There's a right way and there's a wrong way to react to a loss. Whether it's your first of the season or not.
"One of the ways you show that you're better is that when you lose a game - in this case, the first game of the season - that there's a strong response."
That was Bob Bradley speaking to reporters after LAFC's 1-0 loss in Vancouver. I'd imagine it was the message to his team in the locker room after the loss. And again when they returned to training on Friday.
The best part about a midweek match is being able to get right back on the pitch when things go sideways.
And there's no better pitch in MLS to get back to than Banc of California Stadium.
Here's a look at LAFC's return to the Banc against the Seattle Sounders:
Where To Watch
LAFC vs Seattle Sounders, April 21 at 4:00pm PT
TV: FS1, FOX Deportes
Radio: Streaming on the ESPN app, KFWB 980
Opponent Form
The Sounders are one of two remaining unbeaten sides in MLS at the time of writing - Houston is the other. Gone are the years the Sounders went through a malaise to start the season and then ran rough over the competition starting around July. Brian Schmetzer's team has come out the gates with five wins and a draw and have given up the fewest goals in the Western Conference (5).
What The Team Is Saying
Mark-Anthony Kaye on LAFC's first loss of the season: "These games are going to be tough sometimes. I think that on our best day, we can deal with those situations. But Wednesday wasn't our best day, so it makes the game a lot tougher. They scored one goal. They won 1-0 at home. It's not like we lost 4-0. We had opportunities to score. So there are things to look at, but at the end of the day it was what we expected and their game plan worked a little better than ours."
Joshua Pérez on what to expect from Seattle: "It'll be a very tough game. Seattle is going to come out with full force. It always a good game, as you can see from last year's games. The competition we have between us and them is very lively. I think we have to be ready."
LAFC Projected Starting XI
(4-3-3): Tyler Miller; Jordan Harvey, Eddie Segura, Walker Zimmerman, Steven Beitashour; Eduard Atuesta, Mark-Anthony Kaye, Latif Blessing; Diego Rossi, Christian Ramirez, Carlos Vela.
What To Watch For
Best In The West: LAFC and Seattle enter Sunday's match in the top two positions in the Western Conference. LAFC is just three points ahead of Seattle heading into the weekend. With these two sides playing back-to-back matches, Seattle could jump into first place with two victories. But on the flip side, LAFC has a chance to start to separate itself from the rest of the West with two good results.
All About The Response: Each week has been a different kind of test for LAFC. Travel, injuries, international call-ups, but we've yet to see LAFC respond to a defeat this season. How a team reacts to diversity says a lot about its long-term prospects in a grueling MLS season. Returning to Banc of California Stadium and the atmosphere that is expected on Sunday, all the conditions are set for LAFC to perform at the highest levels.
Lodeiro vs Vela: Undoubtedly, the two most important players to their respective teams are Carlos Vela and Nico Lodeiro. Both have a way of influencing the game and creating advantages the way very few in MLS can. Lodeiro is a bit more of a facilitator for Seattle but look for him to find pockets of space all over the pitch to create for teammates. While Vela is at his best cutting in from the right and either having a go himself or playing a teammate in on goal. Whichever player manages to leave his mark in this match is likely to also leave the pitch with three points.
