Sounders FC was eliminated from League Cup after blowing a two-goal lead.

Needing to win by an improbable three-goal margin against FC Monterrey in game two of the Leagues Cup group stage the mission looked probable after the Sounders scored the first two goals of the match. Two minutes into the match Nicolas Lodeiro gave the Sounders a 1-0 lead when he sent a free kick past Monterrey keeper Estaban Andrada.

Four minutes later the Sounders doubled the lead when Leo Chu’s cross found a wide-open Jordan Morris behind the Monterrey defense. Morris headed the ball into the back of the net to make believers of the home crowd.

FIGHT BACK

Despite the yells and chants of the crowd Monterrey buckled down and found a foothold in the game and scored in the 31st minute. The visitors leveled the game in first-half stoppage time when German Berterame completed his first-half brace by converting his team’s awarded penalty kick. A horrified home crowd saw the situation go from bad to worse when Monterrey forward Jodi Cortizo gave the visitors the lead three minutes into the second half. Berterame turned the crowd into zombies when completed his hat trick in the 63rd minute.

POST GAME NOTES

• Sounders FC concludes its run in the 2023 Leagues Cup in the Group Stage, following tonight’s loss and last Saturday’s defeat at Real Salt Lake (0 points in West 2 Group). Leagues Cup is a month-long, World Cup-style tournament featuring every team from Major League Soccer and Liga MX, Mexico’s topflight men’s soccer league. Seattle previously advanced to the 2021 Leagues Cup Final in a previous iteration of the tournament.

• In Leagues Cup 2023, the top two teams from each group advance to compete in the single-match elimination Knockout Rounds, beginning with the Round of 32 on August 2-4, followed by the Round of 16 on August 6-8, the Quarterfinals on August 11-12 and the two Semifinal matches on August 15. The Leagues Cup 2023 Final and Third Place match are being held on Saturday, August 19, determining the three clubs that qualify for the 2024 Concacaf Champions League.

• Nicolás Lodeiro bagged his second goal of 2023 across all competitions with a free-kick strike in the second minute of play to open Sunday’s scoring.

• Lodeiro’s opening strike was his 58^th goal in all competitions for the Rave Green dating back to mid-2016, enabling the Uruguayan to pass former teammate Clint Dempsey for sole possession of fourth place on the all-time scoring list for Sounders FC.

• Jordan Morris notched his first goal since returning from international duty with the United States Men’s National Team, converting a Léo Chú pass in the sixth minute of play for his team-leading 10^th goal in all competitions.

• Léo Chú’s hot streak in 2023 continues, with the Brazilian winger earning his first League Cup assist of the season on Morris’ goal. Through 23 MLS matches this season, Chú has three goals and eight assists.

• Goalkeeper Stefan Cleveland returned to the starting lineup for Brian Schmetzer tonight, replacing the injured Stefan Frei, who had minor finger surgery earlier this week. Cleveland has regularly deputized for Frei since his arrival in Seattle in 2020, making seven starts in goal during MLS play in 2022, preceded by 15 starts in 2021. Cleveland previously started four games for the Rave Green in earlier this season (two in MLS, two in U.S. Open Cup play).

MATCH SUMMARY

Seattle Sounders FC 2 – C.F. Monterrey 4

Leagues Cup 2023 – Group Stage

Sunday, July 30, 2023

Venue: Emerald Queen Casino Pitch at Lumen Field

Referee: Bryan López

Assistants: Leonardo Javier Castillo Rodriguez, Rodrigo Sansores

Fourth Official: Daniel Quintero Huitrón

VAR: Óscar Macias Romo

Attendance: 33,508

Weather: 70 degrees and clear

SCORING SUMMARY

SEA – Nico Lodeiro 2’

SEA – Jordan Morris (Léo Chú) 6’

MTR – Germán Berterame 31’

MTR – Germán Berterame (penalty) 45’+2’

MTR – Jordi Cortizo (Germán Berterame) 48’

MTR – Germán Berterame 63’

MISCONDUCT SUMMARY

MTR – Héctor Moreno (caution) 1’

SEA – Nico Lodeiro (caution) 37’

SEA – Jackson Ragen (caution) 72’

SEA – Yeimar (ejection) 86’

LINEUPS & STATS

Seattle Sounders FC – Stefan Cleveland; Alex Roldan (Reed Baker-Whiting 69’), Yeimar, Jackson Ragen, Nouhou (Cody Baker 78’); João Paulo (Josh Atencio 78’), Albert Rusnák (Héber 69’), Jordan Morris, Nico Lodeiro, Léo Chú (Obed Vargas 57’); Raúl Ruidíaz

Substitutes not used: Andrew Thomas, Jacob Castro, Abdoulaye Cissoko, Fredy Montero

Total shots: 10

Shots on goal: 5

Fouls: 13

Offside: 1

Corner-Kicks: 6

Saves: 5

C.F. Monterrey – Esteban Andrada; Eric Aguirre, Victor Guzmán, Héctor Moreno (Jesús Gallardo 46’), Sebastián Vegas; Maximiliano Meza, Jonathan Gonzalez (Luis Romo 46’), Omar Govea (Kevin Ortega 69’), Joao Rojas López; Rogelio Funes Mori (Jordi Cortizo 46’), Germán Berterame (Ali Avila 77’)

Substitutes not used: Luis Cárdenas, César Ramos, Edson Guitérrez, Daniel Parra, Stean Medina, Erick Carballo, Victor Lopez

Total shots: 17

Shots on goal: 9

Fouls: 10

Offside: 0

Corner-kicks: 8

Saves: 3

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