The Los Angeles Football Club has suffered one defeat in the last 3½ months.

With 16 wins and three draws, as well as a blatant 5-1 slip-up against the Columbus Crew that ended LAFC’s 13-year winning streak, a new club record, it was an impressive run starting in the second week of May.

The Crew seemed to have LAFC under control after beating them before their thrashing at BMO Stadium in mid-July to win the 2023 MLS Cup, but the tables have turned recently when the Black & Gold faced the Seattle Sounders.

Seattle is used to playing consistently good soccer but still losing results against particularly strong opponents, which is why the club is winless in its last eight meetings with LAFC, including all seven games during Steve Cherundolo’s tenure as LAFC head coach.

The Sounders haven’t been quite as dominant as LAFC over the last 20 games, but they’ve been solid. A respectable 13-4-3 record included a 3-0 loss to LAFC a few weeks ago that ended the Sounders’ six-game winning streak. It was LAFC’s second three-point attempt against Seattle in league play this year, having previously triumphed 2-1 on Matchday 1 in February.

With that in mind, the MLS Western Conference rivals will face each other in two all-or-nothing games over the next two weeks.

After a tough battle in the Leagues Cup quarterfinals on Saturday at Lumen Field, the two will meet again in the semifinals of the U.S. Open Cup on August 28 at the scenic Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila, Washington.

LAFC has scored more goals than Seattle 10-3* over the past two seasons (*including an own goal), and each of the five wins against the Sounders since Cherundolo replaced Bob Bradley in 2022 started with the first goal.

“They gave it their all in those moments, we didn’t,” Seattle forward Jordan Morris said. “And then they get in front of us, pull back and make it difficult for us to score and get back in the game.”

This was the case in the Western Conference semifinals last November, when Denis Bouanga spoiled the Sounders’ party, increasing the two teams’ record in knockout games to two wins each.

“Our key players made great plays and everyone on the field showed the intensity and tactical discipline it takes to beat a team like Seattle, especially in Seattle,” Cherundolo said.

In last year’s playoff game, LAFC started with four defenders on defense. In Seattle last month, Cherundolo fielded a lineup of three center backs flanked by a fullback on each side.

That flexibility keeps opponents guessing, said LAFC defender Ryan Hollingshead, who called it a big advantage.

“When the back five doesn’t have the ball, we have a little more room to maneuver,” he said. “But with the back four, our attackers and especially our midfielders can control the game a little better.”