On Wednesday, the Seattle Sounders will face Los Angeles FC in the semifinals of the 2024 US Open Cup, a competition in which they have a long history and will be seeking a fifth title to finally etch their name in the annals of history. LAFC, on the other hand, would be looking to win their first ever Open Cup title and bring Los Angeles back to its first victory in the tournament in 2005. It is very likely that the game will be nothing short of a thrilling affair with plenty of ups and downs as both parties desperately try to reap the glory.

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The Seattle-LAFC rivalry has seen plenty of drama and close calls this season. This will be the fourth time the two teams have met in 2024, with LAFC coming out on top in all three encounters so far. The first game in February opened the season with LAFC winning 2-1. In the second game in July, Bouanga and Bogusz stole the show with a 3-0 victory at Lumen Field in Seattle. In the third game in the Leagues Cup quarterfinals, LAFC repeated the result, extending its winning streak against the Sounders to 3-0.

These results make LAFC the favorites, but the Seattle Sounders have a habit of pulling off surprises in knockout tournaments like the Open Cup. The team has won four titles in the past and knows what it takes to emerge victorious. However, it will be a tough battle this time around, especially against an in-form LAFC team with players like Dennis Bouanga and Mateusz Bogusz who are running at full speed in the MLS stats.

The Seattle Sounders got off to a poor start to the season, but found their form midway through the year and catapulted themselves back into the Western Conference with a winning streak. With experienced players like Jordan Morris and Raúl Ruidíaz, the Sounders know that this game is more than just a semifinal; it’s a chance to reaffirm their dominance in the competition and rewrite the history of their season.

Jordan Morris has been a key player, and his ten goals this season show that he is a threat to any defense, even in a down year. The Sounders also boast an impregnable back line led by Stefan Frei, who will be expected to play the game of his life against LAFC’s fearsome attack.

LAFC, on the other hand, takes to the field with all the confidence of a team that has already beaten its opponent three times in the same season. With Bouanga and Bogusz up front, LAFC plays a very attacking but consistent style of football that can bring down any opponent. With Hugo Lloris as goalkeeper, LAFC also has a very tight defense to crack, which makes Seattle’s challenge even greater.

This loss in the Leagues Cup final could be additional motivation for LAFC, who truly see the Open Cup as a chance for absolution and an opportunity to add a significant piece of trophy to their trophy cabinet. More than a place in a final, this is confirmation that LAFC will remain a force in American soccer.

In a way, it’s a chance for the Seattle Sounders to redeem themselves: They can turn their season-long record of losses to LAFC into one that sees them advance to the finals and seek their fifth title. The Sounders have experience in knockout competitions, and players like Morris and Ruidíaz know how to handle pressure.

In the semi-finals of the Open Cup, LAFC has the chance to confirm its dominance over the Seattle Sounders and win the title that it has struggled to win in previous competitions. The loss in the Leagues Cup final to Columbus Crew still stings and the team will be looking to recover from this setback as quickly as possible and prove to the world that it is still one of the teams to be feared.

This will be an exciting matchup as both teams know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Seattle Sounders will need to rely on their experience and squad strength to break LAFC’s winning streak and advance to the final. LAFC, for their part, will go into the match confident that the team has already beaten their opponents three times this season, but know that any slip-up in a knockout match can prove costly.

Jordan Morris will be important to Seattle’s hopes, not only for goals but also for his leadership on the pitch. Meanwhile, LAFC will rely on their energetic duo of Bouanga and Bogusz, who were simply ruthless against the Sounders. In addition, their back line led by Lloris should be solid at the back to thwart Seattle’s attack.

This game is not just about a place in the final, but also about pride, redemption and the chance to make history. This semifinal victory would mean even more to the Seattle Sounders, as it would keep their winning tradition alive and confirm their status among the top powers of American soccer. A fifth Open Cup title would make the Sounders one of the few elite teams to have won the tournament five times, joining historically great teams like Bethlehem Steel.

The Open Cup gives LAFC a chance to finally win a title that has eluded them for years, ending their drought of not winning a trophy in the tournament and further cementing LAFC’s status as one of the rising forces in American soccer.