One team will continue its run at history. The other will simply need to be satisfied with a very good season that ultimately fell short. If there were any justice in the world, this would be the MLS Cup final -- a reward for two of the best seasons in the league's 19-year history. Instead, the Seattle Sounders and LA Galaxy are merely squaring off on Sunday for a chance to represent the Western Conference in the championship game.
Seattle Sounders vs. LA Galaxy, 2014 MLS Playoffs: History awaits
One of these teams will have a chance to make a permanent place for themselves in MLS lore.
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
The Sounders are, of course, attempting to become the first MLS team to win the treble. They’ve already claimed the U.S. Open Cup and Supporters’ Shield -- just the second team in league history to accomplish that particular double -- but those will feel a bit empty if they don’t have the MLS Cup to go along with them.
The Galaxy's run at record is more long term. If they can get past the Sounders, they'll be in prime position to claim the franchise's fifth MLS Cup. Currently, the Galaxy are tied with D.C. United for the most all-time titles. A MLS Cup would also be another point in their favor in terms of unseating those early United teams as the greats MLS dynasty. This is a league built on parity, but the Galaxy have already won two MLS Cups and two Supporters' Shield in five years, adding a third MLS Cup would equal United's best run and they'll have done it with nearly twice as many teams competing with them.
No matter who wins, there won't be any guarantees. The New England Revolution and New York Red Bulls are formidable clubs trying to make their histories. But the winner of this one is going to be trying to chasing a certain kind of permanence that just doesn't come around very often.
Team news
Both Sigi Schmid and Bruce Arena have decided to go all cloak-and-dagger with some potentially serious injury news. The Sounders are hoping to have Osvaldo Alonso back after he missed Leg 1 with a hamstring injury. They've been saying all the right things about his availability, but Schmid has pointedly stopped short of saying his star defensive midfielder would play. Arena said both Marcelo Sarvas and A.J. DeLaGarza would be capable of playing, but wasn't exactly forthcoming with details and didn't allow reporters to see them in training.
Projected lineups
Sounders: Stefan Frei; DeAndre Yedlin, Zach Scott, Chad Marshall, Leo Gonzalez; Brad Evans, Osvaldo Alonso, Gonzalo Pineda, Lamar Neagle; Clint Dempsey, Obafemi Martins.
Galaxy: Jaime Penedo; A.J. DeLaGarza, Leonardo, Omar Gonzalez, Robbie Rogers; Stefan Ishizaki, Juninho, Marcelo Sarvas, Landon Donovan; Robbie Keane, Gyasi Zardes.
Key questions
1. Can the Sounders defense continue to hold? The Sounders have proven they can play solid defense when they need to. Over the last five games against two of the best offenses in the league, they’ve allowed just four goals, never more than two in a game and posted shutouts in both their home games. But nothing magically changed about them, either, this is still mostly the same personnel that allowed 50 goals during the regular season. Either way, they’ll need to hold firm again if they are going to advance.
2. Who’s closest to full strength? Both teams are dealing with injuries, that’s been well established. But playing at less-than-full strength has actually been the norm in the first four times these two teams met as one or both teams have been missing key contributors in three of those games. The one game where both were at full strength? The 2-2 tie in the penultimate game of the regular-season. That also happened to be the most entertaining of the four games. Is it too much to ask for a reprisal?
3. Which slumping offensive stars break out? Of course the answer here could be none and Clint Dempsey, Obafemi Martins and Gyasi Zardes all continue their playoff scoring slumps. But chances are at least one of these three -- who combined for 48 goals during the regular season -- are going to find the back of the net. Depending on which one(s) do, that will likely go a long way toward deciding the series.
Prediction
The Sounders have been tested time and time again this season. So far, they’ve managed to do just enough to get by. This is their biggest challenge yet, but they’ve proven capable. Sounders win 2-0.
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