A shuffled lineup by Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer was on the short end of a 4-0 trouncing by a high-flying LAFC squad.
SHUFFLED LINE UP
Andrew Thomas started in goal , John Bell was part of a back three that included Nouhou and Yeimar Gomez. The midfield is where Schmetzer completely shuffled the deck. Paul Rothrock started on the left side with Joao Paulo and Danny Leyva in the holding midfield positions. Kalano Kossa-Rienzi started on the right side to complete the four-man midfield.
Upfront, Schmetzer had a three-man forward line with Jesus Ferreira on the left, Osaze De Rosario in the middle, and Pedro De la Vega. While the players are familiar with each other, this is the first time Schmetzer rolled out this particular lineup in a game, and it showed.
LACK OF CONNECTEDNESS
There was a clear lack of connectedness between the three blocks. LAFC attacked the Sounders from the beginning and caused some nervous moments early in the contest for the Sounders. The Sounders struggled when playing the ball out of the back against the LAFC high press. The lack of familiarity resulted in careless turnovers and an eventual LAFC goal.
MIDFIELDER UNABLE TO CONTROL THE GAME
The Sounders’ attack is based on sustained possession and a quick, lethal counterattack. The Rave Green had two early chances that could have altered the game’s complexion. Leyva had a free kick in the 13th minute from the edge of the box that was deflected just wide of the LA Galaxy goal. In the 21st minute, Rothrock had a decent run down the left flank but his cross into the box was wasted. De Rosario’s strike from distance one minute later was comfortably saved by LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. With each possession LAFC turned the screws on the Sounders lack of discipline in transition and when defending.
LAFC TAKES COMMAND
A failed corner kick clearance resulted in the home side taking the 1-0 lead in the 26th minute. After giving up a corner kick, the Sounders were slow to clear their box, and a weak clearance saw the ball land on the foot of winger Cengzi Under, who blasted the ball past the sprawling Thomas. The home side continued it’s dominance of possession but was unable to get a second goal before the halftime break. In all fairness, the goal was forthcoming as the home side played down once the whistle blew. Two minutes after LAFC took the lead, the Sounders nearly equalized off a corner. De la Vega’s header off the set piece hit the crossbar, and that was as close as the Sounders would get to scoring the rest of the way.
SOUNDERS’ MISCUES CONTINUED IN THE SECOND HALF
Kim Kee-Hee replaced Yeimar as part of a planned substation rotation to start the second half, and Schmezter immediately shifted to a 4-3-3 formation. Nine minutes into the second half, LAFC doubled its lead when midfielder Igo Jesus threaded a perfect ball to a streaking Jeremy Ebobisse, who split defenders Bell and Kee-Hee, then cut inside once in possession and blasted the ball past a helpless Thomas.
LAFC continued to play with intention and purpose. The Sounders spent the rest of the second half chasing an LAFC team that was in form and ruthless in attack. Denis Bouanga made it three-zero in the 80th minute, and Yaw Yeboah added insult to injury with a fourth LAFC goal in the 86th minute.
BIG TAKE
LAFC snapped the Sounders ‘ five-game unbeaten streak in dramatic fashion. The issue is how the Sounders lost to LAFC. Schmetzer shuffled the lineup as did LAFC when the two teams played in the Sounders’ 5-2 win at Lumen Field earlier this season. The Sounders were not up to the fight as a united front. Schmetzer’s lineup for the game leaves some unanswered questions.
I’m not sure Leyva and Joao Paulo were the best choice in midfield because they have not played together in a while. There was a lack of discipline among the players, and that part of the blame falls on them. If the Sounders secure all three points against the Timbers, then all will be forgotten; an effortless loss at Providence Park would bring on questions about who the Sounders are as a squad.
MATCH NOTES
- Seattle is now 7-11-4 all-time against LAFC in MLS play since LAFC joined MLS in 2018 (including playoffs). The Rave Green defeated the Southern California side 5-2 earlier this year at Lumen Field.
- With the result, Sounders FC sits in sixth place in the Western Conference with 19 points (5-4-4).
- Brian Schmetzer rotated the lineup from Saturday’s match in Houston, with Andrew Thomas, Jonathan Bell, Kalani Kossa-Rienzi, Danny Leyva, João Paulo, Paul Rothrock, Pedro de la Vega, Jesús Ferreira and Osaze De Rosario replacing Stefan Frei, Alex Roldan, Kim Kee-hee, Cristian Roldan, Obed Vargas, Albert Rusnák, Ryan Kent and Danny Musovski.
- Tonight’s match was the first career MLS start for Osaze De Rosario, who recently signed with the First Team on May 9.
- Andrew Thomas made his second start of the year in goal for Seattle, also starting against LAFC earlier this year on March 8.
- Defender Stuart Hawkins made his MLS debut as an 83rd-minute substitute. The 18-year-old defender and Sounders FC Academy product signed with the First Team in September of 2023.
- Seattle next concludes its three-match road stretch with a trip to Cascadia rival Portland Timbers on Saturday, May 17 at Providence Park (6:30 p.m. PT / Apple TV, FS1, FOX Deportes, 93.3 KJR FM, El Rey 1360 AM).
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 0 – Los Angeles FC 4
Wednesday, May 14, 2025
Venue: BMO Stadium
Referee: Pierre-Luc Lauziere
Assistants: Jason White, Meghan Mullen
Fourth Official: Brandon Stevis
VAR: David Barrie
Attendance: 22,120
Weather: 65 and sunny
SCORING SUMMARY
LAFC – Cengiz Ünder 26’
LAFC – Jeremy Ebobisse (Igor Jesus) 51’
LAFC – Denis Bouanga 80’
LAFC – Yaw Yeboah (Olivier Giroud) 86’
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
LAFC – Timothy Tillman (caution) 12’
SEA – Nouhou (caution) 34’
LAFC – Artem Smolyakov (caution) 45’+3’
SEA – Osaze De Rosario (caution) 56’
SEA – João Paulo (caution) 84’
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC – Andrew Thomas; Yeimar Gómez Andrade (Kim Kee-hee HT), Jonathan Bell, Nouhou (Stuart Hawkins 83’); Kalani Kossa-Rienzi; Danny Leyva, João Paulo – Captain; Paul Rothrock; Pedro de la Vega (Ryan Kent 71’), Osaze De Rosario (Danny Musovski 57’), Jesús Ferreira (Albert Rusnák 57’)
Substitutes not used: Jacob Castro, Alex Roldan, Obed Vargas, Georgi Minoungou
Total shots: 11
Shots on goal: 3
Fouls: 12
Offside: 0
Corner-Kicks: 3
Saves: 3
Los Angeles FC – Hugo Lloris; Sergi Palencia, Eddie Segura, Marlon Santos, Artem Smolyakov; Timothy Tillman (Mark Delgado 66’), Igor Jesus, Frankie Amaya (Yaw Yeboah 81’); Cengiz Ünder (David Martínez 66’), Jeremy Ebobisse (Nathan Ordaz 66’), Denis Bouanga (Olivier Giroud 81’)
Substitutes not used: David Ochoa, Nkosi Tafari, Ryan Hollingshead, Aaron Long
Total shots: 16
Shots on goal: 8
Fouls: 17
Offside: 2
Corner-kicks: 5
Saves: 3
