Seattle Sounders have a higher average attendance than two of the Premier

Erik Friberg took advantage of a defensive mistake and scored in the 73rd minute, lifting the Seattle Sounders past the Los Angeles Galaxy 3-2 on Wednesday night in the knockout round of the MLS Cup playoffs.

Their first test won’t be easy, as they are in Washington to face the Seattle Sounders Wednesday night (7 pm PT, UniMás) in the knockout round. Los Angeles has ended Seattle’s season in the playoffs three times in the past six seasons and twice in the Western Conference finals.

The Galaxy have a tough test in Seattle – but history shows they are capable of meeting the challenge. “Our play in front of our goal defensively was atrocious tonight”. That’s our fault; we still need to defend better.

Landon Donovan is the obvious exception but if Gerrard and Dos Santos can step up then, with skipper Robbie Keane also netting 17 times in his past 14 games, there is certainly no reason why the league’s most successful franchise should not be competing in another final come December. Here’s a convenient map in case none of this makes any sense to you.

“No one is feeling more disappointed or down or flat than me at the moment”.

“But it’s exciting. These are the games that I want to play in, all the players want to play in”.

The veteran midfielder added he was still haunted by a glaring miss against Sporting Kansas City on Sunday, when he was put clear only to see his shot cleared by goalkeeper Tim Melia. “That’s the type of player I am, I over-analyze, and it got me to where I am today”, Gerrard said.

As much as that run will provide plenty of confidence going forward, nothing will do more for Seattle’s mentality in this postseason than beating the Galaxy, the one team that had been the hurdle the Sounders couldn’t overcome in year’s past. “I drive myself batty all day”.

“The good thing about it is we know we can go there and win the game”.

But the Galaxy won the MLS Cup last year, with 21 players on the roster who won last year’s title, and of course they’ve won three of the last four MLS Cups.