An old MLS Cup playoff rivalry will be renewed this weekend as the Seattle Sounders host Dallas in the first match of a best-of-three series on Sunday at Lumen Field.
The Rave Green finished the regular season with a 2-0 win over St Louis City as they wound up second in the Western Conference, while the Toros defeated the Los Angeles Galaxy 4-1 in their last fixture before the playoffs and came in seventh.
Match preview
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After missing the playoffs for the first time in team history a year ago, Seattle looked to be back to their old selves in 2023, finishing in a top-two position in the Western Conference table for the sixth time in the past seven domestic campaigns.
Their regular season success since Brian Schmetzer took charge in 2016 has usually come from having a solid defensive shape, and they were a lot sharper in that department this season when compared to 2022, as they finished tied with Nashville SC for the fewest goals conceded this year (32).
Seattle posted three clean sheets in their final four regular season encounters, but they have conceded in three of their previous four MLS games played at Lumen Field.
They are unbeaten in 14 of their last 15 home playoff games dating back to 2014, but their last one did not go their way, as the Sounders were eliminated in the opening round by Real Salt Lake on penalties in 2021 (6-5).
The Sounders have not trailed in any of their last five MLS affairs and have not conceded in the opening half since a 1-1 draw at Dallas in mid-September.
They are unbeaten in their last 18 home matches against the Toros in all competitions, a run which began in the semi-finals of the 2011 US Open Cup, a game which the Sounders won 1-0.
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Dallas are back in the playoffs for a second successive campaign, though they were far from impressive down the stretch of the regular season.
The Toros appear to have been tied down over the past few weeks, collecting a single point in five of their final six MLS encounters this season, as they benefited from a fortunate schedule, facing the two worst teams in the Western Conference (the Colorado Rapids and LA Galaxy) to end the campaign.
While they have not looked all that impressive throughout the domestic campaign, this team have proven to be a difficult side to face in the playoffs, suffering just one defeat in normal time in their last four post-season fixtures (1-0 at the Seattle Sounders in 2020).
In 2023, Dallas conceded the second-fewest goals in the MLS Western Conference (37), allowing a goal or fewer in their final eight matches of the regular season.
Nico Estevez's men picked up at least a point in their final four fixtures of the domestic campaign after scoring first, though last Saturday against the Galaxy was the first time since their 1-1 draw at home to Seattle in September that they drew first blood.
They will face Seattle in the playoffs for the sixth time, with Dallas coming out on the losing end on five occasions, twice by a single goal, advancing from their two-legged tie in 2015 on penalties.
Team News
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Schmetzer made two changes to his Sounders starting 11 on Decision Day, bringing in Reed Baker-Whiting and Albert Rusnak to replace Nouhou Tolo and Nicolas Lodeiro.
Yeimar Gomez was named a finalist for MLS Defender of the Year, Joao Paulo is one of three players in the running for Comeback Player of the Year, while Stefan Frei led the league in clean sheets with 14.
Rusnak notched the winner for Seattle against St Louis last weekend, while an own-goal from Tim Parker rounded out the scoring.
Lodeiro and Fredy Montero have each scored six times against Dallas, while Jordan Morris has netted on four occasions.
The Toros could be without Facundo Quignon, who has an unknown problem, Sebastian Lletget is dealing with a hamstring strain, Tarik Scott will not be back, having undergone ACL and LCL surgery months ago, and Geovane Jesus is unlikely to feature because of a right knee injury.
Bernard Kamungo notched a brace in their regular-season finale, with the other strikes coming courtesy of Ema Twumasi and Jader Obrian.
Kamungo notched the equaliser for Dallas in their previous visit to Seattle after an own-goal from Sam Junqua put them behind in the 32nd minute.
Their leading goalscorer in the regular season, Jesus Ferreira, failed to find the back of the net in the final six matches of the campaign.
Seattle Sounders possible starting lineup:
Frei; A. Roldan, Gomez, Ragen, Tolo; Atencio, Paulo; C. Roldan, Lodeiro, Chu; Morris
Dallas possible starting lineup:
Paes; Twumasi, Ibeagha, Tafari, Farfan; Pomykal, Illarramendi, Obrian; Kamungo, Ferreira, Arriola
We say: Seattle Sounders 1-0 Dallas
All season long, Dallas have got by because of solid defensive play, but the Sounders can play that game just as well, if not better, and we believe the overall quality of the Rave Green will enable them to capture this opening encounter.
How to watch
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Joel Lefevre
