FC Los Angeles won the USL playoff championship last year, so they have the psychological quality of a champion team. Moreover, they have been in good shape recently, knocking out the Vancouver Whitecaps in two straight matches in the last round, and making it to the West Coast Top 4 with flying colors.
Up front, they have the top scorer in the USL, Dennis Buanga, who has scored 9 goals in his last 5 matches, and 3 goals in his last 2 matches against the Vancouver Whitecaps. He is very fast in front of goal and can score inside and outside the box, so I will keep an eye on him this time.
In addition, Alexis Elisabeth plays an important role in the center of the midfield to keep the ball on the feet. Experienced defender Gialliani and captain Carlos Weiner were listed as backups in the last match against Vancouver Whitecaps, and I think they will be back in the starting lineup for this match.
The Seattle Sounders have three wins and two draws in their last five home games, including two wins over FC Dallas in the last round, and the team has kept three consecutive home games without conceding a goal, and they have the best defensive record in the USL this season, with goalkeeper Steffenfels excelling at the back of the line, so they're a tough team to break down.
However, they haven't been able to score much, but Jordan Morris and Rusler have been scoring a lot lately, and Leodju has been a revelation on the left side, creating a lot of chances to score. Long-time core players Rudy Ruudillo and striker Rydiaz will probably be on the bench first, but I wouldn't be surprised to see them come in late in the game, as they could pose a problem for the opposing team's defense.
