More than two weeks ago, the Galaxy hosted the Seattle Sounders and it ended in a rout.
“That was not the Galaxy that (coach) Greg (Vanney) rolls out there on a normal basis,” Seattle coach Brian Schmetzer said Tuesday of his squad’s 4-0 triumph Aug. 10. “We just got on top of them early and were able to score timely goals. I fully expect a different look.”
Fast forward to Wednesday and the Sounders are returning to Dignity Health Sports Park, this time in the Leagues Cup semifinals.
About that last game with Seattle? It’s in the past, according to Galaxy midfielder Marco Reus.
“Honestly, the last game against them, I don’t really care,” Reus said. “Like honestly, it’s a different competition and it’s a win-or-go-home game, so there are different things in your mind when you go to these games and I’ve played a lot of these games and I’m really looking forward for tomorrow (Wednesday.)
“We need a big high level of thinking of going forward and defend as a team. It’s a semifinal, we play at home, so we can turn around a lot of for this season.”
The winner will host Inter Miami or Orlando City SC in the final Sunday.
The Leagues Cup run has afforded the Galaxy a chance to salvage something from what has been a disappointing season. The club sits at the bottom of the MLS standings (19 points) and could be eliminated before they return to league play early next month.
“It would save the season, 100 percent,” Reus said when asked if winning Leagues Cup could salvage the campaign. “I mean, when you see the season, I think it is a successful that we’re in the semifinals. How we played these games was really good, I wish we played like this in the league.”
The Galaxy won their fourth game in league play Saturday and is unbeaten in their Leagues Cup run (3-0-1).
“Since we started Leagues Cup tournament, it was like we knew that it’s just a seven-game short trip to the final,” Reus said. “And like (Galaxy midfielder) Diego (Fagundez) said last week, this is our playoffs and I think these games, we’ve showed that good football, we play together, even when we defend, we defend as a team. And in the league, you can see that with these little details, we are struggling at little bit.”
Even with a loss, the Galaxy could still play their way into a CONCACAF Champions Cup spot. Wednesday’s loser will play in the third-place game, also set for Sunday. The top three finishers secure a spot in next year’s tournament.
“This stretch has given us an opportunity to use the energy of our stadium,” Vanney said. “Sleeping in our own beds, our fans, our environment to build some momentum inside of the group, build some confidence, find some things that have been really working for us, that have been good and utilizing that in a way that’s been able to propel us to this point in the tournament.”
“We have home field tomorrow, no matter what happens tomorrow, we’ll have home field for that last game. Hopefully, it’s for a championship.”
The Galaxy advanced to the quarterfinals of this year’s Champions Cup, losing to Tigres.
LEAGUES CUP SEMIFINAL: SEATTLE at GALAXY
When: 7:45 p.m. Wednesday
Where: Dignity Health Sports Park
How to watch: Apple TV+; Apple TV (MLS Season Pass); TUDN (Spanish)
