The Seattle Sounders are hosting LAFC on Wednesday in the semifinals of the 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Here is everything you need to know:
WHEN AND WHERE: Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. PT at Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila, Wash. (TICKETS)
WHERE TO WATCH: The match will be available to stream for free on Apple TV.
WHERE TO LISTEN: The match will air on 950 KJR AM.
2024 RECORDS AND STANDINGS: Sounders: 11-8-7 (40 points, 5th West), LAFC: 14-5-5 (47 points, 2ndWest)
FORM GUIDE (all competitions, most recent first): Seattle: WLWWL, LAFC: LWWWW
HOW THEY GOT HERE:
Sounders: Defeated the USL Championship’s Louisville City FC 5-4 on penalties after a 2-2 draw in the Round of 32, defeated the USL Championship’s Phoenix Rising FC 2-1 in the Round of 16, defeated the USL Championship’s Sacramento Republic FC 2-1 in the quarterfinals.
LAFC: Defeated the USL Championship’s Las Vegas Lights 3-1 in the Round of 32, defeated the USL Championship’s Loudoun United 3-0 in the Round of 16, defeated the USL Championship’s New Mexico United 3-1 in the quarterfinals.
WHAT’S AT STAKE: The winner of this match will take on the winner of Sporting Kansas City and the USL Championship’s Indy Eleven in the U.S. Open Cup Final.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS: This will be the fourth meeting between the Sounders and LAFC this season. The Black and Gold defeated Seattle 2-1 and 3-0 in the MLS regular season and 3-0 in the Leagues Cup quarterfinals.
QUEST FOR FIVE: The Sounders are two wins away from becoming the first Major League Soccer team to win five USOC titles and just the third team in the competition’s history (Bethlehem Steel and Maccabee Los Angeles).
MORRIS IN DOUBLE FIGURES: Sounders forward Jordan Morris scored his 10th goal of the year last weekend, becoming the first player in franchise history to register double-digit goals in five seasons. He also passed Sounders legend Fredy Montero for the second-most goals in club history (80).
QUICK TURNAROUND: LAFC will need to regroup and recover quickly after falling to Columbus Crew SC 3-1 on Sunday in the Leagues Cup Final in Ohio.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Olivier Giroud, F
High-profile summer acquisition Giroud made his first start for LAFC on Sunday and hit the ground running with a second-half equalizer. France’s all-time leading goalscorer arrived in Los Angeles after a prolific career in Europe at Arsenal, Chelsea and AC Milan.
