Nobody needs to remind Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer his team couldn’t have drawn a more fearsome opponent in its quest to return to the MLS Cup final.
Schmetzer, of course, has been there before, losing the title two years ago to a Toronto FC club that set a Major League Soccer record for most points in a season. Those teams may meet yet again in this year’s championship, but the Sounders first must get by a Los Angeles FC squad that recently shattered not only Toronto’s points record from 2017, but the new one set just last season by New York Red Bulls.