See you in Seattle!
Seattle Sounders FC are headed to the Leagues Cup Final after a dominant 2-0 win over reigning MLS Cup champions LA Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park in Wednesday night’s semifinal.
The Sounders will host Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami CF in the Final on August 31 at Lumen Field.
From the opening kickoff, the visitors took control of a seesaw first half. Within five minutes, striker Osaze De Rosario squandered a golden chance after breaking in behind the Galaxy back line on the counterattack.
A few minutes later, De Rosario once again exposed Zanka’s positioning to create a shot for himself. Galaxy goalkeeper Novak Mićović made the save but spilled the rebound, which Paul Rothrock won with the most desire, setting up Pedro de la Vega’s opening goal.
LA found life through a couple of long-range efforts from Diego Fagúndez and Gabriel Pec as the half progressed, but Seattle eventually tilted momentum back in their favor, taking a 1-0 lead into the break.
The second half followed a similar script, with slightly more Galaxy possession. De Rosario was again denied from short range by a strong right hand from Micović within minutes of kickoff. Eventually, though, the Sounders striker broke through in the 57th minute, essentially assisting himself with a rainbow flick over Zanka’s head before finishing past the keeper.
It looked as if Seattle were cruising into the Final until Nouhou made a reckless challenge on Gabriel Pec in the 83rd minute, deemed serious foul play after VAR review. He was sent off and will miss the Leagues Cup Final through suspension. Despite going down to 10 men, Seattle held firm to secure both a 2026 Concacaf Champions League berth and hosting rights for the Leagues Cup Final on August 31.
REACTIONS
- Seattle Head Coach Brian Schmetzer:
- "We are going to play against Messi at our home field in front of 65,000 people, and I would seriously counsel everybody should be there because it's gonna be an entertaining game"
- Seattle Forward Osaze De Rosario:
* <em>"It means a lot. I mean, this is a small scale to what my family has done, I'm just walking into the footsteps of my father so this is just a great opportunity again for me to prove myself, and that's what I've done."</em>
<strong>PLAYER OF THE GAME</strong>
* Osaze De Rosario: Seattle’s striker tormented the Galaxy defense all evening, eventually scoring the Sounders' second goal.
<strong>GAME NOTES</strong>
* Seattle Sounders FC clinch a spot in the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup.
* The Sounders will now host Inter Miami on August 31st at 8 pm ET at Lumen Field.
* The Sounders will play in their second Leagues Cup final (also in 2021). They are the first team to reach two Leagues Cup finals.
* Pedro de la Vega and Osaze De Rosario each scored their third goal in five Leagues Cup 2025 matches.
* LA Galaxy’s hopes of major silverware in 2025 are nixed. They will host Orlando City in the Leagues Cup third-place match on August 31st at Dignity Health Sports Park.
* The Seattle Sounders have lifted the Concacaf Champions Cup, Supporters’ Shield, MLS Cup (x2) and US Open Cup (x4). Leagues Cup is the only major North American trophy missing from their cabinet.
<strong>CARDS/INJURY REPORT</strong>
* <strong>Yellow Cards:</strong>
* LA Galaxy: Diego Fagúndez, Mauricio Cuevas, Julian Aude, Gabriel Pec, Maya Yoshida
* Seattle Sounders: Paul Rothrock, Cristian Roldan
* <strong>Red Card:</strong>
* Seattle Sounders: Nouhou Tolo
<strong>LOOKING AHEAD</strong>
* Seattle Sounders FC will host the Leagues Cup final on August 31st at Lumen Field against Inter Miami CF.
* LA Galaxy will host the Leagues Cup third-place match on August 31st at Dignity Health Sports Park against Orlando City.
