Sounders FC vs. LA Galaxy
MLS Regular Season
Saturday, October 25; 12:00 pm PT; CenturyLink Field
TV/Radio: NBC; KIRO Radio 97.3 FM; ESPN Deportes Radio, 1490 AM (Spanish)
For the second time in under a week, Sounders FC will take on the LA Galaxy…and this time it really is for all the marbles.
Given the 2-2 draw at the StubHub Center on Sunday, the Supporters’ Shield was not won and the Sounders now just need a single point to win it for the first time in club history. Here’s a look at the match-ups to focus on for the 12 p.m. kickoff.
Obafemi Martins vs Galaxy Centerbacks
Similar to last week, Martins and the LA defenders will be a very important contest to keep an eye on, with one huge twist. The Galaxy’s All-Star backline man Omar Gonzalez will miss the match due to a suspension following two yellow cards on Sunday. Easily the California club’s best defender, Gonzalez’s prowess will be missed and Martins could exploit the often vulnerable Leonardo.
DeAndre Yedlin vs Landon Donovan
We saw a healthy dose of this duo on Sunday as the soon-to-be-retired MLS legend took the fight right at Yedlin, and for most of the night, the Seattle native held his own. He’ll need to do the same again if the Sounders want to keep LA off the board as Donovan leads the club (and the league) with 19 assists on the year.
Plus, from a Sounders standpoint, it’d be great to shut him down in his final regular season match.
Sigi Schmid vs Bruce Arena
What can be said about these two that hasn’t been said a hundred times. The pair of old ball coaches have been around the block and back and have had their share of personal duels down the years. This one could be the biggest yet as the Supporters’ Shield will be on the line, a trophy Schmid hasn’t won since 2008.
In round one, the Sounders head coach seemed to get the better of Arena as Seattle played a better overall match, but Arena should never be underestimated and when the two square off on Saturday afternoon, it’ll surely be an entertaining battle of the minds.
