> ## 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 Stumble in Monterrey, Drop First Leg of Concacaf Quarterfinal vs. Tigres - URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/seattle-sounders-stumble-monterrey-first-leg-tigres/ - Published: 2026-04-09T05:34:36.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-08T06:15:14.000Z - Author: Qasim Ali - Tags: News, Analysis, Sounders, Brian Schmetzer, Cristian Roldan, Paul Rothrock, Paul Arriola, Nouhou \[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="2048"\] ![ Seattle Sounders forward Jordan Morris fights off Tigres defender Jesús Angulo for the ball during the first leg of the Concacaf quarterfinals at Estadio Universitario in San Nicolás de los Garza, Mexico. (Mike Fiechtner / Seattle Sounders Communications) ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1d/f2/1df2f77b-83dd-4bc0-a6d2-6d1bb5df89a3/content/images/2026/10/55196451140_8cc51bf7eb_k-format-original-1.jpg) Seattle Sounders forward Jordan Morris fights off Tigres defender Jesús Angulo for the ball during the first leg of the Concacaf quarterfinals at Estadio Universitario in San Nicolás de los Garza, Mexico. (Mike Fiechtner / Seattle Sounders Communications) \[/caption\] 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 in the continental competition with a full week to lick its wounds. The Rave Green will surely be hoping for more production on the offensive end as the Sounders mustered just two shots on target for 0.5 expected goals while allowing 1.8 xG on four shots on target as Tigres possessed the ball for 57% of the game. "We understand now the score is 2-0, so we understand the objective for next game," Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer said postgame. "The chances that we created, we should have scored at least one, maybe two… at the end of the game, they were putting us under a lot of pressure." ### Experienced Lineup Competes, Offense Sputters Schmetzer, known for choosing more experienced talent at times, leaned on his veterans when picking out Wednesday's lineup. He opted for 31-year-old former USMNT winger Paul Arriola over 25-year-old Jesús Ferreira (subbed on in the second half) on the right wing and put the club's all-time leading scorer, 31-year-old Jordan Morris, at starting striker for the first time this season. The only truly young player in the first XI was 19-year-old Snyder Brunell, who plays beyond his years in his second year with the first team. The result was a savvy lineup that capitalized on every chance to take the air out of the ball in a hostile stadium, nicknamed "el Volcán" ("the Volcano") for its fiery atmosphere. Paul Rothrock, manning the left wing again after scoring [a winner against Houston last week](https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/home/seattle-sounders-steal-one-houston-dynamo-paul-rothrock-stars-again), embellished on his fall after a tackle to draw a foul in the sixth minute. 31-year-old designated player Albert Rusnák drew a foul minutes later, dribbling deep in Seattle's territory to avoid a dangerous Tigres transition chance. Arriola, who talked about the importance of winning those small moments of reprieve after training last week, drew another (slightly embellished) foul in the 20th as Seattle refused to let Tigres get wind in their sails at home. 39-year-old keeper and club legend Stefan Frei was also tested early, making a diving stop on winger Ozziel Herrera's shot in the first minute off a quick steal. Two minutes later, 10-year Atletico Madrid man Ángel Correa took a shot from distance that just sailed wide left as Frei's dive would have ensured a save anyway. In the 18th, a strong strike from outside by midfielder César Araújo looked goal-bound before Frei deflected it with a strong one-handed diving save. Seattle was forcing Tigres into long shots early, many of which missed the frame as the home team managed just 0.3 xG out of its first 10 shots of the contest. On the offensive end, however, Seattle's quality never truly showed, especially early. The Sounders tried to get Tigres out of sorts with long balls and run outs from Arriola, but the home team showed discipline, handing Seattle three offsides calls in the first eight minutes of the game. The 10th minute saw Seattle's first chance, as Rusnák connected with Arriola on a long ball. Arriola's cross toward Rothrock in front of the goal was slid in front of by defender Jesús Garza, however, ending the danger. By the 34th, Seattle had a few long possessions that never remotely threatened Tigres, while two straight counterattacks saw Seattle get dispossessed. In the 44th minute, however, the dam broke on Seattle's defense. Seattle's star duelist, Nouhou, was left on an island with dynamic dribbling winger Diego Lainez, as the 25-year-old missed on a cross on the right side of Seattle's goal after dribbling past Nouhou. After his pass, however, Nouhou accidentally stepped on Lainez's right ankle. He went down in a deal of pain, as trainers sprayed something on Lainez's leg while a VAR check was initiated. With the foul occurring in the box, the referee awarded Tigres a stoppage-time penalty kick. While penalties are typically the specialty of Seattle's MLS starting keeper, Andrew Thomas, Frei served his purpose just fine by guessing the taker, Correa, would shoot to the keeper's right side. At any rate, the former La Liga man skied the penalty to prompt a collective exhale for Seattle going into the break. ### Goals Change Games Still with a chance to go ahead and score the ever-important away goal (the tie-breaker at the end of Concacaf fixtures), Seattle pushed to start the back 45. Cristian Roldan, fresh off his 400th start with Seattle, drew a penalty on a dribble up the right side. Rusnák then carried the rest of the way before Jackson Ragen dummied to lead to a Rothrock shot from about 15 yards out. Seattle's best look of the night went clear into the stands, but the Sounders made it apparent they were in this game. That sentiment was short-lived as disaster struck in the 51st. A deep ball from Tigres landed in Seattle territory, with midfielder Fernando Gorriarán controlling it and putting it off Alex Roldan's leg as a sort of self-pass. He then dribbled into the box and backheeled it for Herrera, who received the pass in stride and floated a shot over Frei on the left side for a beautiful team goal. Tigres kept their foot on the gas pedal, and el Volcan bubbled with excitement and relief. This was the same venue that had chewed up an FC Cincinnati squad heading into Monterrey up 3-0 after its home leg and spit them back out with a 5-1 loss in the previous round, after all. Lainez drew another free kick off Nouhou moments later, while Cristian Roldan showed a rare moment of frustration, pointing his finger in striker Rodrigo Aguirre's face after a rough tackle. That moment escalated into a shoving altercation that landed Roldan and Gorriarán with yellow cards. In the 63rd, Seattle got what would be its last real chance to score. Cristian Roldan delivered a perfect through ball to Arriola, who put a simple cross-box ball in to Rothrock. The team's leading scorer made solid contact with the ball, but Tigres’ own 40-year-old keeper Nahuel Guzmán used his trailing leg on a dive to keep Rothrock's sliding shot out. "Goals change games. If we get one of those chances, maybe it's a different outcome," Schmetzer said. Tigres would double its advantage as Correa dribbled through the left side of Seattle's defense to help draw a corner kick. The in-swinging corner was there for defender Joaquim to head in right in front of the net, but it barely missed him. Instead, Ragen made contact with force, heading it in for a costly own goal to make Seattle's job that much harder in the return leg. ### Up Next: A Herculean Effort Luckily for Seattle, a rescheduling of its April 12 MLS fixture with Real Salt Lake at home means the Sounders will have time to rest before they do battle with Tigres again on April 15\. Mind you, this is a Sounders offense that has scored six goals in six MLS games to pair with five goals in three Concacaf games. At any rate, the Sounders will need to replicate their iconic 2013 feat (and then some) when they took down this same Liga MX squad 3-1 in the return leg after losing 1-0 in Monterrey. This time, there's no Djimi Traoré or DeAndre Yedlin to save the day. There’s only a fanbase hungry for another rousing comeback and a trophy before the summer break.