Sounders Maintain Strong Form, Dismantle Galaxy on the Road
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Paul Rothrock (left) and Danny Musovski (right) celebrate after a goal during an MLS game against the LA Galaxy on Aug. 10, 2025 at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. (Jen Flores / Sounders FC Communications) [/caption]
The Seattle Sounders and Los Angeles Galaxy both qualified for the Leagues Cup Quarterfinal ahead of their MLS duel on Sunday night. But Seattle showed why it's fourth in the Western Conference while the Galaxy resides in last place in a 4-0 blowout win in the building the Sounders were eliminated in last year.
Danny Musovski's brace may have pushed Seattle across the line, and Snyder Brunell's debut featured his first MLS goal, but it was just a dominant win all around for the Rave Green against the defending MLS Cup champs.
“It doesn’t erase the sting of last November, but it was a good result,” Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer said.
A Quiet Opening Stanza for the Sounders, a Quiet Game for the Galaxy
Neither squad could get real scoring opportunities early. Despite LA giving up the second-most goals of any MLS team this season, its backline caught up to runners like Paul Rothrock on the wing and kept Seattle out of its third with a decently aggressive press.
Most times through the first 20 minutes, the rare service that Seattle could generate was tapped away by a sea of white shirts - except for a first-minute Danny Musovski header gone awry and a 19th-minute Jesús Ferreira shot that rolled wide right.
As you can surmise from the final scoreline, things didn’t stay so perfect for LA’s defense by full-time.
The Sounders backline, however, kept up its effort for the full 90 to produce its first MLS clean sheet since June 28.
Nouhou shut down Galaxy stars Joseph Painstil and Gabriel Pec, who switched sides at halftime, while Yeimar was a “beast,” by Schmetzer’s account alongside Kim Kee-Hee and Alex Roldan.
In the end, the Galaxy ended with just eight total shots as most of its opportunities were snuffed out before they could reach Andrew Thomas, who had three saves.
Rothrock Changes the Game Outside the Stat Sheet
Rothrock has found a home on the right wing after starting most of the season on the left and losing the spot to an upstart Pedro de la Vega while dealing with a hand injury. Well, the 26-year old from Seattle looked just fine in that spot for his hometown Sounders on Sunday night.
Rothrock ran alongside LA defender Julián Aude in the 25th and watched a perfect pass from de la Vega meet him at the right post. He made decent contact as a sliding Aude took the ball the rest of the way for an own goal to open the scoring - a goal that doesn’t happen without Rothrock’s speed on the backside.
“That was a tremendous ball by Pedro, but it’s Paul’s effort. It’s his hustle, it’s his being in the right spot,” Schmetzer said of the opening score.
With Seattle now firmly in control by creating more real opportunities than an LA team that wouldn't put a shot on goal in the first half, Rothrock continued to be aggressive.
He got a pass back from Obed Vargas on the right wing in the 37th and laid a perfect rolling through ball down the right side for a sprinting Musovski in stride. Musovski's first look was blocked as he scored on the rebound, meaning Rothrock gets no credit on the statsheet for his hand in Seattle's opening two goals.
“It was a great ball from Paul, we kind of gave each other a little quick look right before he made that through ball, because I know when he’s playing on the right or left, that’s just something I need to be aware of,” Musovski said.
In short, Rothrock flipped a 0-0 ballgame on its head.
Musovski's Everywhere
You know by now that Danny Musovski finished with a brace, and his second goal was also a result of being in the right place at the right time.
Musovski calmly tapped in a kick-saved shot from Ferreira to notch his 10th MLS goal of the season in the 54th and put Seattle up a seemingly insurmountable three goals.
“It also helps when the team is executing all over the field,” Musovski said. “I just feel like I’m finding myself in the right place at the right time, but that’s a credit to the service as well. … They all count the same.”
With tonight’s game, Musovski eclipsed his career-high for minutes played in a single MLS season. He attributed his goal-scoring rhythm to his improved availability and health in 2025.
“Last year, maybe although I wasn’t out with injury, I was dealing with a lot of small, niggling injuries that were bothering me. This year, I haven’t had any of that, and if I have had it, I’ve managed it well,” Musovski said, appreciating the continuity he’s gotten from a full season. “As a forward, momentum is huge. … once you get a little bit of confidence, it helps you going into every single game.”
LA finished this game with three shots on goal and just 0.36 expected goals as a team, which makes Danny Musovski's 1.83 expected goals and three shots on target that much more impressive.
The 29-year old hasn't looked like a drop-off from the franchise's all-time leading scorer in Jordan Morris, who will likely return from injury in September. Musovski came into the game third in goals per 90 minutes behind Osaze De Rosario and Morris, and continues to prove a valuable asset close to the net for Schmetzer.
Young Snyder Finishes It
Tacoma Defiance signee Snyder Brunell made his debut for the Sounders during the Leagues Cup, but was yet to play an MLS opponent until Sunday night.
With his side up 3-0 in the 73rd minute, Schmetzer trotted the 18-year old onto the pitch. After skying a shot in the 84th, the young midfielder followed a promising pass from Alex Roldan to the top of the six-yard box. The Kirkland product tapped the pass past two Galaxy players to net his first goal with Seattle's first team.
“It was a crazy feeling,” Brunell said of the moment. "I was like, ‘Just hit the target and I’m fine.’”
Schmetzer was thrilled to see his young player score, more specifically in the manner that he did. Multiple Sounders touched the ball right before Brunell scored it.
“The goal that he actually scored was a great team goal. So that kid has a bright future if he can keep going and keep learning,” Schmetzer said, as he could be seen smiling on the bench on the broadcast following the score.
Brunell plans to sleep in and have a celebratory breakfast with his parent to celebrate the milestone.
Fair enough.
Up Next
Six days off probably sounds like a blessing for a worn-down and beat-up Seattle side.
The Sounders will have that much time to rest before doing battle at third-place Minnesota in a crucial game for standings next Saturday. All the while, Seattle's August 20 battle with Puebla in the Leagues Cup Quarterfinal looms.
