Sounders FC to Face L.A. Galaxy in West Semifinals

Seattle Hosts First Leg on Sunday, Visits HDC on November 7

RENTON, WASH. - The Seattle Sounders FC will face the Los Angeles Galaxy in the Western Conference Semifinals of the 2010 MLS Cup Playoffs. By defeating FC Dallas, 2-1, on Sunday, the Galaxy earned the top seed in the West and the Supporters' Shield for the league's highest point total.

Sounders FC, the fourth seed with a record of 14-10-6 and 48 points, will host L.A. (18-7-5, 59 points) next Sunday, October 31, in the first leg of the semifinal series. First kick is 5 p.m. PT on the Xbox Pitch at Qwest Field.

Good seats are still available by visiting www.SoundersFC.com or calling 877-MLS-GOAL. Over 30,000 tickets have been sold.

The second leg of the series will be on November 7 at 6 p.m. at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. Both matches will be televised live nationally by ESPN2.

"It's a great match-up. Obviously the Galaxy had two wins against us in the regular season, so we will be motivated and well-prepared," said Sigi Schmid, Sounders FC Head Coach. "We were the best team in MLS over the second half of the season, and the fans will get to see the likes of David Beckham, Landon Donovan and Edson Buddle. It's going to be a great series."

Los Angeles defeated Seattle on the road (4-0) and at home (3-1) to sweep the season series. Sounders FC ousted the Galaxy from the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in the quarterfinal round, 2-0, en route to winning a second straight title. Seattle was 10-2-3 during the second half of the regular season.

Conference semifinal series are conducted in a home-and-home, aggregate-goal format. The team that scores the most goals in the series advances to the single elimination Western Conference Championship. If the teams are tied after 180 minutes in the series, a 30-minute extra time period (divided into two 15-minute periods) will be played followed by kicks from the penalty mark, if necessary

Defending MLS Cup champion Real Salt Lake meets FC Dallas in the other Western Conference Semifinal. The team with the higher seed between the two Conference finalists will host the Conference Championship game on November 11, 13 or 14.

The Eastern Conference Semifinals pit top-seeded New York against San Jose and Columbus versus Colorado.

MLS Cup 2010 will be on November 21 in Toronto.