Sounders Outclassed in Leagues Cup Opener vs. Toluca
The Seattle Sounders have lost in a variety of ways in the current seven-game losing streak they're on.
But Wednesday's Leagues Cup opener against Concacaf Champions Cup winner Toluca felt different, as Seattle lost 3-0 as a clearly outclassed squad. The Sounders, as defending Leagues Cup champions, were outshot 38-4, allowing an 18-2 shots-on-frame disparity as Toluca generated 3.5 expected goals to Seattle's 0.3.
The Sounders, still down key pieces like Cristian Roldan and Yeimar, struggled to institute their press against an uber-talented Toluca squad — which scored in the third minute. From there, 40-year-old Seattle keeper Stefan Frei, who is handling Leagues Cup duties in place of usual starter Andrew Thomas to give the club legend some minutes, was pushed to his limit with 15 saves. Thanks — solely at times — to Frei, the game stayed at 1-0 somehow despite a flurry of Toluca chances off set pieces and open-play chances alike.
Frei made multiple diving saves, even coming off his line to stop 1-on-1 chances to keep Seattle within swiping range of a team that was clearly better than it on this night.
But Toluca, the Liga MX 2024-25 second-half and 2025-26 first-half champions, kept the foot on the gas and found the second goal off a rebound in the mid-second half before similarly adding a third in second-half stoppage.
Despite the injuries, the eight-hour flight from Seattle to Toluca, the 8,000-plus foot elevation and the Sounders' recent form, the nature in which they lost was astonishing. Toluca playmakers like Jesús Gallardo and Alexis Vega broke Seattle's press with ease, making a team that started 2026 as one of MLS' great defenses look far below average with consistency.
Without the intervention of a vintage Frei, Seattle could have been on the wrong end of a remake of its 7-0 win over Liga MX powerhouse Cruz Azul last season, which propelled it to the Leagues Cup title.
Sounders skipper Brian Schmetzer, ever the competitor confident in his team’s ability to win big games, compared Seattle trying to take down Toluca to the most iconic "miracle" in American sports postgame.
"Could we have won the game? Maybe. I mean, the (U.S.) men's hockey team in 1980… beat the Russians," Schmetzer said. "We beat Miami last year in the Leagues Cup final; we were the underdogs. So things like that can happen, but this was going to be a heavy ask."
WATCH: Timbers Strike Late, Extend Sounders' Streak of Misery to 6 Games
Emerald City Spectrum reporter Qasim Ali details a 2-1 Seattle Sounders loss at the Portland Timbers on Saturday night, dropping the Rave Green into a franchise-worst six-game losing streak and to a 7-7-3 record. Portland also leapfrogged Seattle in the standings, occupying the eighth and final spot in the MLS playoff picture with three months to play.
Sounders Injury Luck Worsens as Yeimar, Dotson Hurt in Training
The Seattle Sounders' luck just keeps getting worse.
Fresh off a five-game losing streak due in part to a rash of injuries, the Rave Green were looking to return standout center back Yeimar from a hamstring injury that's had him out since early spring.
But he and midfielder Hassani Dotson picked up new multi-week injuries at training this week, per coach Brian Schmetzer on Friday, to further dampen the spirits. Yeimar, who was coming off a hamstring injury and in line to return soon, picked up a calf injury to put him 4-6 weeks away from seeing the field
Seattle is 7-6-3 (eighth in Western Conference) as it heads into a rematch with a rival Portland Timbers side (6-8-3, 10th) this Saturday night at Providence Park.
Seattle Soccer Update: Reign, Dickey Get Back on Track While Ailing Sounders Prepare for Portland
Claudia Dickey isn't exactly easy on herself.
As the Seattle Reign tumbled down the NWSL standings ahead of the June CBA break, winning one of their last six games, the starting goalkeeper took the blame for nine goals the team gave up in that stretch. A struggling Seattle offense went scoreless in five straight games, leaving itself vulnerable to attacks the other way and goals Dickey couldn't have prevented, but the 26-year-old knows the standard she's set for herself.
