (both were named to the Champions Cup Round One Best XI) must continue for the Black & Gold to remain unbeaten and untied in MLS play.
THE SOUNDERS CAN WIN IF
Pedro de la Vega packs his Concacaf form into the satchel he carries into Lumen Field on Saturday. The Brazilian international and DP winger was also named to the Champions Cup Round One Best XI, along with Sounders forward Paul Arriola, for his performance against Antigua. De la Vega scored in Leg 1 and collected a brace in Leg 2 to secure the Sounders’ spot in the Round of 16.
