The best host Galaxy will host the Sounders, and the last place in the MLS Cup will be at stake

They took different paths to the final stop in the Western Conference playoff race.

The Galaxy, with a big offense up front, seem unstoppable, scoring 15 goals in three playoff games, setting a new MLS record to start the playoffs.

“I think the group is focused and playing with purpose,” Galaxy coach Greg Vanney said. “Connected and playing with true intentions. I think when we do that, we’re a really good team. We make good decisions.”

On the other side stands the strengthened defense of the Seattle Sounders, Saturday’s opponent in the Western Conference finals.

In the two-game series against the Houston Dynamo, the Sounders scored only one goal in regulation, winning both games in a penalty shootout. In the conference semifinals, Seattle played 120 minutes, leads LAFC 2-1.

“Anytime you talk about Seattle and the playoffs and this time of year, you have to talk about the culture around the club,” Vanney said. “Thanks to this determination, resilience and maturity, they played in many important matches and won many of them.

“For me it was a process of recycling players and personalities over the years. Even when new or young guys come in, the culture is set for them, they work, they grind and they make things difficult, they defend and they have players who can hurt you in attack. It’s going to take every game, every moment to get rid of them and put them in a situation like this.

As it stands, the Galaxy are in their first conference final since 2014 and are one win away from their first MLS Cup final appearance since the same year. As expected, it hasn’t been easy against the Sounders this season.

The teams met three times. Galaxy won the first competition (March 30) after a goal by Gabriel Pec in the fourth minute. The teams met on May 5 in Seattle, and the match ended in a goalless draw. There was neither Dejan Joveljic nor Riqui Puig in Galaxy. The third match took place in the 1/8 finals of the Leagues Cup tournament (August 8). Already in the 10th minute, the Sounders took a 2-0 lead led to a 3:1 victory.

“They were kind of abusing us in front of goal and headbutting us,” Vanney said of the third game, in which the Sounders scored twice on corner kicks.

The Sounders didn’t score many goals, but they certainly didn’t allow much either. They led the league with just 35 goals in the regular season, presenting another challenge for the Galaxy.

“They do a lot of things right defensively, both from a collective and individual standpoint,” Vanney said. We have to find a way to break them, create scoring opportunities and finish our moments when we have them