"I'm tough on myself," Dickey told The Spectrum over the phone on Wednesday.
This past year, Dickey has made four starts for the U.S. Women's National Team, becoming a regular call-up in the lead-up to the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil. Alongside another NWSL star in Utah's Mandy McGlynn, Dickey has been in a battle as the rights to start for the most high-profile women's soccer team in the world are on the line.
But in all the excitement of last year's June national team camp in Brazil, Dickey suffered what she thought was a muscle injury around her foot on day one of camp. She missed the U.S.'s opening loss to Brazil before returning days later to tab a clean sheet in a 1-0 win over the hosts.
When she got back to Seattle, however, she got a further scan of the injured region and found out it was a bone bruise on the top of her foot, The Spectrum learned Wednesday. She would be sidelined for Seattle's first three games back from the break, watching the Reign go 1-2-0 as reserve Cassie Miller made some spectacular saves in a 2-0 win over Portland.
Dickey, who didn't miss a single game in 2025 after becoming the definitive starter a few seasons after being drafted in the second round by Seattle in 2022, took on the challenge of her reserve shining.
"Being challenged every day in training, like the goalkeeper group we had… we're pushing each other to be the best," Dickey said.
She proved why she's under consideration for a starting spot with the USWNT this past Sunday, making her return to the field to the tune of a career-high eight saves vs. the San Diego Wave in a statement 2-0 win. Diving stops, reflex saves and a trot far beyond the 18-yard box to stop a Wave attack characterized what's come to be known as a typical Dickey performance.
Sounders Enter Unprecedented Territory with Fifth Straight Loss
The Seattle Sounders continued their tailspin on Saturday night, losing 1-0 to the last-place Philadelphia Union (3-10-4) on the road. The result extended Seattle's losing streak to five, the worst in MLS play under coach Brian Schmetzer.
The Sounders, who started the campaign at 6-1-1, now sit at 7-6-3 and in sixth place in the Western Conference with one more game before their Leagues Cup title defense begins on Aug. 5.
It was only the seventh meeting all-time between Philadelphia and Seattle, and the Sounders gave up a rare kind of goal in the 31st minute of Saturday's game. Union striker Milan Iloski scored his ninth of the season by running past a makeshift Seattle backline, which defended well all night, and floated a ball over keeper Andrew Thomas in an awkward moment for the first-year starter.
It's the first time since 2015 that the Sounders have lost five straight MLS games. Schmetzer started coaching the squad in 2016.
The 63-year-old skipper said he “isn’t killing” the players over this streak, as Seattle continues to try and survive missing at least five usual starters at once.
WATCH: Sounders Drop Fourth Straight Against Austin, Ragen to Miss Next Two Matches
If you didn’t think it could get worse than a 5-1 loss to Portland, Wednesday was a stark reminder it truly can.
Emerald City Spectrum reporter Qasim Ali recaps the Seattle Sounders’ 3-1 loss at 14th-place Austin FC, in which the home team scored twice after the 85th minute. It was a 95-degree night in Texas full of frustration, boiling to All-Star center back Jackson Ragen picking up two frustration-fueled yellow cards to ensure he misses the next two fixtures, including an August 1 rematch with Portland.
Sounders and Reign Look to Regroup After Very Different Losses
RENTON, Wash. — Brian Schmetzer hasn't shaved.
The Seattle Sounders head coach since 2016, who has been a part of the organization as a player and coach since 1980 more or less, called last Thursday's 5-1 loss to team archrival Portland Timbers the "toughest loss" of his career.
"I know everybody's in a bad place," Schmetzer said of the atmosphere at the facility after Tuesday's training. "I haven't shaved, I don't eat anymore, this hurts."
We'll hope the comment about not eating is a joke, but what Seattle served up in its first game back from the June FIFA World Cup break certainly wasn't palatable.
The Sounders gave up three goals in seven minutes in the early second half, getting beat with ease down the touchlines to turn a 1-0 deficit into an inescapable hole.
By the third goal in the 60th minute, some fans started heading for the exits, an oddity so early in any Sounders game.
