By Tony Álvarez
The Sounders enter the quarterfinals as the only team with a perfect record in Phase One and now get to play at home against a Puebla squad looking to continue their surprising Leagues Cup run.
HEAD TO HEAD
- 1st meeting all-time
- Record at Leagues Cup: Sounders (5-4), Puebla (3-4)
LAST FIVE GAMES
- Seattle Sounders
- 4 Wins, 0 Draws, 1 Loss
- Won all three games of Phase One, outscoring opponents 11-2 in the process.
- Club Puebla
- 2 Wins, 0 Draws, 3 Losses
- Got wins over NYCFC and Montréal in Phase One, but lost to Columbus.
MAIN STORYLINES
- The Seattle Sounders are the only team with 9 points after Phase One, they lead the tournament with a +9 goal differential thus far.
- Club Puebla had never before won a Leagues Cup game in regulation before this edition of the tournament when they did it twice.
- Eight different players have scored goals for Seattle Sounders FC in the current edition of the tournament. To put that in perspective, only two other teams had at least eight goals in Phase One (LA Galaxy, Orlando City).
- Club Puebla has already allowed 18 goals through eight games across the Apertura 2025 and Leagues Cup.
KEY FACTORS
- Seattle Sounders
- Danny Musovski has scored 3 goals in his last 3 games and will look to stay hot in the attack.
- Cristian Roldán looks to continue to be a force in the midfield and a key player all around.
- Must show off that offensive display early and often against a struggling defense in Puebla.
- Club Puebla
- Lack of offensive firepower must be addressed in order to have a chance to win
- Raúl Castillo is suspended for this game after seeing a red card against CF Montréal
- It'll be important to stay disciplined on defense and keep a strong offensive squad at bay.
WHAT TO EXPECT?
Ladies and gentlemen, here we go. The Knockout Stage of the Leagues Cup is here, and this matchup will have plenty of fans talking. A red-hot Seattle Sounders FC will look for a fourth straight win against a Club Puebla determined to continue their Cinderella story, as they battle for a spot in the semifinals this Wednesday at Lumen Field (11:00 p.m. ET | MLS Season Pass on Apple TV).
The Sounders have been nothing short of dominant. They arrive in the Knockouts on a three-game winning streak in Phase One, and “convincing” doesn’t even begin to cover it. They opened with a 7-0 demolition of CF Cruz Azul, followed it up with a sharp 2-1 win over Santos Laguna, and capped it with a gritty 2-1 victory over Club Tijuana.
This is just the second time Seattle has advanced to the Leagues Cup Knockout Stage, following their 2024 run. Last year, they struggled through Phase One but caught fire in the Round of 32 and Round of 16 by defeating LA Galaxy and Pumas before falling in the quarterfinals to LAFC. This time, the Sounders have only one goal in mind: lifting the trophy.
In MLS play, Seattle continues to sit in the top four of the Western Conference, showing balance, confidence, and standout performances on both sides of the ball.
Puebla, meanwhile, is rewriting its own history in this tournament. Prior to this year, the club had never advanced past the group stage and had only one win to its name — a penalty shootout triumph over Chicago Fire in 2023. Now, they’re in the Knockouts for the first time ever, determined to keep their dream run alive.
