By Mazvita Maraire Posted on

Sounders FC to host Los Angeles FC in home opener

The Seattle Sounders will open their 2018 MLS regular season on March 4th  at 2:00 p.m. PT when they host expansion side Los Angeles FC on the Xbox Pitch at Century Link Field Major League Soccer announced Tuesday afternoon.

The  Sounders will become visitor on Sunday, April 29th when they travel to LA and participate in the first-ever match at new Banc of California Stadium.

Sounders home opener

MLS is coming off a 2017 season highlighted by the debut of two new clubs (Atlanta United and Minnesota United FC), two new stadiums (Orlando City Stadium and Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta), an influx of talented young players, as well as records set for attendance, broadcast ratings and social media engagement.
Following the pioneering introduction of video review and an Audi MLS Cup Playoffs that culminated with a rematch of Seattle and Toronto in MLS Cup, the 2018 campaign promises to be another exciting season. Over the past 11 seasons, the league has had nine different champions.
Sounders FC is 5-4-0 all-time in MLS regular season openers, despite recent losses in 2016 and 2017 to Sporting Kansas City and the Houston Dynamo, respectively. 2017 was the first season that Seattle opened away from home.
 
During the 2018 MLS regular season, each club will play 34 games, including 17 home games and 17 away games. Teams will face each of their conference opponents (10 in the East, 11 in the West) twice during the season, with one game at home and one game away. Western Conference teams play one additional intra-conference game and Eastern Conference teams play two. All teams face each non-conference opponent once.
 
The 2018 Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League ( SCCL)  draw was held in Miami  last Monday and the Sounders opponent in round 16 of the tournament will be  Salvadoran side Santa Tecla FC.
Specific dates, times and broadcast information for all Group Stage matches are being determined at a later date. The first leg in the Round of 16 is slated to take place in El Salvador between February 20 and February 22, with the return leg at CenturyLink Field scheduled between February 27 and March 1, prior to the 2018 MLS campaign.
The CONCACAF is a regional tournament featuring the top clubs from North America, Central America and the Carribean. The Sounders qualified for the 2018 version of the CONCACAF Champions League tournament by winning the 2016 MLS Cup.
This will be the fifth time the Sounders participated in the regional tournament.

Seattle previously advanced out of the SCCL Group Stage in the 2011-2012, 2012-2013 and 2015-2016 tournaments. In 2012-2013, Sounders FC became the first MLS team to oust a Mexican side from the tournament when it advanced past Tigres UANL in the Quarterfinal Round.

Santa Tecla FC qualified for the 2018 SCCL after winning the Salvadoran Primera División 2016 Apertura and 2017 Clausura championships. This marks the second SCCL appearance for Santa Tecla FC after failing to advance out of the Group Stage of the 2015-2016 tournament. Should Sounders FC advance to the Quarterfinals, Seattle would face the winner of Mexican giant Chivas de Guadalajara and Dominican side Cibao.

One Reply to “Sounders FC to host Los Angeles FC in home opener”

  1. Pingback: Five takeaways from Sounders 2018

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