By the fourth three minutes later, completing a brace for Venezuelan U-22 striker Kevin Kelsy, fans left in droves. Many of those who remained booed their beloved Sounders.
"They have every right to demand better from us," All-Star center back Jackson Ragen said. "For us to come out like that, they have the right to ask for (better)."
WATCH: Sounders Unravel for Worst Loss to Timbers in MLS Era
The Seattle Sounders, fresh off six weeks away from MLS play for the FIFA World Cup, came into a Thursday night home bout with their archnemesis, the Portland Timbers, looking to start the summer run strong.
Not only did they not accomplish that feat, but the Sounders (7-4-3, 6th in Western Conference) lost 5-1.
It’s already being labeled the worst loss to Portland in franchise history, as striker Kevin Kelsy bagged a brace. Seattle midfielder Hassani Dotson scored off a set-piece header late with the game far out of reach.
The Timbers (5-8-2, 7th) worked the wide areas to death, scoring three goals in seven minutes early in the second half to completely demoralize Seattle. The nearly 36,000 fans in attendance, a franchise best this season, left in droves.
After the game, head coach Brian Schmetzer took accountability as his team, down key pieces like Cristian Roldan and Alex Roldan, was simply out-competed in the biggest derby game of the season. Players cleared out of the locker room quickly postgame, seemingly opting to process the stunning result on their own.
Emerald City Spectrum reporter Qasim Ali attempts to make sense of the landslide defeat.
Sounders Notebook: Intrasquad Scrimmage Ends 1-1 as Portland Looms
The excitement of the FIFA World Cup has Seattle buzzing about soccer.
Belgium's round of 32 game against Senegal on Wednesday featured a wild comeback that saw the Red Devils pull it out 3-2 in extra time at Lumen Field, or Seattle Stadium, until Monday night. The local Seattle Sounders (7-3-3, 6th in MLS Western Conference) have been sharing a facility with Belgium for the last month, and many were witnesses to the high-level play associated with a World Cup knockout match, as even the Sounders equipment staff got to attend the game, according to head coach Brian Schmetzer.
“They’re excited to be around this whole occasion of the World Cup,” Schmetzer said. “Whether that lifts their play or whether that has a little added pressure, I’d say it’s probably the first… they’re excited.”
The Sounders didn't wait long to put that excitement toward their own development, as the Rave Green held an intrasquad scrimmage on Thursday afternoon that ended in a physical 1-1 draw. It’s all part of the buildup to Seattle’s largest grudge match of every season: A July 16 home game against the Portland Timbers (4-8-2, 13th in west).
Sounders Return to Training, Drop Shortened Practice Game vs. Belgium
The Seattle Sounders are back in action after 18 days away from training and games on account of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Life has changed considerably since the Sounders last dropped their last game on May 24 to LAFC to drop to 7-3-3 (6th in Western Conference), as they are sharing their Renton training facility with the Belgian Red Devils and are planning their training sessions around the national team's schedule. The Rave Green were compensated for their hospitality on Tuesday, as Belgium, fresh off a 1-1 draw against Egypt on Monday in Seattle, played a consortium of Sounders and Tacoma Defiance players in a shortened practice game.
The game featured two 30-minute halves, and the Sounders fell 2-1 in a match that former U.S. Men's National Team winger Paul Arriola described as a solid learning experience in this makeshift offseason program.
"It was a difficult game for us; we defended for a lot of the time," Arriola, 31, said. "We saw a few offensive plays that I think we did pretty well in, and then defensively it was a lot for us to handle. Typically we're a team in MLS that we kind of try and dictate the game and the tempo… yesterday we were put under a lot."
WATCH: Recapping Sounders Solid Start, And Late Troubles, Ahead of the World Cup
Emerald City Spectrum reporter Qasim Ali breaks down a 7-3-3 start to the Seattle Sounders’ 2026 campaign. The team started 6-1-1 before falling into a slump and entering the June FIFA World Cup break at sixth in the Western Conference.
The Sounders will be back in action on July 16 against their rival Portland Timbers, as Cristian Roldan (United States) is the only Seattle player rostered for the World Cup.
