The Seattle Sounders advanced to the Round of 16 in the CONCACAF Champions Cup with a shuffled line up from the team’s 2-2 draw with Charlotte FC four delays earlier. Wednesday night’s 3-1 win over Antigua FC was the exact score of the Leg One match between the two sides. In all three games, Schmetzer has yet to use the same lineup. Jordan Morris, Yeimar, Alex Roldan, and Jackson Ragen are the only players to start all three games—a sign of the team’s depth and talent.
OFF TO A FLYING START
The Sounders’ new-look offense has been clicking early and often. Newcomer Paul Arriola scored in both Champions League matches, and a healthy Pedro de la Vega is on fire with three goals in three games. This is an impressive start for de la Vega, considering he started the Champions Cup game and was a late-game sub in the Charlotte game on Wednesday night. De la Vega showed he is a game-changer when he is healthy.
“Well, seven goals if you include the preseason, so you’re gonna talk about all the good things that he does. Uh I will pump the brakes a little bit because, you know, at one nothing did we kind of lose a little bit of control of the game and certainly taking that goal? I didn’t enjoy that. And I think Pedro, and it’s not just Pedro, but other guys in the team might have taken some liberties, so Pedro’s last little bit of uh learning curve has to be that what it takes to win an MLS cub, what it takes to go deep into the what is now the CCC is a little bit more discipline in the way he plays and in the way the team plays.”,
While Schmezters’ comments might sound like those of an ungrateful coach, they were the opposite. It was a case of brilliant messaging from a coach who expects continual improvement from a team with high expectations.
“They have to learn they have to understand that this is the Seattle sounders and we take every game, every competition, Cascade cup, you know, when we’re in an open cup, MLS League Cup, Supporter Shields, Champions League, we take every single competition seriously, every game we want to come out and we want to win,” added Schmetzer.
BACK TO LEAGUE PLAY
Next for the Sounders will be their first MLS road game at Real Salt Lake. The Sounders must leave American First Field with a draw at minimum. Real Salt Lake was on the losing end of 4 4-nil defeat to the San Jose Earthquakes at Pay Pal Park in San Jose. An improvement for the Sounders would be to play attacking offense and solid defense. The Sounders were the best defensive team in MLS last year and have yet to show they can attain the same feat in 2025.
Photo gallery by Francine Scott
POST GAME NOTES
MATCH NOTES
- With tonight’s result, Seattle advances to the Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 to face Liga MX sides Cruz Azul. The two-leg series marks the first all-time meeting between the two clubs.
- Seattle will host the first match on Wednesday, March 5 at Lumen Field, with the second leg being played in Mexico City on Tuesday, March 11.
- The Rave Green are now 22-15-11 all-time in Concacaf Champions Cup action and are unbeaten in their last 12 matches (6-0-6) in the tournament, with their last loss coming in 2018. Seattle is making its eighth appearance in the tournament (2010-2011, 2011-2012, 2012-2013, 2015-2016, 2018, 2020, 2022).
- Pedro de la Vega scored his second and third goals of the season, all coming in CCC play. He recorded a strike against Antigua in the first leg of the series last Wednesday. Tonight is the first time that the Argentinian has scored at Lumen Field since signing with the team prior to the 2024 season.
- Including preseason friendlies, De la Vega has scored in all but two contests in 2025, bagging seven strikes in those matches.
- Arriola added a goal in the 53rd minute, his second CCC strike of the season after scoring against Antigua in the first leg.
- Jesús Ferreira provided the assist on Arriola’s goal. It marked the second of the season for the striker in all competitions, also connecting with Arriola in the first match against Antigua. Seattle acquired both Arriola and Ferreira via trades with FC Dallas over the offseason.
- Kalani Kossa-Rienzi made a substitute appearance in the 81st minute. The Tacoma Defiance midfielder was eligible for the matchday roster via Short-Term Agreement. The University of Washington product made four appearances last season for Seattle.
- Head Coach Brian Schmetzer rotated his lineup from Saturday’s match against Charlotte FC, with Andrew Thomas, Jonathan Bell, João Paulo, Danny Leyva, Pedro de la Vega, Jesús Ferreira and Paul Arriola replacing Stefan Frei, Nouhou, Cristian Roldan, Obed Vargas, Georgi Minoungou, Albert Rusnák and Paul Rothrock.
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 3 – Antigua GFC 1
Wednesday, February 26, 2025
Venue: Emerald Queen Casino Pitch at Lumen Field
Referees: Selvin Brown
Assistants: Gerson Orellana, Roney Salinas
Fourth Official: Felix Mojica
VAR: Oscar Macias
Attendance: 24,714
Weather: 50 degrees and clear
SCORING SUMMARY
SEA – Pedro de la Vega 24’
ANT – José Gálvez (Cristian Hernández) 45’+1’
SEA – Paul Arriola (Jesús Ferreira) 53’
SEA – Pedro de la Vega (João Paulo) 88’
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
ANT – Luis Morán (caution) 58’
ANT – José Rosales (caution) 65’
ANT – Derwinder Deesmith Bradley Jolón (caution) 66’
ANT – Diego André Fernández Chinchilla (caution) 81’
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC – Andrew Thomas; Alex Roldan (Kalani Kossa-Rienzi 81’), Yeimar (Nouhou 57’), Jackson Ragen, Jonathan Bell; João Paulo, Danny Leyva, Pedro de la Vega, Jesús Ferreira (Georgi Minoungou 74’), Paul Arriola (Paul Rothrock 57’); Jordan Morris (Danny Musovski 46’)
Substitutes not used: Jacob Castro, Cody Baker, Stuart Hawkins, Travian Sousa, Cristian Roldan, Obed Vargas, Albert Rusnák
Total shots: 16
Shots on goal: 6
Fouls: 15
Offside: 2
Corner-Kicks: 3
Saves: 4
Antigua GFC – Luis Morán; Ángel Santiago Díaz, Alexander Robinson, José Ardón, Kevin Grijalva (Brandon de Leon 64’); Óscar Santis, Cristian Hernández (Diego André Fernández Chinchilla 74’), José Rosales (Óscar Castellanos 85’), José Gálvez; Francisco Apaolaza (Derwinder Deesmith Bradley Jolón 46’), Romario Luiz da Silva (Robinson Daniel Flores Barrios 46’)
Substitutes not used: Juan Guillermo Carbonell Rivera, José Daniel Franco Aldana, Selvin Saúl Sagastume Morales, Estuardo Santiago Sican Avila, José Espinoza, Diego Santis, Santiago Garzaro
Total shots: 17
Shots on goal: 5
Fouls: 16
Offside: 0
Corner-kicks: 3
Saves: 3
Antigua GFC – Luis Morán; Alexander Robinson, José Ardón, Kevin Grijalva; Óscar Santis, Óscar Castellanos (José Espinoza 68’), Cristian Hernández (Diego André Fernández Chinchilla 85’), José Rosales, José Gálvez (Diego Santis 46’); Derwinder Deesmith Bradley Jolón (Francisco Apaolaza 68’), Romario Luiz da Silva (Robinson Daniel Flores Barrios 73’)
Substitutes not used: Juan Guillermo Carbonell Rivera, José Daniel Franco Aldana, Ángel Santiago Díaz, Brandon de Leon, Héctor Prillwitz, Selvin Saúl Sagastume Morales, Estuardo Santiago Sican Avila
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