With the MLS regular season reaching its conclusion this weekend, the Seattle Sounders welcome Los Angeles FC in a clash carrying major implications for the Western Conference table for the Rave Green.
While LAFC have already secured their playoff berth and are effectively stuck in the No. 6 spot, they’ll be eager to snap a three-match winless run, secure a first away triumph since July, and claim only their third victory since August in league action.
For Seattle, however, the stakes are far higher. Locked in a fierce battle for one of the final playoff positions, the Sounders enter the final matchday level on points with the Portland Timbers and Colorado Rapids, knowing a positive result could prove decisive for their postseason hopes.
With LAFC seeking momentum ahead of the playoffs and Seattle fighting for their survival, the stage is set for a pulsating encounter.
There’s no question a key defining factor in this fixture will be how the Sounders deal with LAFC's star attacking duo of Son Heung-Min and Denis Bouanga. Among the most dangerous attackers in MLS, the dynamic-duo provides LAFC with immense firepower and are capable of turning a game on its head in an instant.
Recent weeks have sparked debate around how interim coach Xavi Tamarit, who took over in September when Marc Dos Santos was relieved of his duties in the dugout, has used the pair, with Bouanga utilized in a more central role instead of exclusively from his customary left-wing station. Son, meanwhile, has typically operated underneath him with the freedom to venture across the attacking third, dropping between the lines, drifting into the half spaces, and even withdrawing deeper into midfield to orchestrate attacks.
Although opinions differ on whether this is the optimal way to maximize the duo, Tamarit is adamant that Bouanga, in particular, is happy in this slot, and it’s hard to ignore the havoc he and Son can wreak on opposing defenses.
One of the strengths of the partnership is its fluidity. Rather than remaining fixed in their positions, Son and Bouanga regularly rotate, as they vary who occupies the highest line and interchange responsibilities.
