The Galaxy Have Fallen: Seattle Sounders No Longer Have a Rival
by David Harrison, World-today-News.com - For a generation of Seattle Sounders fans, the name LA Galaxy evoked a singular, frustrating truth: they were the obstacle. during the Sigi Schmid era, the Galaxy weren’t just a competitor, they were the competition, consistently thwarting Seattle’s ambitions in the playoffs – in 2010, 2012, and 2014. They dominated the Western Conference, fueled by savvy roster maneuvering that allowed them to circumvent salary cap restrictions and assemble a squad boasting some of the league’s best talent.
to win the West, and ultimately MLS Cup, Seattle had to overcome the Galaxy.The 2014 season,in particular,was defined by the intense battles between these two titans,a rivalry that extended beyond the pitch and into the heart of MLS fandom.
But those days are gone. The Galaxy are no longer the force they once were. They’ve transitioned from being the team to beat to something…else.A team increasingly irrelevant, a shadow of their former glory. They’ve become, in a local analogy, the Clippers to the Lakers.
Under Brian Schmetzer, the Sounders have largely left the Galaxy behind. The Carson-based club is now more likely to miss the playoffs entirely than to pose a legitimate threat.And when they do make the postseason,they rarely make a deep run. In recent years, the Galaxy have finished 20th or worse in the overall MLS standings three times, consistently languishing in the bottom half of the Western Conference.
This isn’t a sudden decline, but the result of a decade of mismanagement. The stark reality is highlighted by the fact that the Galaxy face potential playoff elimination tonight, with six games still remaining on their schedule. Even their qualification for the Champions Cup felt less like an achievement and more like a testament to the league’s evolving landscape.
And the results speak for themselves. Seattle is undefeated in their last 10 home matches against the Galaxy. While the Galaxy show a bit more fight on their home turf (3-3-0 in their last six competitive matches), the overall trend is undeniable.
The rivalry, once so fierce, has been extinguished. It’s been purged, not by a single dramatic event, but by a sustained period of dominance from the Sounders. What remains isn’t a heated competition, but a clear power imbalance.
Today, the Seattle Sounders stand alone – a team of champions, looking out at a landscape where their former rivals are no longer relevant.
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