A week before Seattle Sounders FC open their Concacaf Champions League campaign, manager Brian Schmetzer's men closed out their preseason with a pair of matches against Western Conference rivals LA Galaxy on Thursday at the Coachella Valley Invitational in Indio, Calif.
Later at the same event, Atlantic Cup rivals D.C. United and the New York Red Bulls played to a draw.
And in the other Thursday game on the MLS preseason slate, the San Jose Earthquakes saw off USL Championship side Monterey Bay FC 4-2 after a slow start.
Seattle Sounders FC 1, LA Galaxy 1
In the first of two matches between familiar Western Conference foes, 2021 Sounders leading scorer Raul Ruidiaz picked up where he left off with a goal in a 1-1 draw, in which both teams played close to a first-choice starting XI.
Dejan Joveljic, who the Galaxy signed last summer as a U22 Initiative player, leveled the match after halftime.
Goals
- 41' - SEA - Raul Ruidiaz
- 48' - LA - Dejan Joveljic
Lineups
- Seattle starting XI: Stefan Frei - Alex Roldan, Yeimar Gómez Andradem, Xaiver Arreaga, Kelyn Rowe - Cristian Roldan, Obed Vargas - Albert Rusnák, Nicolás Lodeiro, Jordan Morris - Raúl Ruidíaz
- LA starting XI: Jonathan Klinsmann - Julian Araujo, Jalen Neal, Nick DePuy, Raheem Edwards - Sacha Kljestan, Rayan Raveloson - Hamza Barry, Efrain Alvarez, Samuel Grandsir - Dejan Joveljic
Seattle Sounders 2, LA Galaxy 4
Both teams emptied their benches in the second game, which the Galaxy ultimately won 4-2 after falling behind by a pair early.
Veteran attacker Fredy Montero and former Tacoma Defiance striker Sam Adeniran scored early for the Sounders.
Goals
- 20' - SEA - Fredy Montero
- 26' - SEA - Sam Adeniran
- 38' - LA - Taylor Davila
- 51' - LA - Michael Salazar
- 59' - LA - Michael Salazar
- 76' - LA - Felipe Cobain
Lineups
- Seattle starting XI: Stefan Cleveland - Joe Hafferty, AB Cissoko, Jackson Ragen, Randy Mendoza - Hal Uderitz, Reed Baker-Whiting, Dylan Teves, Fredy Montero, Léo Chú - Sam Adeniran
- LA Galaxy: No lineup information provided
D.C. United 1, New York Red Bulls 1
Atlantic Cup rivals D.C. United and the New York Red Bulls continued the Coachella Valley Invitational with a 1-1 draw later Thursday.
Edison Flores marked his return from a productive World Cup Qualifying window with the Peru national team with the opening goal for D.C.
Tom Barlow drew the Red Bulls level just after halftime, set up by this play from O'Vante Mullings, the 20th overall selection in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft.
Goals
- 27' - DC - Edison Flores
- 65' - RBNY - Tom Barlow
Lineups
- D.C. United starting XI: Bill Hamid - Brad Smith, Steve Birnbaum, Brendan Hines-Ike, Andy Najar, Julian Gressel - Sofiane Djeffal, Moses Nyeman, Russell Canouse - Adrien Perez, Edison Flores
- New York Red Bulls: No lineup information provided
San Jose Earthquakes 4, Monterey Bay FC 2
The Earthquakes were at home Thursday, where they rallied for a 4-2 preseason victory over USL Championship side Monterey Bay FC powered by a talismanic performance from 18-year-old homegrown forward Cade Cowell.
After the Quakes trailed 2-1 at halftime, Cowell scored twice himself and also set up Jeremy Ebobisse, who is beginning his first full season in San Jose after arriving in a trade from Portland last summer.
Chofis Lopez opened the scoring for San Jose with a first-half goal to make it 1-1 as he prepares for his second season in MLS after arriving from Chivas of Guadalajara on loan.
Cowell's brace included a thunderous strike from distance (above) to level the game and a sleek finish on the break (below) to complete the scoring.
Goals
- 30' - MB - Chase Boone
- 31' - SJ - Chofis Lopez
- 34' - MB - Christian Volesky
- 47' - SJ - Cade Cowell
- 59' - SJ - Cade Cowell
- 71' - SJ - Jeremy Ebobisse
Lineups
- San Jose starting XI: JT Marcinkowski - Tanner Beason, Francisco Calvo, Jackson Yueill - Cade Cowell, Judson, Jan Gregus, Chofis Lopez, Eric Remedi, Cristian Espinoza - Jeremy Ebobisse
