Photo by Matthew Emmons/USA Today Sports

 

By RYAN TOLMICH

With the Supporters’ Shield and U.S. Open Cup title in their back pocket, the Seattle Sounders now look toward the MLS Cup playoffs with the hope of completing a historic treble.

The quest towards the league’s first ever treble begins Sunday, as the Sounders kick off their postseason campaign against surging FC Dallas.

While the Sounders enter the playoffs as one of the favorites to claim the MLS Cup, the LA Galaxy are believed to have plenty to say in response. Fresh off a disappointing 2-0 loss to the Sounders last week, the Supporters’ Shield runners-up will look to book their spot in the conference finals in a series with last year’s MLS Cup runners-up, Real Salt Lake.

Here is a closer look at this weekend’s Western Conference playoff matchups:

SOUNDERS START MLS CUP QUEST AGAINST FC DALLAS

Having never won an MLS Cup in the club’s young history, the Seattle Sounders will look to put an end to their playoff woes starting Sunday with a visit to FC Dallas.

The hosts, fresh off a 2-1 knockout round victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps on Wednesday, have won three of their last four coming into Sunday’s meeting.

The Sounders took two of three from Dallas during the regular season, although the teams finished even on goal differential thanks to a 3-1 blowout win for Dallas in late September.

In a playoff setting where goal differential is vital, FC Dallas will look to David Texiera, who has caused problems for the Sounders to the tune of three goals this season.

However, FC Dallas will also have to cope with the attacking duo of Clint Dempsey and Obafemi Martins, who have put together two goals and two assists, respectively, against their playoff opposition this season.

GALAXY MEET RSL FOR SECOND STRAIGHT POSTSEASON

Just one year after being eliminated by Real Salt Lake in the playoffs, the LA Galaxy begin their revenge tour Saturday in Sandy, Utah.

After winning the opening game of the 2013 series, the LA Galaxy fell to Real Salt Lake on the road via an extra time Chris Schuler finish, paving the way for an RSL run that ended in a penalty shootout in the MLS Cup.

The Galaxy now face a redo at the always-tough Rio Tinto Stadium, where the two sides played to a 1-1 draw in March. However, the four-time MLS Cup winners will have to break down a stifling RSL defense that hasn’t allowed a goal in 313 minutes.

With a recovered Robbie Keane and Omar Gonzalez, who were kept out of last week’s action due to rest and suspension, respectively, the Galaxy are sure to be a bit more dynamic than the team that lost 2-0 to the Sounders last week.

Winless in their last three, the Galaxy have always maintained that the end goal was not the Supporters’ Shield, as the club looks to send off forward Landon Donovan as an MLS Cup champion.

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