LAFC’s Carlos Vela available for key match against Seattle

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Football Club tends not to get after it at practice the day before a match, let alone its fourth game in 11 days.

On the rainy preamble to a rare Tuesday night Major League Soccer meeting at Banc of California Stadium, LAFC, fresh off a positive road trip to Dallas and Minnesota, went over tactics, worked on set pieces and played a little football while preparing to host the Western Conference-leading Seattle Sounders for the second time in 2021.

“Gray and wet, actually, if your fields can take it, makes for a good day,” LAFC head coach Bob Bradley said.

For Bradley, so does seeing Carlos Vela participating in full training, which he did Monday. The Mexican forward is not listed on the team’s player availability report for the first time in months, and Bradley said while the 2019 MLS MVP won’t start the match he could be an option against Seattle.

“When he does come back we’ve got to be smart with his minutes,” Bradley said, “but maybe we can find a spot that fits and he can come on and help make a play that makes a difference.

“That left foot is still special, so even though he hasn’t played in a while his ability to make a pass or if he gets a chance to shoot those are things we’ve seen a lot of. So the fact that he’s been able to do little bit in training gives everyone the confidence that if we pick the right spot he can step on and maybe help us.”

LAFC (11-12-8, 41 points) will again be without Eduard Atuesta as the Colombian’s separated shoulder has been slow to progress.

Jose Cifuentes, who filled in well for Atuesta handling the role of playing deeper in the midfield, is not available either due to yellow card accumulation. That leaves Raheem Edwards, Latif Blessing, Daniel Crisostomo, Bryce Duke and Diego Palacios to operate in the middle of the pitch.

South Korean defender Kim Moon-Hwan trained fully and will be available despite colliding with the referee and receiving stitches on Saturday.

Like LAFC, Seattle (17-7-7, 58 points) will play its fourth match in 11 days without an important midfield player. MLS All-Star midfielder Joao Paulo, who assisted in a 2-0 victory over LAFC in Seattle, is out with yellow card accumulation.

Seattle has been resilient throughout the season while experiencing a number of injuries, but it stumbled recently and is winless in its last three matches. The conference leaders lost, 2-1, to second-place Sporting Kansas City at home on Saturday, tightening the race for the top seed in the conference playoffs.

“We’re going to watch. We’re going to learn. We’re going to trust our process – that’s what we do after every game, win or lose,” Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer said. “And we’re going to get back up on our horse against a team that’s in good form.”

Hunting for a club-record 10th victory away from Seattle, the Sounders could join the Supporters’ Shield-winning New England Revolution as the only teams in MLS with double-digit road wins this season.

While Seattle could weather another loss and one point over four matches, LAFC remains under the playoff line after taking seven of its last nine points. It cannot fall to 0-2-1 against the Sounders on the season and expect to make the playoffs.

LAFC’s strong recent results continue to be fueled by Colombian forward Cristian Arango (six goals in the club’s last three contests, and 12 goals and one assist in 14 appearances).

“I can say we’re very united right now,” Arango said, “and will work together to get the victory against Seattle.”

LAFC VS. SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC

When: Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.

Where: Banc of California Stadium

TV: ESPN, ESPN Deportes (Spanish)

Radio: 1110 AM, 980 AM (Spanish)