Seattle, WA

LA Galaxy, Seattle Sounders battle for MLS Cup hosting rights: “We just want to win” | MLSSoccer.com

Published

1 month ago

November 29, 2024

LA Galaxy, Seattle Sounders battle for MLS Cup hosting rights: “We just want to win” | MLSSoccer.com

One more step, and there’s a chance to win MLS Cup at home.

“You have two teams with championship pedigree. The biggest moment these two teams could play each other is this. It’s in a Western Conference Final, and anytime you have that formula, it can reignite a rivalry,” Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney said Tuesday.

“This will be a hard-fought battle for both teams.”

Contrasting styles

Saturday will be the first time both sides have met in the Western Conference Final since 2014, the last year the five-time champion Galaxy captured the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy.

This edition, though, couldn’t come at a better time for two sides that approach the game in very different ways.

Seattle were the best defensive team in MLS through the regular season, conceding a league-low 35 goals. Meanwhile, the Galaxy’s high-octane offense has scored a record 15 goals in three Audi MLS Cup Playoff matches – just two tallies short of the all-time postseason mark set by Toronto FC in 2017.

To get to this point, the Sounders edged out the Houston Dynamo via two penalty kick shootouts in their Round One Best-of-3 series before beating perennial bogeymen LAFC, 2-1, in the conference semifinals.

The Galaxy have enjoyed an attacking explosion against the Colorado Rapids and Minnesota United, entering Saturday’s clash off a dominant 6-2 win over the Loons.

“Whenever you talk about Seattle and playoffs in these times of the year, you have to talk about the culture that they have at the club, the grittiness, the resilience, the maturity. They’ve played in a lot of big games and won a lot of big games,” Vanney added, having ample experience against the Sounders from his days with Toronto, including an MLS Cup triumph in 2017.

“The culture is set with these guys. They work, and they grind, and they make things difficult.”

Returning to the top

For the Galaxy, one of the league’s most watchable teams, it’s a chance to return to the MLS pinnacle.

Their potent attack, led by Riqui Puig, Gabriel Pec, Joseph Paintstil, and Dejan Joveljić, has powered them through the playoffs. Against a stingy Seattle side, they’ll rely on their stars once again.

“We’ve got to find ways to break them down,” Vanney said. “We’ll have to be cool with our scoring chances and finish our moments when we have them.”

On Seattle’s end, it’s a return to the playoff stage they’ve regularly frequented since 2016. Qualifying for four MLS Cups, they’ve won twice from 2016-2020 and only hosted once.

“I think we all know who everyone wants to win and who everyone expects to win,” homegrown midfielder Obed Vargas said. “We take that as motivation. We have full confidence in ourselves.

“We always knew we were a good team. We always knew that we could go far. It was just a matter of getting things to click and showing it.”

Despite being the slight underdog, there’s no doubt Seattle’s defensive approach is among the best in the postseason. Veteran goalkeeper Stefan Frei, 38, has turned back the years with 17 saves in his last two matches, while MLS Defender of the Year nominee Jackson Ragen has held down the backline, conceding twice in three playoff games.

Now, the mission is clear: head down to SoCal for the second time in as many weeks, shut down the “Killa P’s” and secure a chance to play for a trophy at home.

“For everybody, we just want to win. You know, we are all competitive; we are all athletes,” defender Jon Bell said. “We know that there are two games left to the ultimate goal, which is winning MLS Cup, but we take it one game at a time.”

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Seattle, WA

Who the Seattle Seahawks will be playing in the 2025 regular season

Published

4 hours ago

January 5, 2025

Press Room

Who the Seattle Seahawks will be playing in the 2025 regular season

The Detroit Lions beat the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday Night Football to wrap up the NFC North and the No. 1 overall seed. It also means that the Vikings will not only be on the road as a 14-3 team playing in the Wild Card against the Los Angeles Rams next Monday night, but they’ll be returning to Lumen Field to play the Seattle Seahawks in the 2025 regular season.

Game 272 was the final piece of the puzzle for the Seahawks’ 2025 opponents list. Whichever of the Vikings or Lions finished second in the NFC North would be headed to Seattle next season. While it would’ve been cool to see the Lions finally play at Lumen Field again after three straight Seahawks-Lions meetings in Detroit, it’s not happening.

The schedule is formulaic, which means the NFC West will play the whole of the AFC and NFC South, as well as the same-placed opposition from the NFC North (home), NFC East (away), and AFC North (away). Next season will be the AFC’s turn to get an extra home game, so the Seahawks will have nine away trips.

