The Los Angeles Galaxy and expansion Seattle Sounders FC play on Sunday at Qwest Field in the first MLS meeting between the sides, but the clubs aren't exactly strangers to each other.
The Galaxy, for example, defeated then-A League Seattle in the third round of the 2000 U.S. Open Cup and eliminated Seattle in the quarterfinals of the 2003 Open Cup. Los Angeles also beat the Sounders' PDL team, Seattle Sounders Select, in the third round of the 2004 Open Cup.
Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena is well acquainted with the area, having played for the old Tacoma Tides of the American Soccer League. He also coached at the University of Puget Sound and got married in Tacoma. He trained with the NASL's Sounders for three months in the 1970s and recalls watching the Cosmos play in the Seattle Kingdome.
He said fans in the Pacific Northwest are among the nation's best.
"They always had a great passion for the game," Arena said. "I don't know why the game didn't get back there sooner. I'm happy they kept the Sounders name, which is fabulous, and kept that tradition."
The Galaxy's Alan Gordon and Bryan Jordan used to play with the Portland Timbers, one of the Sounders' biggest rivals in the old A-League and USL days. Gordon also said he was happy to see Seattle awarded an MLS expansion team, but he also was pleased there will be future teams in Portland and Vancouver.
"I've been saying for years I think it would be huge in Portland," he said. "In fact, I thought it would be bigger in Portland than Seattle, and look how Seattle has done. And Vancouver had one of the best crowds I've played against in the USL.
"These are going to be three top clubs as far as attendance and support. I'm real excited for our league and these teams."
Jordan said fans in the Seattle/Tacoma area are particularly fond of the game.
"There's a great fan base. They love soccer up there," he said. "And now that they're in MLS, there's a new group to the atmosphere. There's going to be a ton of people up there."
Arena, who coached the U.S. men's national team in games at Qwest field -- "Great facility, beautiful setting with the Seattle skyline," he said -- expects one of his team's toughest road games. Seattle (4-2-1, 13 points) is averaging just less than 30,000 fans in four home games. Their only loss at Qwest Field was 1-0 to Kansas City; their three victories all were by shutout.
The Galaxy (1-1-5) have yet to lose in four road games (including Chivas USA).
"They've shown to be a very good team at home," Arena said, "and they certainly have an advantage with the artificial field and a great following. It's going to be a tough game, but I think it will be a game our guys will enjoy playing in."
Landon Donovan, who has five goals and three assists, said the Galaxy will be ready for the challenge.
"They'll be clearly motivated like they always are at home," he said. "But they're a team that's very beatable. We'll go in there with the mindset that we can beat them."
He also said the Galaxy's confidence is growing after coming from behind three times on the road to salvage ties.
"But we know we can be better," he said. "If we can score the first goal on the road, that would help us a lot. We've had a lot of chances in these games to get ahead and haven't taken advantage of that. It would be nice not to play from behind, but we're very confident and we feel we can win anywhere we go."
Larry Morgan is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
