Sounders Fend Off Galaxy to Punch Ticket to Leagues Cup Final Against Messi's Miami
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(From left to right) Seattle Sounders players Paul Rothrock, Osaze De Rosario, Nouhou and Pedro de la Vega celebrate De Rosario’s goal against the LA Galaxy in the Leagues Cup semifinal on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025 at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif. (Mike Fiechtner / Sounders FC Communications) [/caption]
The Seattle Sounders found themselves in a similar position on Wednesday night. A semifinal in a major competition against a familiar rival in the Los Angeles Galaxy, this time in the Leagues Cup instead of the MLS Cup Playoffs from last November. That game, of course, resulted in a 1-0 loss that still haunts many Sounders players to this day as the Galaxy went on to win the 2024 MLS Cup.
But the Rave Green handled business against their foes from Carson, beating the Galaxy 2-0 and dominating parts of the game with higher physicality and strong presses. Pedro de la Vega found his third goal of the tournament, as did Osaze De Rosario, whose up-and-down night panned out for Seattle. The win means the Sounders will host Lionel Messi and Inter Miami on Sunday in the Leagues Cup Final — as Lumen Field is sure to be buzzing with the excitement of hosting one of the best to ever do it with a trophy on the line.
Wednesday saw a 2.6 to 0.3 expected-goal night for the Sounders, who had far more opportunities thanks to an aggressive press and plenty of physical runs at the goal, despite a 61% possession advantage for LA.
In all the celebration, however, Seattle's best defensive piece in Nouhou picked up a questionable red card that will sideline him for another marquee matchup in a season chock-full of them for the Sounders.
Sounders Come Out on the Front Foot
The Sounders wasted no time getting on top of their rival. With promising attacks from the first minute on, Osaze De Rosario and Jesús Ferreira displayed the chemistry they've built with more reps. De Rosario was able to work into a 1-on-1 situation with Galaxy keeper Novak Micovic in the fifth minute, but had a grounded shot saved by Micovic, something that would become a theme.
Keeping that pressure on, the Sounders found a counterattack in the seventh as Cristian Roldan played a pretty through-ball to De Rosario in the middle of the field. De Rosario found himself getting blocked away by Micovic again, but a tame bounce from the ball allowed Paul Rothrock to keep the Sounders' opportunity alive.
After another shot from Ferreira, Pedro de la Vega caught the rebound and launched a sure-footed shot right past an exasperated Micovic, whose line simply couldn't find clearance.
With the Sounders’ quick pace, LA's dynamic offense started to find cracks after the first 15 minutes, which were all but dominated by Seattle. Although the Galaxy were possessing the ball more, C. Roldan and others disarmed attackers, and Seattle rarely let a Galaxy player through its backline. Crosses were met with strong grabs by keeper Andrew Thomas and swift clearances — hence the low xG figure for LA.
Osaze Redeems Himself
De Rosario wasn't having a "bad" game all around.
The young Defiance product had been putting the pressure on LA in its backfield all night long and doing all the dirty work for the Sounders before the 60-minute mark, but just didn't have the touch that you want from your striker. He had another breakaway 1-on-1 with Micovic in the 51st, but was blocked again as he couldn't get a wider touch on the shot, as it felt like leading scorer Danny Musovski, who missed the game due to last week’s red card, may have been a better option.
But in the 58th minute, De Rosario put it all together. He fielded the ball in the box off a throw-in and flicked it up over a defender. He then bowled through two Galaxy players to get a handle on his own pass and found the touch he couldn't all night with a nifty shot to the left side of the net to add an insurance goal.
For De Rosario, that payoff was a result of keeping a cool head on an otherwise frustrating night on offense.
“I had a couple chances that I didn’t score, so I was definitely wanting to get a goal and I felt like that was my opportunity,” De Rosario said. “Just sheer willpower and ran the ball into the net.”
Nouhou Goes Missing, Again
With the game in hand, Nouhou went for a challenge on Gabriel Pec on the right wing in the 82nd minute.
He had dominated the game for the most part, locking down Pec and Paintsil at every corner, but he'd wash it all away in one second.
He went in for a slide tackle on Pec, and while he got the ball, his follow-through took out Pec's legs. Nouhou was shown a yellow immediately, and the referee went to VAR to see if there was any malicious intent that warranted upgraded discipline.
Seattle fans waited with baited breath as the prospect of their best defender being sidelined for a Sunday date with Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba came into focus.
Moments later, that fear was realized as Nouhou was shown a red card.
Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer didn't agree with the decision after the game, chalking the ejection up to slow-motion replay making the challenge seem more dangerous than it was.
While fans seem to be split online in their reception of the red card, with half chalking it up to usual Nouhou antics and the other contending that a red was too harsh given that he got the ball first, the facts remain. This is not the first time a Nouhou ejection has cost Seattle.
His July 12 ejection against Kansas City may have been far more theatrical, but Seattle will be missing its leftback all the same in a game they could really use him in.
Late Chances Don't Pan Out For LA
The Sounders, down to 10 men, had to withstand a late flurry of crosses from the LA. The Galaxy ended up winning that category 17-6, but Seattle's backline wasn't having any of it. Yeimar put together yet another man-of-the-match level performance, going 5-5 in ground duels and 4-7 up top (via FotMob).
It was a frustrating day for the star-studded attacking midfield for LA, as Joseph Paintsil, Marco Reus, and Pec combined for one touch inside Seattle's 18.
That was the plan for Schmetzer's crew, which cleared 21 balls to four for LA.
Up Next
The Sounders will face an Inter Miami team on Sunday night that scored three goals in 15 minutes to mount a comeback against Orlando City. Messi had a brace in that flurry and is getting back to form after an injury had him miss much of the Leagues Cup.
That game is scheduled to kick off at 4:55 p.m. on Sunday night at Lumen Field in the latest high-profile match for the Sounders.
“It’s a big deal of course, just the atmosphere alone, but we’re ready,” De Rosario said of the final.
