FULLTIME: The Sounders and LAFC played to a 0-0 tie on Saturday. The Sounders controlled much of the play for the first 70 minutes, but LAFC made a late push and forced Stefan Frei to make the biggest save of the match when he stopped Kwadwo Opoku in the 89th minute.

LINEUPS: Raúl Ruidíaz gets his first start of the season after coming off the bench each of the past two weeks. LAFC only rotates a few players from their midweek game against Alajuelense.

If the Seattle Sounders are to be a trophy contender, it’s virtually guaranteed that they will have to go through LAFC, the current holders of both the Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup. Saturday’s meeting between the two teams comes in circumstances that appear to be, at least on paper, to the Sounders’ favor.

The Sounders have had a full week to rest after their loss to FC Cincinnati while LAFC will be playing their fourth match in 10 days, including a 2-1 loss to Alajuelense in Concacaf Champions League on Wednesday (which was good enough for LAFC to advance). LAFC used a mostly first-choice lineup in that match and had to play it straight up all the way through.

LAFC are also expected to be missing at least one starter in Ryan Hollingshead, while Raúl Ruidíaz appears to be in position to get his first start.

Notes

• The road team has only come away from this matchup victorious twice, their first-ever meeting in 2018 at Lumen Field and the 2019 Western Conference finals in Los Angeles. The Sounders are 4-0-2 in their last six meetings at Lumen Field.
• LAFC have become just the second defending MLS Cup winner since 2000 to win their first two league matches the following season.
• Dénis Bouanga has four goal contributions in league play (2 goals and 2 assists), plus three more goals in CCL play. He had just three goal contributions in 10 matches with LAFC last year.

Absences: Injury, international duty and suspension

Seattle

OUT: Héber (left hamstring strain)

LAFC

To be announced

Officials

REF: Ismail Elfath; AR1: Jeremy Hanson; AR2: Kevin Lock; 4TH: Ramy Touchan; VAR: Geoff Gamble; AVAR: TJ Zablocki

How to Watch

Match date/kickoff time: Saturday, 1:25 PM PT

Pregame: Fox 13 will be hosting a pregame with Aaron Levine and Marcus Hahnemann start at 12:30 PM.

Venue: Lumen Field, Seattle

Global Streaming English: MLS Season Pass (Jake Zivin & Taylor Twellman)

Global Streaming Spanish: MLS Season Pass (Jorge Perez-Navarro & Marcelo Balboa)

English TV: Fox 13 (Nate Bukaty & Tony Meola)

Local Radio: iHeartMedia (Danny Jackson & Steve Zakuani)

Local Spanish Radio: El Rey 1360 AM (Rodriguez, Maqueda, Tapia)

Is this game available to stream for free? Yes

Will Sounders radio be available as an alternate feed? Yes

Lineups

Highlights will be posted as the match progresses.

This is Seattle Sounders vs. LAFC; watch with us

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