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What to watch for in MLS Western Conference playoff semifinals
The Major League Soccer playoffs return to action this week with the Eastern and Western Conference semifinals. It's the second round of the four-round playoff process: the winners of each regional semifinal will face off in round three to determine the conference champion, and the two conference champions will face off in round four to determine the winner of the 2024 MLS Cup.
We covered the Eastern Conference yesterday; the field is remarkably open there thanks to the early eliminations of Inter Miami and the Columbus Crew. The Western Conference hasn't seen the same shock results, but it does have something else going for it: remarkable parity between all of its qualified teams. Seeding doesn't matter as much in the West this year; everyone is capable of beating every remaining opponent.
Here's what to keep an eye on in the evenly-balanced MLS Western Conference semifinals:
LAFC vs. the Seattle Sounders
LAFC snuck into the playoffs as the top seed in the West, thanks to a last-second Decision Day victory. It's a team known for its strength in do-or-die situations, and consequently, it's a team no one wants to face: LAFC has crushed the field and represented the Western Conference at both of the last two MLS Cup finals.
No one wants to see LAFC less than the Seattle Sounders. The two teams met four times this season (twice in the league, once in the Leagues Cup and once in the U.S. Open Cup) and LAFC won every single match without difficulty. It outscored Seattle 9-1 on aggregate throughout the season.
But Seattle is a tricky, spiky team in the postseason, and while LAFC brings a cool head to the playoffs, Seattle will bring energy and verve. It would be just like the Sounders to lose four times in a row only to pull out a big result in the fifth attempt. They're on a hot run of form at the moment, and unlike LAFC, they made it through the first round of the playoffs in straight matches.
"We are expecting a team who, essentially, hasn't lost since we beat them last," said LAFC assistant coach Ante Razov. "Maybe it's a bit of a matchup issue for them, but we're expecting a completely – not different team, but much more difficult."
LA Galaxy vs. Minnesota United
The Galaxy has been MLS's biggest entertainer all season: it outscored everyone in the Western Conference while conceding more goals than all but the region's poorest teams. The Galaxy's rip-roaring offense of Riqui Puig, Gabriel Pec, Joseph Paintsil and Dejan Joveljic more than made up for its poor defense, though, and it enters its semifinal against Minnesota as the clear favorite after hammering its first-round opponent 9-1 on aggregate in just two games.
Don't count Minnesota out, though: this team went through more drama than just about anyone in 2024 and still managed to pull together a deep playoff run. It kicked off the season without a coach and with its star player Emmanuel Reynoso missing in action; it ended the season with a seven-game unbeaten streak and a clean sweep of Real Salt Lake in the opening round of the playoffs.
If anyone can catch the Galaxy out, it's Minnesota. The Loons are known for their ability to stop passes in the penalty area and recover the ball from dangerous positions. They won't let the Galaxy's four-pronged offense walk all over them, and they've got plenty of attacking firepower of their own, too: Ghanaian international Kelvin Yeboah joined the team in July and has already racked up seven goals and two assists.
LAFC will host the Seattle Sounders on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 10:30 p.m. ET; the LA Galaxy will host Minnesota United on Sunday, Nov. 24 at 6:00 p.m. ET.
More must-reads:
- MLS playoffs return with Eastern Conference semifinals
- Inter Miami coach Tata Martino resigns after MLS Cup flop
- The 'MLS Cup champions' quiz
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