A little closer to whole and coming off a promising victory, the Seattle Sounders look to sustain their momentum Wednesday night when they face the Los Angeles Galaxy.
Much was made of the fact the Sounders (3-1-2) would have midfielders Joao Paulo and Nicolas Lodeiro together in the starting XI for the first time this season. Paulo plays behind Lodeiro in Brian Schmetzer's 4-2-3-1 set-up, and while there were no moments of magic between the pair, it did give Lodeiro the freedom to roam forward.
The Uruguay international did record his 50th regular-season assist, setting up the first of Rau Ruidiaz's two goals as Seattle recorded a 3-0 victory over Cascadia rival Portland on Sunday night.