SEATTLE – The Seattle Sounders had to settle for a 2-2 draw against the LA Galaxy in their return to league play following their Leagues Cup victory and the international break. Despite taking a 2-0 lead in the 41st minute thanks to goals from Jesus Ferreira and Danny Musovski, the Sounders gave up soft goals late in both halves to drop 2 important points.
The Sounders took an early lead in the 5th minute with a well-worked goal that was started by good pressure and an interception by Alex Roldan. Roldan then played a fantastic through ball for Danny Musovski to run onto before laying it off to Jesus Ferreira, who rifled it across goal and into the bottom corner.
After the goal things swung in LA’s favor for almost half an hour. The Galaxy took the next 8 shots, pouring pressure on Seattle’s goal consistently until the 35th minute, when the Sounders were able to find their footing once again. Paul Rothrock and Musovski each had good chances in the 35th and 37th minutes, but LA goalkeeper Novak Micovic came up with good saves on both occasions. Then in the 41st minute after a spell of possession around LA’s area, Obed Vargas played a slick ball through the back line for Rothrock who hit it across goal, where Musovski poked it in to make it 2-0.
Three minutes later the Galaxy were able to get their first goal and start their procession back to level ground. Maya Yoshida drew a pretty soft foul in a dangerous spot and LA pulled out a designed set piece that worked the ball around the box to Diego Fagundez on the left, who sent in a cross to the back post where Yoshida was able to head it home over Alex Roldan to make it 2-1 in the 44th minute.
The Sounders spent the second half looking for a third goal. After the Galaxy had their 8-shot run in the first half, Seattle had one of their own between the 69th and 81st minute, but none of those punches landed. They kept pushing, but ultimately it was LA who found the game’s next goal when a throw in allowed them to catch the Seattle defense scrambling. None of the Sounders defenders were able to react quickly enough as the ball worked from the left wing to the inside and Miki Yamane was in the right spot to put the ball away in the 87th minute from nearly the exact same spot as Yoshida’s goal.
Seattle still had a few chances to find a winner in the game’s final moments, but couldn’t do enough to claim all three points. Now the team has a quick turnaround for their road game against Miami on Tuesday.
Lineups
The Sounders make three changes to the group that started against Inter Miami in the Leagues Cup Final. Danny Musovski replaces Osaze De Rosario, Kalani Kossa-Rienzi starts on the right wing as Paul Rothrock moves to the left in Pedro de la Vega’s absence, and Stefan Frei returns to the starting spot in goal with Andrew Thomas on the bench.
El equipo inicial de Delta! 🤙 #SEAvLA
— Sounders FC (@soundersfc.com) 2025-09-13T23:42:03.485Z
Key moments
3 - Danger! Yeimar whiffs as he attempts to clear a ball over the top. With players in pursuit he is able to get a head to the ball to send it back to Frei, who is just able to grab it before Fagundez reaches it.
5 - GOAL! Musovski runs onto a fantastic through ball from deep played by Alex Roldan, then cuts it back for Ferreira who smashes it low into the corner! 1-0, Sounders
¡Ese es nuestro chico! Jesús gets us started early 🤩
— Sounders FC (@soundersfc.com) 2025-09-14T00:54:22.838Z
19 - Save! Yoshida has a snap header from inside the 6-yard box after a corner kick gets recycled, but he can’t get much power behind it and Frei easily catches it.
27 - Miss! Paintsil draws a free kick in a dangerous spot and Fagundez goes direct for goal, but puts his shot just over the bar.
30 - Save! Cerrillo runs onto a layoff from Fagundez and hits a first-time shot that Frei has to push up and over the bar for a corner.
35 - Save! Berry goes for a pretty spectacular attempt from a corner, but Frei is easily able to grab the ball out of the air.
35 - Chance! Baker-Whiting plays Rothrock in on goal, but Micovic is able to block the shot without giving up much of a rebound.
37 - Chance! Rothrock plays Musovski in with a clever headed ball and Musovski is able to work his way ahead of the defenders, but Micovic comes up with another good save!
41 - GOAL! Vargas plays a slick little pass to put Rothrock into the box, and Rothrock slides it across for Musovski to punch home and double the lead! 2-0, Sounders
🫎🫎🫎🫎🫎🫎🫎🫎🫎🫎🫎🫎🫎🫎🫎🫎🫎🫎🫎
— Sounders FC (@soundersfc.com) 2025-09-14T01:27:52.350Z
44 - Goal, Galaxy. Yoshida earns a soft free kick and the Galaxy work the ball around to Fagundez on the left, who sends in a cross that Yoshida is able to knock in to pull a goal back. 2-1, Sounders
45+2 - Chance! Ferreira goes for goal on a free kick from a dangerous spot, and Micovic is just able to palm it over the bar.
