Before leaving the Starfire Sports Complex on Sunday morning Sounders FC head coach Brian Coach Brian Schmetzer told the assembled media members that he stressed to his team that Tuesday night’s their Western Conference Final against LAFC was to be strictly a business. Handle the task at hand with precision and rigor.
With said fire in eyes a focused and determined Sounders team overcame an early LAFC set piece goal by Eduard Atuesta in the 17th minute after Carlos Vela was fouled just outside of the Sounders 18-yard-box. The un yelding Sounders response was quick and swift as the visitors tied the game four minutes later on Raul Ruidiaz goal in the 22nd minute
The Sounders took the lead for good in the 26th minute when captain Nicolás Lodeiro took a Joevin Jones pass at the top of the LAFC area and slotted a quick shot past an outstretched Tyler Miller. At 2-1, Lodeiro passed Clint Dempsey for the most postseason goals in Sounders FC history, as the Uruguayan recorded his team-best seventh playoff strike on the play.
The Sounders clinched there spot in the MLS Title Game when Ruidiaz secured his first postseason brace when he buried a Loderio pass into the back of the LAFC goal in the 64th minute .
GAME NOTES
MATCH NOTES
- Seattle is 1-1 all-time in MLS Cup, as they bested Toronto FC in 2016 by penalty shootout and fell to Toronto in 2017 by a 2-0 score. Both contests were played at BMO Field in Toronto.
- Sounders FC tonight recorded its first ever win over LAFC, improving to 1-3-1 all-time against Los Angeles FC.
- Ruidíaz has now recorded six goals and three assists in five career playoff matches, including three goals and three assists in three games this season. His brace tonight was the second of his playoff career, as he tallied two markers on November 8, 2018 against Portland. Ruidíaz is now tied for second in club history in postseason goals with six. Tonight’s match was the first for Ruidíaz against LAFC in his career.
- Lodeiro has recorded seven goals and six assists in 16 career playoff games, including two goals and four assists and three games this season. Lodeiro tonight became Sounders FC’s all-time leading postseason goal scorer, surpassing Clint Dempsey. Lodeiro is now in sole position of fourth among active players in postseason goals scored. He trails only Bradley Wright-Phillips (9), Jozy Altidore (8) and Will Bruin (8).
- Jones has now recorded seven assists in 14 career playoff games and tops Sounders FC’s all-time assist leaderboard. He is now tied for second among active players in postseason assists, trailing only Lee Nguyen (8) and tied with Diego Valeri (7
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 3 – Los Angeles FC 1
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Venue: Banc of California Stadium
Referee: Jair Marrufo
Assistants: Frank Anderson, Logan Brown
Fourth Official: Ted Unkel
Attendance: 22,099
Weather: 72 degrees and clear
SCORING SUMMARY
LAFC – Eduard Atuesta 17′
SEA – Raúl Ruidíaz (Nicolás Lodeiro, Jordan Morris) 22′
SEA – Nicolás Lodeiro (Joevin Jones) 26′
SEA – Raúl Ruidíaz (Nicolás Lodeiro) 64′
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
SEA – Kelvin Leerdam 81′
SEA – Nouhou 90’+3′
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC – Stefan Frei; Kelvin Leerdam, Kim Kee-Hee, Xavier Arreaga, Brad Smith (Román Torres 88′); Gustav Svensson, Cristian Roldan; Joevin Jones (Jordy Delem 64′), Nicolás Lodeiro, Jordan Morris (Nouhou 76′); Raúl Ruidíaz
Substitutes not used: Bryan Meredith, Victor Rodríguez, Harry Shipp, Luis Silva
Total shots: 11 (Ruidíaz, 5)
Shots on goal: 5 (Ruidíaz, 3)
Fouls: 12 (Leerdam/Lodeiro, 3)
Offside: 3 (Ruidíaz, 2)
Corner-kicks: 2 (Lodeiro, 2)
Saves: 3 (Frei, 3)
Los Angeles FC – Tyler Miller; Eddie Segura, Jordan Harvey, Tristan Blackmon,
Walker Zimmerman; Eduard Atuesta, Latif Blessing (Mark-Anthony Kaye HT), Lee
Nguyen (Adrien Pérez 77′); Brian Rodriguez (Adama Diomande
53′), Diego Rossi, Carlos Vela
Substitutes not used: Dejan Jakovic, Mohamed El-Munir, Steven
Beitashour
Total shots: 14 (Diomande, 3)
Shots on goal: 4 (four tied, 1)
Fouls: 9 (Atuesta, 4)
Offside: 1 (Rossi, 1)
Corner-kicks: 9 (Vela, 6)
Saves: 2 (Miller, 2)
