LA Galaxy travel to Seattle on a hot streak

The LA Galaxy have their second leg match against the Seattle Sounders this Sunday, with a 1-0 lead in the series thanks to that 52 minute goal scored by Marcelo Sarvas. The road to their eighth MLS Cup appearance goes through Seattle, just like it did in 2012.

In 2012 Seattle hosted the Western Conference Final return leg as the higher seed, but the Galaxy were able to get a 3-0 victory at home in the first leg. They lost 1-2 in a rainy return leg but advanced on aggregate, then got to host MLS Cup as the only team seeded lower to them in the playoffs qualified in the East. Century Link Field doesn't hold too many bad memories for LA, even if they did loose out on the Supporters' Shield there at the end of the year.

"We're confident," said Landon Donovan, "we've been there twice this year, we were thoroughly dominant the first time (3-0) and the better team for 86 minutes of the second game, so we're full of confidence going there. We know we're going to get their best shot and we look forward to it."

The Galaxy and Sounders were no 1 and 2 in goals for this year in MLS, but the Sounders are currently on a 216 minute goalless streak; the seventh longest in MLS Cup playoffs history. At the same time the Galaxy are yet to allow a goal in the playoffs, a feat only matched by the 2003 Chicago Fire and the 2007 New England Revolution.

LA's first victory over Seattle on the road this season had much to do with the absence of Chad Marshall who was just awarded MLS Defender of the Year. He was a big part of the reason why LA didn't get more goals in their victory over Seattle Sunday. In LA's second trip to Seattle they were without both Robbie Keane and their own Defender of the Year candidate in Omar Gonzalez.

This Sunday will be the first time both teams meet in Seattle at full strength.