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# de la Vega Suffers Serious Injury as Sounders Down NYCFC on Decision Day
- URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/pedro-de-la-vega-injury-sounders-nycfc-decision-day/
- Published: 2025-10-19T18:12:23.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-08T05:57:37.000Z
- Author: Qasim Ali
- Tags: News, Analysis, Sounders, Brian Schmetzer, Pedro de la Vega, Jordan Morris, Jesus Ferreira, Jackson Ragen, Albert Rusnak

\[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1416"\]

![ Seattle Sounders forward Jordan Morris dribbles the ball during an MLS match against New York City FC on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025 at Citi Field in New York. (Caean Couto / Sounders FC Communications) ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1d/f2/1df2f77b-83dd-4bc0-a6d2-6d1bb5df89a3/content/images/2026/10/54863923883_8364b5e938_k-format-original.jpg)

Seattle Sounders forward Jordan Morris dribbles the ball during an MLS match against New York City FC on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025 at Citi Field in New York. (Caean Couto / Sounders FC Communications) \[/caption\]

The Seattle Sounders came into Saturday’s Decision Day road clash with New York City FC locked into fifth place in MLS’ Western Conference.

Even though Seattle had nothing to gain in the standings, head coach Brian Schmetzer told media all week that his team wouldn’t “roll over” when traveling across the country for their final match, and would try to win this game as professionals.

True to his word, Schmetzer rolled out key pieces like Pedro de la Vega, Jordan Morris, Albert Rusnák and Nouhou while resting midfielders Obed Vargas and Cristian Roldan. With a solid lineup, the Sounders nearly kept NYCFC off the board completely but for a tough goal off a turnover, and leveraged headers from Morris and Ragen to win the contest 2-1\. It was Morris’ first goal since July as the franchise’s all-time scoring leader looks to turn the corner just in time for next week’s playoffs. Alex Roldan looked right at home at centerback when filling in for an injured Yeimar, while Ragen was elite in an effort that saw Seattle win duels 43-35.

> BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANG 💥  
>  
> Jackson rises up to give us the lead! [pic.twitter.com/CaODjOTXOr](https://t.co/CaODjOTXOr?ref=emeraldcityspectrum.com)— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) [October 19, 2025](https://twitter.com/SoundersFC/status/1979700850630246797?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=emeraldcityspectrum.com)

With the result, Seattle officially closes the season 15-9-10 and awaits later matches from Minnesota United, LAFC and San Diego FC to learn their first-round foe for next week’s postseason opener.

But the lingering takeaway from this match will be what happened 18 minutes in when de la Vega made contact leg-to-leg with Tayvon Gray.

de la Vega, who had been dealing with knee tendonitis and missed much of September with the ailment, went to the ground immediately and grabbed his right leg while shouting in pain. After over five minutes on the ground at Citi Field, the Leagues Cup MVP was carted off with his hands on his face. It was the worst result Schmetzer’s crew could have had as they tried to get their star back in form before an impending playoff run.