> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Sounders Renew Semifinal Rivalry with Galaxy in Leagues Cup - URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/seattle-sounders-semifinal-rivalry-galaxy-leagues-cup/ - Published: 2025-08-26T23:06:23.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-08T06:18:37.000Z - Author: Qasim Ali - Tags: Sounders, Nouhou \[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="2048"\] ![ Seattle Sounders defender Nouhou dribbles through LA Galaxy defenders on Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025 at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. (Jen Flores / Sounders FC Communications) ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1d/f2/1df2f77b-83dd-4bc0-a6d2-6d1bb5df89a3/content/images/2026/10/54713309110_5cd37ca60a_k-format-original.jpg) Seattle Sounders defender Nouhou dribbles through LA Galaxy defenders on Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025 at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. (Jen Flores / Sounders FC Communications) \[/caption\] For the second year in a row, the Seattle Sounders will face off against the Los Angeles Galaxy in the semifinal of a major competition. Last year, the two teams met in an MLS Western Conference Final matchup that the Galaxy won and went on to claim the MLS Cup. This year, the Galaxy have looked far removed from the defending champs they are supposed to be, and sit at dead-last in the Western Conference. This tournament against Liga MX sides has been a bright spot in an otherwise disastrous campaign for LA. Meanwhile, Seattle is in great form at fourth in the west and is the only team to go 4-0-0 in Leagues Cup play thus far. But considering the Leagues Cup may be LA’s last chance at redemption in 2025, the Sounders should have their hands full come Wednesday night on the road. “I fully expect a different look, but our objectives are still the same,” Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer said of LA on Tuesday. The winner of Wednesday’s match will earn an automatic 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup berth and a spot in Sunday’s final against the winner of the Orlando-Miami semifinal. The loser will also play on Sunday, facing the corresponding team in the other semifinal in a third-place game to decide one more Champions Cup birth. *All stats are via MLS, fbref.com and FotMob.com. Expected goals are via MLS.* ### Matchup History Wednesday's match will be the second installment of what has turned into a three-game series between these two squads in just over a month. The Sounders mauled LA 4-0 on August 10 at Dignity Health Sports Park and will host the reigning champs in mid-September in the second leg of their MLS season series, with this high-stakes matchup sandwiched in between. In that 4-0 win, Danny Musovski notched a brace by being in the right place at the right time, while Paul Rothrock and Snyder Brunell each contributed to goals to beat a Galaxy backline that appeared overwhelmed. The Sounders worked behind LA with relative ease and seemed to be the first to practically every ball. The frustration was clear on the face of Galaxy keeper Novak Micovic while resignation showed on the faces of most outfield players. Seattle picked up so many solid opportunities that it won the expected-goal battle 4.3 to 0.6 and netted a 24-to-eight shot advantage. The Sounders were also bolstered by some key saves from Andrew Thomas to keep LA's three shots on goal out of the net. But for some late pushes by Galaxy star forward Joseph Painstil, the Galaxy offense looked uninspired and overmatched. Seattle's backline blocked six shots on its own, as Yeimar and Nouhou hounded LA's star scorers in Painstil and Gabriel Pec. The Galaxy’s 1-0 win over Seattle last November to advance to the MLS Cup Final is ancient history by now, considering how different both squads are. Nevertheless, the Sounders haven’t been shy to admit that loss still hurts in 2025, and should come out showing it in this next matchup. Seattle leads the all-time series with the Galaxy 21-14-18 (W-L-D). ### LA Galaxy Overview The Galaxy are in decent form in the three games since the 4-0 drubbing by Seattle a few weeks ago. LA was outmatched by Inter Miami and lost 3-1 on the road, but had that game 1-1 until Lionel Messi struck late to break the game open. LA followed that loss up with a 2-1 Leagues Cup quarterfinal win over Pachuca and a 3-0 statement win over Colorado on Saturday. For a team in the shape that LA has been in all season, this is about as good a form as it'll get to in 2025. With all that in mind, it's unwise to assume Seattle dusts a team simply because it handled them with relative ease before. Even worse, a