The Seattle Sounders look like they’ve solved some of their early-season issues. The LA Galaxy, meanwhile, still have many questions left to answer.
In a Western Conference showdown between a pair of perennial powerhouses mired in slow starts, the Sounders trounced the host Galaxy, 3-0, on Sunday at the StubHub Center to snap a three-game winless streak.
Clint Dempsey led the way with a goal and an assist, partnering well in the attack with Nicolás Lodeiro and Jordan Morris, who also scored for the defending MLS Cup champs.
The Galaxy, on the other hand, sputtered from the start in their fifth loss in seven matches, ending up on the wrong side of an Ashley Cole own goal while generating few scoring chances.
Goals
Three Things
DEUCE IS LOOSE: Dempsey continued to show that last year’s health scare is a thing of the past. After opening the season with two goals in three games, the US national team star had his most complete game of the year with a goal and an assist, opening the scoring on a 29th-minute header before setting up Morris right before halftime. And he could have had even more if not for striking a crossbar in the 59th minute. There's gotta be nothing better for Seattle fans than seeing a healthy Dempsey return to his starring role.
NEW-LOOK ATTACK: Although Will Bruin didn’t score and was thwarted on one clear goal-scoring opportunity, his first start up top seemed to open up a lot of space for Morris, Dempsey and Lodeiro to operate behind him. Morris looked especially dangerous in his new role on the left flank and Lodeiro delivered a perfect ball on Seattle’s opening goal while making precision passes throughout the midfield and attacking third all day.
Seattle ended up completing 83% of their passes in the final third. Pretty sure that's a single-game @MLS record as far back as we have data pic.twitter.com/K5SCWsAn7q
— Matthew Doyle (@MattDoyle76) April 23, 2017STUMBLING GALAXY: It’s clear first-year Galaxy head coach Curt Onalfo is still looking for answers, as he made a rare first-half sub to try to shake things up, replacing Emmanuel Boateng for Baggio Husidic. But nothing seemed to work as the Galaxy were never in the game to lose for the third time at home in four matches this season. Even worse: Sunday’s three-goal loss matched their worst in club history. Their most recent three-goal loss came vs. Portland in 2015.
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