Seattle Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer has praised his side’s confidence in front of goal as they look to extend their unbeaten run.

Since their Club World Cup group-stage exit, the Sounders are unbeaten in nine matches in all competitions. In that time they have scored 25 goals, including a 7-0 win over Cruz Azul in the Leagues Cup.

Seattle are currently fourth in the Western Conference, eight points behind leaders San Diego FC but with a game in hand. They will also face Puebla in the last eight of the Leagues Cup later this month.

Schmetzer is pleased to see his side so confident in the final third, and he hopes they can continue their run against the West's bottom side, LA Galaxy.

“Our goalscoring has been very good of late,” said Schmetzer.

“Not just the goals but the quality of the goals, some of our attacking movements as well have been really, really good. Those are pretty good numbers, so if you can keep that up, it is going to bode well for you.

“We need confidence because we are down one designated player, and now another in Albert [Rusnak], so everyone has to pick up the slack.

“Georgi [Minoungou] has a little blemish on the goal he scored but that kid is playing with confidence out here in training. He knows when his number is called, he is going to be ready.

“Paul [Rothrock] is always a guy who has had that kind of confidence. He will do whatever it takes to win games. Everyone was talking about Jesus [Ferreira] not scoring goals earlier in the year, now he is scoring goals and getting assists.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

LA Galaxy – Joseph Paintsil

Paintsil has played a crucial part in the Galaxy’s recent upturn in form, scoring or assisting in five of his last seven matches.

He has also scored four goals in the Galaxy’s last five home games. No other Galaxy player has scored more than one goal during that span.

Seattle Sounders – Cristian Roldan

Roldan has provided six assists in 23 MLS games this season, but he is likely to add to his tally of one goal this year against his favourite opponents.

Roldan has scored seven career regular-season goals against the Galaxy – the most against any MLS club in his career, and the third most of any Seattle player against the Galaxy.

MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW

Seattle have scored multiple goals in four straight MLS matches, including in consecutive road games. The Sounders have not scored two or more goals in three straight MLS road matches in the same season since a four-game streak in April and May 2015.

The Galaxy, meanwhile, have surrendered multiple goals just once in their last five home games, including two shutouts, after conceding at least two goals in seven of their previous nine regular-season home matches, with no clean sheets in that span.

In 2024, the Galaxy secured a pair of 1-0 home wins over the Sounders, with one in the regular season and one in the Western Conference Final.

But, from 2016 to 2023, the Galaxy earned only one win in 10 home MLS matches (regular season and playoffs) against Seattle (D4 L5).

In their last six league matches, Galaxy have won two, drawn two and lost two. The Sounders, meanwhile, have won three and drawn three in their last six.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

LA Galaxy – 32.6%

Draw – 25.5%

Seattle Sounders – 41.9%