Sounders Hopes Dashed by Late LAFC Winner Before World Cup Break
It was all going to plan for the Seattle Sounders through eight games.
Sitting at 6-1-1 with the best defense in the league, head coach Brian Schmetzer’s squad looked to insert itself into the top of the Supporters Shield Race with a road game against flailing Sporting Kansas City and a three-match homestand coming.
Instead of thriving on the schedule, Seattle went 1-1-2 heading into a key road date with a struggling LAFC squad (7-5-3), fresh off three losses, on the final Sunday before the June World Cup Break.
Seattle managed to play a scoreless game through 85 minutes, bringing on offensive subs late to try and steal three points. But it was the home team that notched the win, as midfielder Timothy Tillman came out of nowhere late to slam a cross-goal service past Andrew Thomas for the win.
Seattle dropped to 7-3-3 and into sixth place out west with nearly two months to go before its return to play against Portland on July 16.
Sounders’ Home Unbeaten Streak Ends at 22, Pec Runs Riot for Galaxy
The Seattle Sounders had been through the wringer in a three-game week, but were facing an LA Galaxy team coming off a tough loss to Kansas City to close the stretch Saturday. Seattle, on the other hand, was riding high with a win over the top-ranked San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday, and set their lineup to rotate against the 11th-place Galaxy.
Unfortunately for Seattle, LA found its footing in this one, as star winger Gabriel Pec had a goal and an assist in transition late to bury the Sounders in a 2-0 shocker. The loss meant the end of a 22-game home unbeaten run dating back to last summer against European champion Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup.
Seattle, as it has for the past few matches, spent plenty of time in LA's box with 30 touches in the 18, but couldn't cash in on 1.4 expected goals on mostly half-chances. The Sounders also took 15 shots and got five on frame with 58% possession, but the Galaxy's counterattacks late buried Seattle as LA generated 1.7 xG on nine shots.
Sounders Down Western Conference Front-Runner San Jose in Heritage Cup Classic
Emerald City Spectrum reporter Qasim Ali breaks down a 3-2 barn-burner between the Seattle Sounders (7-1-3, 3rd in Western Conference) and San Jose Earthquakes (9-2-2, 2nd in Western Conference).
Osaze De Rosario netted an 89th-minute game-winner as the game swung back and forth after an early Sounders mistake led to a second-minute San Jose goal. Albert Rusnák scored off a penalty kick late in the first half to equalize before Jesús Ferreira went coast-to-coast in a spectacular individual effort to give Seattle the lead.
The goals come at good times for Ferreira and De Rosario, who have both been lacking on the scoring edge as Seattle finally met its expected-goal mark after two frustrating draws against Kansas City and San Diego.
The win also meant history for the Sounders, who swept San Diego in the regular season for the first time.
Sounders Equalize Late, Survive San Diego with Draw Despite Missed Chances
It's becoming a theme, and the Sounders don't seem thrilled with it.
For the second straight game, the Seattle Sounders have taken a 1-1 draw in a game where they generated far more than one goal's worth of opportunities. Last time came at a struggling Sporting Kansas City squad, and this time was against a floundering San Diego FC squad (3-5-4, 11th in Western Conference), trying to pick up the pieces after a slow start.
In all, Seattle (6-1-3, fourth in Western Conference) took 25 shots, just four on frame, and generated 3.6 expected goals.
To create all of that, the Sounders forced eight corner kicks, crossed the ball into scoring chances 11 times, had seven of their shots blocked, and touched the ball 52 times in San Diego's box after doing the same over 40 times against KC.
But after all those chances that ended in poor decisions or a lack of quality in bringing them to fruition, the Sounders finally broke through in the 80th. They had trailed nearly all night thanks to an 18th-minute goal from San Diego's Marcus Ingvartsen as Nouhou failed to mark the Danish national in a run-of-play goal.
After multiple chances ended in a Seattle corner, though, Albert Rusnak found Cristian Roldan at the near post, who flicked the ball back to Danny Musovski through a sea of bodies in the box. Musovski did what he does best, tapping it in with precision just moments after hitting the crossbar on one of many frustrating opportunities on the night.
