Seattle Sounders Season Comes to a crashing halt at the hands of LAFC.

A promising and hopeful playoff run came to a sobering end Sunday when  LAFC  ended the Sounders playoff run and season with a 1-0 win at Lumen Field. The hope for the Rave Green was a seven-home unbeaten streak and a professional win over FC Dallas in the third and deciding game of the Western Conference  Round One playoff series. Add a two-game MLS playoff win streak against LAFC,  one can understand why the Rave Green felt they had the upper hand.

FAST START BUT NO RESULTS

With  35,000 plus chanting, singing, and creating a festival-like atmosphere the Sounders FC started on the front foot and took the game to the defending  MSL Champions. Josh Atencio,  Jordan Morris, and  Jackson Ragen all had clear chances for the Sounders to take the lead.   Morris’s breakaway shot in the fourth minute was the best chance of the three. Morris was fed an exquisite slide rule pass from  Cristian  Roldan which he deftly touched past two  LAFC defenders and charged toward the goal.  His right-footed flick was headed for the back of the goal until LAFC goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau swatted the ball out of the air with his big goalkeeper mitts.

ONE GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY

The Sounders’ lack of finishing allowed the visitors a  golden opportunity to get back in the game with more sustained ball possession that was made possible by multiple LAFC making runs toward the Sounders’ goal box. Seattle countered with a high press in an attempt to tip the balance of the game back in its favor. The strategy was sound, but the execution was not so much.

A stretched midfield and backline were caught off guard with a lethal counterattack that resulted in the game’s only goal.  LAFC  forward Carlos Vela hit a streaking  Denis Bouanga with a perfect pass to space to the left of the Sounders defense.  The  2023  Golden  Boat winner smashed a right-footed shot past the hapless Frei.

SEARCHING UNABLE TO FIND

A valiant second-half effort by the Rave Green never paid the intended dividends. Sounder head coach Brian Schmetzer inserted Nicolas Loiderio in the 57^th  minute for  Leo Chu hoping the club’s most prolific player since his arrival in 2016 would have one more golden touch. As has been the case since his arrival Lodeiro gave it his all and turned the game in the Sounder’s favor.  With the clock winding down  Schmetzer inserted Raul Ruidiaz for Jos Atencio. The latter another prolific performer for the club since his arrival in 2018. As has been the case all season when it came to scoring goals for the Sounders. The willingness was there but the execution was missing. An inability to find the equalizer saw the Rave Green’s season come to an abrupt end.

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