Sounders Draw with LA Galaxy in 'Trap Game' as Key Players Return

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Seattle Sounders defender Reed Baker-Whiting dribbles against the LA Galaxy on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025 at Lumen Field in Seattle, Wash. (Mike Fiechtner / Sounders FC Communications) [/caption]

SEATTLE, Wash. — Brian Schmetzer’s pen was clicking something furious after Saturday night’s 2-2 draw against LA Galaxy.

His Seattle Sounders (12-7-9, fourth in Western Conference) had been up 2-0 late in the first half, but couldn't put away a Galaxy team playing many young players as they wade through the bottom of the MLS' Western Conference.

LA took advantage of a Seattle team that had just gotten Jordan Morris and Albert Rusnák back from injury.

Seattle totaled its third-highest MLS performance of 19 shots by the game’s end and amassed a 3.4-2.9 expected-goal win, so how did the Sounders come up with just a single point?

Well, for starters, this game was sandwiched between two games against the most famous MLS side in Inter Miami, which was dismantled on Aug. 31 for a Leagues Cup Final win by Seattle. The Sounders play Miami again on Tuesday.

"They're on a high, the first game back's always gonna be tricky," head coach Brian Schmetzer said of his team’s mental condition postgame. "This was a trap game from the beginning."

Ferreira Gets on the Board Early

New addition Jesús Ferreira has been tasked with filling in any role that Schmetzer needs. He's been extremely solid as the glue guy on the offensive side, uniting a solid midfield with an upstart attacking group at the 10. But for the most part, his standard offensive output hasn't jumped off the page. The former FC Dallas man had three MLS goals coming into Saturday's action and four in all competitions.

That changed just five minutes as Alex Roldan pushed a solid lead pass for Danny Musovski. Ferreira found himself in the spot that Musovski usually occupies—streaking to the net with an imminent pass from Musovski himself.

Ferreira struck it solid to make sure Seattle would play the beginning of this fixture in the driver's seat for his fourth goal of the MLS campaign and fifth in all competitions.

Musovski Eclipses Morris

This has been a dream season for a reserve striker in Danny Musovski. Coming into the night, his 13 MLS goals and 14 in all competitions were both career highs, as he has looked like an ample replacement for a consistently injured Jordan Morris.

Already sitting on a goal contribution, Musovski continued to work at the striker spot. And when Obed Vargas played a perfect through ball to Paul Rothrock, who started at the left wing with Pedro de la Vega out of the XI with tendonitis, Musovski was ready to receive the pass from the left side for a simple tap-in in the 41st.

His 14th MLS goal topped the MLS career high of one Jordan Morris as Musovski's dream season continues.

"I would say it's the best season of my career," Musovski said.

Yoshida Finally Gets LA on the Board

Seattle wouldn't have too long to ride that high, as Galaxy center back and captain Maya Yoshida halved the lead in the 44th minute.

Following a controversial foul, LA got a chance to display its set-piece preparation with a free kick from around 30 yards out. After a short play on the initial kick, Diego Fagundez meandered through the left side of the box and lobbed one into Yoshida on the far post, who headed it softly over Alex Roldan for a demoralizing score.

Although Schmetzer had plenty to say about the visitors’ goal, one of his thoughts was more lasting than the others.

"Somebody's gotta win that header," Schmetzer said.

Yamane Drops the Other Shoe

The Sounders had played with fire for a while at 2-1, as a unit with a few guys that hadn't played in a month tried to close it out. Morris came in in the 80th minute while Rusnák returned in the 59th to loud ovations from a thankful crowd.

But as a curling shot from Alex Roldan and a sensational Georgi Minoungou bicycle kick attempt missed, the Galaxy hung around down just one score.

In the 87th minute, Seattle got burned.

Mauricio Cuevas eluded A. Roldan and Yeimar on the Galaxy’s left wing, as both had moved towards the center to cover a burgeoning hole there. Cuevas delivered a rolling ball that found defender Miki Yamane, who slid in to put it past Stefan Frei for the equalizer. It was Yamane's first MLS goal.

Schmetzer didn't mince words, pointing out that a litany of players, including Ferreira, Rusnák and Yeimar, were out of position to set Cuevas up.

"That is an absolute terrible, terrible, terrible goal to give up. So that won't happen again," Schmetzer said as he banged the table in front of him.

The Sounders had chances late, including a shot from Rusnák on service from Minoungou that went wide right in the 92nd minute, but a winner wasn’t meant to be.

The reality set in as the final whistle rang out. Yeimar and A. Roldan had decent games on the defense end, making their usual elite contests on the ball. Cristian Roldan dropped down often to neutralize a top threat in LA's Joseph Paintsil, but this was just one of those nights where isolated moments can kill a team. Schmetzer wants his squad to be more patient in these situations going forward.

"Guys were trying to score the third goal, which I appreciate, nothing wrong with that," Schmetzer said. "But we're winning, we didn't have to score, we could have passed them to death."

Needless to say, no buses were parked on Saturday night.

The More Things Change, The More They Stay the Same

Rothrock started on the left side while Rusnák and Morris both saw game action on Saturday evening. Stefan Frei (five saves) even notched the start, a possible indicator that the job may be his to lose for the rest of the season, as neither goal was really on him.

With João Paolo trending in the right direction, the Sounders are close to full strength.

Rothrock found a home on the left wing early this season before losing that spot to Pedro de la Vega, who took home the Leagues Cup Player of the Tournament award. He's been relegated to the right side since then, where he's been more than serviceable. But with de la Vega sitting this game against an ailing LA side out with tendonitis, Rothrock looked amazing on the left wing in the first half with his assist to Musovski—another testament to this team’s versatility.

Morris was quiet, and Rusnák looked like a guy who's missed a month, as he will need some more reps to get back to game speed. But at the end of the day, with guys returning and this team coming off the highs of a trophy win, this—as Schmetzer said—was nothing more than a trap game.

Up Next

The Sounders won't have much time to dwell, as they head to Florida for a Leagues Cup rematch with Inter Miami on Tuesday. These two squads don’t face each other often, but the fight at the conclusion of the Aug. 31 game that got star Luis Suarez suspended for the upcoming game should add a layer of intrigue and rivalry.

Miami lost on Saturday night, as both squads should come into the grudge match even more fired up than usual.