team that hoisted a major trophy less than a year ago. Painstil and Pec flashed at times in isolation on either wing in LA's last loss to Seattle, and have combined for over 11 goals this season in MLS play. Painstil has been among the most productive players in all of the Leagues Cup thus far, as his 18 shots are tied for the most in the tournament, while his 11 shots on target lead all players. Galaxy forward Matheus Nascimento has found a home in the Leagues Cup, scoring three goals in four games vs. two goals in 19 games of other competitions. Nascimento’s status is something to monitor as matchday approaches, as the 21-year old Brazilian didn’t play in the Colorado game with a groin injury. Marco Reus is coming off a goal in the Galaxy's win over Pachuca and is LA's leading goal contributor with five scores and eight assists. Painstil, Pec and Reus all subbed on in the 64th minute of Saturday’s win, and should be in solid condition for the semifinal. More factors for Schmetzer to account for. As a team, the Galaxy's 11 goals in four Leagues Cup games are the most in the tournament, just ahead of second-place Seattle with 10 (11 if you count an own goal against Santos Laguna). Considering the Galaxy are bottom-10 in the MLS in goals scored and bottom-three in expected goals, it's fair to assume Seattle will be dealing with a new beast on Wednesday night. Added to the fact that the Galaxy will be looking for revenge for their 4-0 loss to Seattle and redemption for a lost MLS campaign, this game has the makings of a real grudge match for LA’s offense. Defensively, the Galaxy are among the MLS' most questionable units. While LA is allowing a goal per game in Leagues Cup play, the Galaxy have allowed 52 goals in 27 MLS matches this season. LA has allowed one goal in its last two games though and Micovic really stood out even in that 3-1 loss to Inter Miami. Expect to see more of an effort to prevent opportunistic Sounders runs this time around — especially as Danny Musovski watches from the sideline. ### Sounders Overview Seattle has also gone 2-1-0 since its last matchup with LA, and is coming off a 5-2 thrashing of Sporting Kansas City on Sunday. Seattle has lost just once in its last 13 fixtures as life after the Club World Cup has been quite sweet for the Sounders. The Galaxy may lead the Leagues Cups in goals, but Seattle has a narrow advantage on expected goals, 11.67 to 11.09, as the two sides once again lead the field. Seattle will be missing its leading goal scorer in Musovski after the striker picked up a costly red card against Puebla last week, as Osaze De Rosario will likely step in at the nine. De Rosario came on late in Sunday's win, and should have rested legs to play a large portion of the match considering Seattle's lack of depth at striker with Jordan Morris still hurt. Pedro de la Vega, Nouhou, and Obed Vargas didn't play at all on Sunday, as Seattle will have key assets rested and ready to go at all three levels. Star midfielder Cristian Roldan did make a start in that game, however, as rest has been hard to come by for the Sounders’ most reliable player. He made a great pairing with Snyder Brunell in the midfield, but pairing back up with Vargas should put Seattle’s defense back in elite shape. Andrew Thomas has earned the right to start in Leagues Cup matches and has done a solid job while Stefan Frei gets back to his usual starting spot in MLS competitions. Thomas looked decent in the 4-0 win, but again, most of the onus fell on a backline that played one of its best games of the season in LA. Nouhou and Yeimar got the best of this talented Galaxy attack last time around and will need to show the same ferocity in winning duels and blocking shots this time around. All in all, LA may be in good form, but Seattle is in excellent shape for this rematch. ### The Verdict Don't expect a thrashing from the Sounders this time around. This is the Galaxy's Super Bowl. They don't have a chance to defend their MLS title, so winning this game to secure a spot in Concacaf and a chance to win some hardware in an otherwise lost season means plenty. For Seattle, the Leagues Cup remains the only North American title the Rave Green haven't hoisted. Through aggressive rotation, Schmetzer has ensured his players will enter Wednesday's action rested. But it's on the Sounders to win the mental battle and take this hungry LA squad seriously. The key to this game logistically is just about the same as it was two weeks ago, though. Find ways to keep Painstil and Pec out of the box on dynamic runs and put some goals on a tortured LA defense and you will find a win. Considering the form Seattle is in, there's no reason the Sounders shouldn't be playing for a trophy come Sunday.