Sounders beat LAFC 2-1 advance to Conference Finals

To a man, the Sounders checked every box in their improbable 2-1 extra-time victory over LAFC. The win looked improbable when it was announced the Sounders would be without left back Nouhou  ( sickness) and left winger Paul Rothrock with a quadriceps injury.  Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer made the first of several brilliant moves.

TACTICAL LINEUP AND FORMATION

Schmetzer inserted Jonathan Bell on the left side of a back three line with Jackson Ragen and Yeimar Gomez. Reed Baker-Whitting started on the left in midfield with Obed Vargas, Cristian Roldan in the middle, and  Alex Roldan on the right. Albert Rusnák played a false nine behind  Jordan Morris and Pedro de la Vega, who were upfront.  With four midfield players, the Sounders could stay compact in the middle, making it difficult for  LAFC  to initiate their high-flying counter-attacking offense.

FAMILIAR LINEUP

  LAFC coach  Steve Cherundolo started the game with his customary 3-4-3 formation, which featured a lethal and dangerous front life consisting of   Denis Bounga on the left wing,  Olivier Giroud in the center, and Mateusz Bogusz on the right. The trio was held in check due to the Sounders clogging the middle and forcing LAFC to play in the broad areas where the  Rave Green had numbers to smother the attack. As a result neither side was able to attack through the clogged midfield.

FIRST SHOT ON THE FRAME

The Sounder’s first shot on goal came in the 39^th minute when Obed Vargas’s right-footed shot from distance forced a save from Hugo Lloris. Seattle’s best chance came in the 43^rd minute when Rusnáck’s free-kick into the LAFC  goal areas caused a collision between Morris and Lloris, leaving the ball for Bell, who could not get the ball over the goal line after two attempts. LAFC defender Maxime Chanot got a foot on Bell’s last shot attempt and swept it off the line. Morris stayed down and received attention from the trainers but remained in the game. The first half ended in a goalless draw, which played into Schmetzer’s plan of a defensive slugfest.

COSTLY MISTAKE

The Sounder’s hard work unraveled five minutes into the second half when  Jackson Ragen’s pass was intercepted by LAFC midfielder Eduard Atuesta, who unleashed LAFC’s lighting, quick counterattack.  The result was a Ryan Hollinshead goal. Coming into the game, LAFC  had won 30 of 33 games when they scored first. Rather than bow their heads, the Sounders stayed determined and pushed forward when the opportunity presented itself.  Vargas and Rusnáck played a significant role in the Sounders fight back.

STAYING DETERMINED

Their connecting passes from the backline to the midfield and, ultimately, the front line put LAFC on its back heels.  While it had most of the possession, Seattle could not get a clear shot on goal. Seattle’s constant pressure paid dividends in the 59^th minute when Vargas’s pass from the corner forced an own goal by Chanot to tie the game in the 59^th minute.

Elation turned to despair for the Sounders in the 64^th minute when Yeimar suffered a hamstring injury and was replaced by Nathan, who had one start and played four regular season games all year. Nathan’s only start was against LAFC on opening day.  The Sounders nearly took the lead in the 66^th minute when Alex Roldan’s cross to a diving Morris went just over the LAFC goal.

DELUGE OF SHOT BUTS NO GOAL

For the next  14 minutes, the game turned into a Stefan Frei highlight reel.  Cherundolo  inserted  Cristian Olivera for Giroud and  Timothy Tilman for Eduard  Atuesta . The move allowed  Bogusz to drop into the false nine position in attack, allowing him to roam with and without the ball.  The move invigorated the LAFC attack, which saw  Bounga  ( 73^rd),  Chanot( 90+1), and  Hollinshead (90+4)   unleash shots that were swatted, pushed away, and kicked from the Sounder’s goal by  Frei.

STAYING DISCIPLINED  IN EXTRA TIME

Frei’s heroics sent the game into two 15-minute halves of extra time. LAFC started on the front foot and pushed the issue, but the Sounders stayed compact, clogged the middle of the field, and remained resolute when defending. In the 99^th minute, Frei came up big once again, and the save gave life to his teammates, who continued their determined defending, which saw the score line unchanged after the first 15 minutes of extra time.

SEEING IT THROUGH

Schmetzer  inserted  Joao Paulo for  Alex Roldan and Raul  Ruidiaz for Rusnák for the final 15 minutes. Cristian Roldan slipped to the right win back.  Seattle earned an immediate corner one minute into the second extra time but could not profit.  A  Georgi Minoungou short from a distance earned the Sounders another corner.  LAFC could not clear Paulo’s corner kick, and the ball rolled in front of  Morris, who turned and unleashed a right-footed shot that whizzed into the back of the LAFC goal for the game-winner.

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