58 - Save! Wynder is able to turn and shoot after the Sounders are unable to clear the ball out of their end, but Frei dives and gets enough of a touch to put it out for a corner.
59 - Subs. Seattle make the first changes, taking off Kalani Kossa-Rienzi and Reed Baker-Whiting and replacing them with Albert Rusnak and Nouhou.
70 - Shot! Alex Roldan cuts inside from the right and hits a winding left-footed shot that flies just over the bar.
70 - Subs. The Galaxy bring on Tucker Lepley and Mauricio Cuevas, replacing Miguel Berry and Harbor Miller.
74 - Chance! Ragen gets his head on a corner, but Micovic is able to collect the ball before Musovski can get a touch and the striker bounces off the GK.
76 - Chance! Seattle with a flurry of chances after Ferreira and Rusnak play a quick free kick, but multiple shots are blocked and the Sounders eventually settle for a corner.
78 - Shot! Alex Roldan fights and wins a ball over the top, then drives into the box, but his shot is saved.
80 - Subs. Jordan Morris and Georgi Minoungou come in for Seattle, as Paul Rothrock and Danny Musovski make way.
81 - Subs. The Galaxy replace John Nelson and Elijah Wynder with Nicklaus Sullivan and Isaiah Parente.
81 - Chance! Minoungou nearly pulls off an incredible bicycle kick after a ball from Ferreira, but his finish goes just over by inches.
84 - Sub. Eriq Zavaleta comes on in place of Diego Fagundez for the Galaxy.
87 - Goal, Galaxy. The defense gets sloppy and no one is able to fully clear or close down the ball, and Yamane pokes it in to equalize. 2-2
89 - Chance! Micovic comes to claim a cross but loses the ball and Nouhou gets a shot off that’s blocked out for a corner.
90 - Sub. Seattle’s final change is Osaze De Rosario replacing Jesus Ferreira.
90+1 - Chance! Rusnak sends in a cross for Morris in the area, but Morris’s header is easily caught by Micovic.
90+2 - Shot! Rusnak plays Minoungou down the left and Minoungou returns the ball for him, but the following first-time shot goes wide.
Quick thoughts
Gotta be able to close out: It feels like it’s been a while since the issue has reared its ugly head, but against the Galaxy the Sounders just couldn’t find way to close the game out and claim all three points. Not only did they fail to secure a win despite holding a late lead, but they really let LA back into the game almost immediately after taking their 2-0 lead. Maybe part of it was the Galaxy having nothing to lose, as was a frequent talking point ahead of the game, but more crucially a team that was as locked-in as could be against Miami was lacking focus. After the game Brian Schmetzer pointed to the team pushing for a third goal as part of the issue, possibly from players trying to make an impact after long absences or to secure their spots amidst competition, but this team has the experience and understanding to do better.
Goalkeeping competition: Stefan Frei returned to the starting lineup after Andrew Thomas’s excellent run in Leagues Cup – to say nothing of Thomas’s performance in the league while Frei was unavailable – and while he showed some of his qualities with a few good saves and one particularly good ball out of the back to spring a Sounders attack through Paul Rothrock, he also had some struggles. His difficulty moving and reacting at times left more work for his defenders to do, or in the case of the opening goal, allowed Yoshida to be largely uncontested for the cross and gave him a wide open net to aim for as Frei was rooted to his spot at the near post. Andrew Thomas isn’t a perfect goalkeeper, but his reactions and agility along with his improved play in other facets of his game provide Seattle with a stronger footing going forward. Whether that will actually turn into starts down the stretch remains to be seen, and will be decided by Schmetzer and his staff. It’s an unenviable position to be in, but coaches earn their salaries by making tough decisions.
Fending off the first-choice: On the opposite end of the pitch the Sounders have another set of difficult decisions to make. Jordan Morris and Albert Rusnak made their returns to the field as substitutes in this game, but the players who have largely filled their roles while they recovered from injury have been in fantastic form. That was on particular display in this game, as Ferreira and Musovski scored Seattle’s two goals tonight and Musovski provided the assist on Ferreira’s opener. There’s no denying that Morris and Rusnak are the best 9 and 10 on the team, but there is also a lot to be said about riding the hot hand. The decision may not need to be made just yet as the returning players are still working their way back to full fitness, but the competition can only help the team as they head towards the playoffs.
Notable quote
"I can shoulder a lot of blame for this because … obviously the team wasn’t prepared. … [the second] goal came from a throw-in … obviously our set up was wrong.” Brian Schmetzer
Player spotlight
Danny Musovski was back in the starting lineup after missing the Leagues Cup semifinal and final due to suspension following his red card against Puebla, and he had a point to prove. While he could have had more with better finishing, a goal and an assist is a good way to make your return.
