Seattle Sounders FC took full control just seven minutes into Thursday night's Leagues Cup clash with the LA Galaxy. They never looked back.
By the end of their 3-1 win, the Rave Green were skating toward a much-anticipated rematch with Pumas UNAM – the team Seattle beat two years ago in the Concacaf Champions Cup final.
“The guys came out ready to play,” Sounders manager Brian Schmetzer said after the Round-of-32 clash.
The Sounders controlled play from the beginning, as Yeimar Gómez Andrade headed home Albert Rusnák’s in-swinging corner kick in the fourth minute. Yeimar’s center back partner, Jackson Ragen, matched him three minutes later. It was smooth sailing from there.
The Galaxy mounted pressure, but struggled to generate chances on goal. Late in the first half, Alex Roldan all but closed the door with a beautiful curling strike from outside the box.
A rivalry with history
The win secured a Round-of-16 showdown with Pumas on Monday at Lumen Field. It's the first time the Sounders have met the Mexican giants since the memorable 2022 Champions Cup final, when Seattle became the first MLS club to win the modern iteration of the continental tournament.
“There’s some history – some recent history,” Schmetzer said. “I’d love to have a bunch of people in the stands, I’d love to have the Pumas fans that are here in Seattle come out and watch. It’s gonna be another exciting game.”
It will be another Leagues Cup battle between MLS and LIGA MX elites. On the other side of the bracket, there are collision courses. Reigning title holders Inter Miami CF or defending MLS Cup champions Columbus Crew, for example, could encounter Tigres UANL in the quarterfinals.
Who has the edge?
Seattle enter the rematch in good form. They won six of their eight MLS matches before Leagues Cup and now boast a convincing victory over the Western Conference-leading Galaxy.
With a roster full of veterans, Schmetzer believes the Sounders are well-equipped for winner-take-all elimination games.
“We've been pretty successful in knockout games,” Schmetzer said of his veteran-heavy side. “That is a testament to the mentality this club has built over the years. Kudos to the guys in the locker room that built that tradition.”
Meanwhile, Pumas won three of their first four league matches and share the top spot in LIGA MX’s Apertura. They defeated Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Wednesday and now won’t have to leave Cascadia for Monday’s Round-of-16 match.
“I love it,” Schmetzer said of the upcoming test. “I think it’s gonna be great. Pumas has a good team.
“If I was a fan, I'd buy my tickets tomorrow.”