Sounders Draw with Struggling Kansas City Despite Wealth of Chances
The Seattle Sounders went into their Saturday matchup with Sporting Kansas City in great form.
Seattle was 6-1-1, in the thick of the Supporters Shield race, going to play the bottom-ranked team in the Western Conference, fresh off six straight losses at 1-7-1.
After Paul Rothrock scored his team-leading sixth goal in all competitions just two minutes in, it looked like the Sounders were about to repeat the 5-0 drubbing the Chicago Fire had subjected Kansas City to the week before.
But 16 minutes later, USMNT hopeful and Sounders legend Cristian Roldan made a lackadaisical pass deep in Seattle territory to let KC striker Dejan Joveljic strike a first-time shot past Andrew Thomas for what was the final goal of the game.
Yes. Seattle had scored just two minutes into the game on a fortuitous bounce forced by Jesús Ferreira to find a waiting Paul Rothrock in close, only to be held scoreless for the remainder despite 26 shots and three expected goals generated.
Ferreira and Morris Regain Scoring Prowess, Sounders Outlast FC Dallas
The Seattle Sounders, down the likes of Cristian Roldan, Albert Rusnák and Paul Arriola, continued their strong start on Saturday night. They downed a visiting FC Dallas squad 2-1, weathering dangerous set-piece opportunities and benefitting from a return to form from goal scorers Jordan Morris and Jesús Ferreira.
The result moves Seattle to 6-1-1 (fourth in Western Conference) with just four goals allowed in eight MLS fixtures. It also meant Seattle's 20th straight game unbeaten at home, as the Sounders haven't lost under the arches of Lumen Field since June of 2025… when they played European champion Paris Saint-Germain.
Sounders' Furious Concacaf Comeback Comes Up Short
The Seattle Sounders had a mind for a comeback heading back to Lumen Field for the first time since February 22.
Seattle lost 2-0 to Mexican side Tigres UANL in Monterrey last Wednesday in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinals. With the tournament adhering to an away-goal tiebreaker, Seattle needed to avoid a Tigres goal to ensure its best chance to make up the multi-goal disadvantage.
The Sounders started strong, benefitting from a renewed Albert Rusnák, who scored in the 11th and 82nd minutes to break a cold streak in the scoring department with Cristian Roldan assisting on both.
Ultimately, a rally wasn’t meant to be as the Sounders won the match 3-1, but lost the 3-3 series on the tiebreaker, courtesy of a late first-half goal from Tigres.
Sounders Return Home For Second Leg with Tigres Trying to Repeat Comeback History
The Seattle Sounders aren't an easy club to faze.
The squad has won the MLS Cup, Supporters' Shield, U.S. Open Cup, Concacaf Champions Cup and Leagues Cup in its storied history since joining MLS in 2009. With that amount of credibility in its trophy cabinet, Seattle is respected across the continent as a perennial contender.
So when the Sounders went to Monterrey last Wednesday to face Liga MX side Tigres UANL at el Volcan (the Volcano), as their stadium is known, Seattle was always going to compete for a result.
But the Sounders, thanks in part to poor offensive quality and elite play by Tigres in tight spaces, dropped the first-leg matchup 2-0 to fall in a deep hole in this Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal fixture.
They'll attempt to repeat an iconic 2013 comeback when they do battle with Tigres again on Wednesday night in Seattle.
Sounders Stumble in Monterrey, Drop First Leg of Concacaf Quarterfinal vs. Tigres
The Seattle Sounders were looking for the sound of silence at Estadio Universitario in Monterrey, Mexico on Wednesday night. But in the 79th minute of their Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinals first-leg duel with Liga MX side Tigres UANL, all they got was a deafening scene. Fans jumped in unison as their team had just scored a second goal to make it 2-0 and fought for a third, as the Sounders went on to suffer their first loss in any competition since February.
The Sounders will return to Lumen Field for the first time since Feb. 22 on April 15 to see out the second leg of the fixture, down 2-0 with a full week to lick its wounds.
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