Home

Los Angeles Rams (10-7)

Arizona Cardinals (8-9)

San Francisco 49ers (6-11)

New Orleans Saints (5-12)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-7)

Indianapolis Colts (8-9)

Houston Texans (10-7)

Minnesota Vikings (14-3)

Away

Los Angeles Rams (10-7)

Arizona Cardinals (8-9)

San Francisco 49ers (6-11)

Tennessee Titans (3-14)

Jacksonville Jaguars (4-13)

Washington Commanders (12-5)

Atlanta Falcons (8-9)

Carolina Panthers (5-12)

Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)

The early returns on Michael Penix Jr and the late surge by Bryce Young could make the NFC South portion of the schedule much tougher than it looks right now. Never assume the league is so static that the teams that were good/bad now will remain the same the following season.

The NFL regular season schedule will be released at some point in May.

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Seattle, WA

Byron Murphy II Active as Seahawks Wrap Up Season at Rams

Published

11 hours ago

January 5, 2025

Press Room

Byron Murphy II Active as Seahawks Wrap Up Season at Rams

Despite missing practice time this week with a new back injury, after receiving a questionable designation on Friday, Seattle Seahawks rookie Byron Murphy II will be active for the team’s season finale against the Los Angeles Rams.

Selected out of Texas with the 16th overall pick in April’s NFL draft, Murphy will look to finish his first season with the Seahawks on a strong note. Going into Sunday’s finale, he has produced 34 combined tackles, half a sack, and 21 quarterback pressures, playing a key role in helping the team’s run defense improve over the course of the season and providing more of an impact than his general numbers may suggest.

After placing tackle Abraham Lucas and cornerback Josh Jobe on injured reserve on Saturday, Seattle had to deactivate several healthy players for Sunday’s final road contest due to the 46-man limit on game day. Among them, quarterback-turned-receiver John Rhys Plumlee won’t suit up for his NFL debut and receiver Cody White will also be held out as a scratch with Jake Bobo and Dareke Young being active as reserves behind starters DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

In addition, the Seahawks listed Jaren Hall as their emergency quarterback for the third straight game, and he would be eligible to play if Geno Smith and Sam Howell both suffered injuries and could not continue playing on Sunday. Tight end Tyler Mabry also won’t play after being signed back onto the 53-man roster this week.

On defense, with Murphy good to go after testing out the injury in pre-game warmups, Seattle deactivated defensive tackles Quinton Bohanna and Brandon Pili after elevating the former from the practice squad and signing the latter to the 53-man roster earlier in the week. Linebacker Patrick O’Connell also won’t suit up for the finale with special teams ace Josh Ross getting the nod instead behind starters Ernest Jones and Tyrice Knight.

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Seattle, WA

How to watch the Seattle Seahawks vs. Los Angeles Rams – NFL: Week 18 | Channel, stream, preview, predition

Published

19 hours ago

January 5, 2025

Press Room

How to watch the Seattle Seahawks vs. Los Angeles Rams – NFL: Week 18 | Channel, stream, preview, predition

INGLEWOOD, CA — On the final day of the 2024 NFL regular season, the playoff-bound Los Angeles Rams look to keep their standing in the NFC when they face the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.

Watch the NFL on FuboTV (7-day free trial)

Seattle Seahawks (9-7) vs. Los Angeles Rams (10-6)

When: Sunday, January 5
Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
Where: SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, Calif.)
Channel: FOX
Stream: FuboTV (Free Trial), DirecTV Stream, Sling

The Rams come into this game having already clinched the NFC West championship, their first division title since they won the Super Bowl three years ago. Matthew Stafford company got hot at the right time of the season, winning five straight games to outlast the rest in a jam-packed division race, clinching the title by beating the Arizona Cardinals last Saturday. With wins over the likes of the Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers, the team has confidence in its third playoff appearance in four years.

L.A. does have something to play for on Sunday. If they were to lose on Sunday, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were to beat the New Orleans Saints, the Rams would have to play the loser of the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings matchup on Sunday.

The Seahawks were expected, once again, to challenge for the division. However, inconsistency on offense and a defense that let the team down in key moments led them narrowly missing the playoffs for a second straight season. Back-to-back losses to the Green Bay Packers and Vikings ended up costing them their season.

The Rams won the first meeting against the Seahawks this season back in November and have beaten Seattle three straight times.

MY PICK: Rams win, 27-20