The Seattle Sounders broke out of their two-game goal-scoring drought in emphatic fashion Sunday night, putting five past Sporting Kansas City en route to their fifth win over their last nine MLS matches.
Three goals from Danny Musovski, a goal apiece from Snyder Brunell and Kalani Kossa-Rienzi, and three assists from Danny Leyva highlighted a complete team win. The result was the Sounders’ first five-goal output in MLS play since beating LAFC 5-2 on March 8.
The win puts Seattle into 4th in the Western Conference, and gives them a much-needed offensive momentum boost going into Wednesday’s Leagues Cup Semi-Final match at LA Galaxy. Sporting KC is now winless in six matches and sits in 13th place in the West.
Rotated Starting Lineup
Brian Schmetzer put out a highly shuffled starting eleven. The match would mark the first MLS start for midfielder and Sounders Academy product Snyder Brunnel, who scored in his MLS debut against LA Galaxy in a 4-0 road win on August 4. Another former academy addition was centerback Cody Baker, whose start would mark his first appearance for the Sounders since April 12.
“This has to be one of the deepest squads that we’ve had at this franchise since I’ve been here.”
-Brian Schmetzer“We know how deep we are, and we know that anyone can step on the field and make a difference.” -Kalani Kossa-Rienzi
Other rotations in the 11 included Georgi Minoungou’s 5th start of the season on the left wing, Danny Leyva’s 4th in the midfield, and Jon Bell re-entering the starting lineup at centerback for the first time since July 19.
Stefen Frei also made his first start at Lumen Field since suffering a scary head injury on July 6, receiving a loud and warm welcome from the Sounders faithful as lineups were announced.
End-to-End First Half:
The Rave Green didn’t even need 60 seconds to produce their first dangerous look at net, with a quick throw-in from Danny Leyva springing Georgi Minoungou down the left wing, who put a cross just inches beyond the outstretched leg of Danny Musovski. While the first-minute chance didn’t lead to a shot on net, it signalled a high-pace attacking intent from the hosts which would continue throughout the match.
The Sounders were unable to capitalize on an 8th-minute gift from Kansas City, as Danny Musovski picked off an errant back-pass from centerback Jansen Miller, but fired wide of the post after rounding SKC goalkeeper John Pulskamp.
The majority of Seattle’s early breakthroughs came down the left wing via the creativity and burst of Georgi Minoungou, and it would be Minoungou who would create the Sounders’ opening goal in the 12th minute.
“(Georgi) might be the best athlete in MLS over the first 10-12 yards, he’s got that explosive fitness.”
-Brian Schmetzer
Minoungu would receive a ball from Snyder Brunnell on the left side of the box and pick out Kalani Kossa-Rienzi about 15 yards from net. Kossa-Rienzi, making his first start as a true right winger for Seattle, had his first shot blocked, but buried the rebound into the roof of the net for his third MLS goal of 2025.
By the 20th minute the Sounders had marked an early statistical dominance, producing 1.42 expected goals to SKC’s 0.08, but the visitors were finding their moments to get into the attacking third on the counter.
Stefan Frei made his first save back in front of the home crowd in the 33rd minute, holding a Dejan Jovelic shot from the right side of the box and receiving a warm applause.
Frei, however, was not able stop Kansas City’s second shot on goal. In the 36th minute, Zorhan Bassong would find Tim Leibold on the left wing, who was able to get a stride beyond Reed Baker-Whiting and curl a ball into the middle for a point-blank Mason Toye finish, 1-1.
While the momentum had clearly shifted to more even footing, the Soudners would find their way back into the lead in the first minute of stoppage time. Baker-Whiting would make amends for a shaky first 45 on the defensive end with a piece of attacking quality, getting into space on the right wing and putting a cross right on the head of Danny Musosvki, who would powerfully nod home his team-leading 13th goal of the year across all competitions. The assist was Baker-Whiting’s first since 2023, and the second of his MLS career.
Musovski’s tally would be the last action of the first 45, with the teams going into the break at 2-1.
Second-Half Pull-Away
The Sounders continued their habit of coming out of the gates hot in the second half, and found some insurance in the 50th minute via a corner kick. Danny Leyva showed his set-piece pedigree, finding Danny Musovski at the near post, who was once again able to finish off a header for his brace, bringing his season total to 14.
SKC would not let the two-goal lead linger, and would strike back in the 53rd minute. Tim Leibold would curl an early cross in the direction of Daniel Salloi, but an unfortunate deflection off of Cody Baker would loop it beyond Frei and into the back of the net for an own-goal, 3-2.
It would be a beautiful display of team soccer that got the Sounders back into a two-goal lead in the 61st minute. A masterful 11-pass sequence started in the defensive third and snaked its way from the right flank to Georgi Minoungou on the left wing, to Snyder Brunell in the box, to the back of the net. Brunnell, 18, has now scored in his first two Sounders games.
“Snyder Brunell is going to be a star in this league.” -Brian Schmetzer
Seattle would be given a chance to make it five in the 74th when a reckless Jacob Bartlett tackle in the box caught far too much of Danny Leyva, prompting an immediate point ot the spot from referee Chris Penso. It would be Danny Musovski to step up and complete his hat-trick, slotting it in to put the game away at 5-2. The Moose is the first Sounder to 15 goals in 2025, and the first hat-trick hero for the Rave Geen since Albert Rusnak did it against Columbus in 2024.
Seattle would see out the remaining ten minutes, strolling their way to an important three points. The Sounders now turn their attention to a Leagues Cup semi-final match against LA Galaxy on Wednesday in California.
Post-Match Quotes:
Schmetzer Praises Performance
“That was a game that we needed. we couldn’t drop points because the West is so tight, and those guys delivered.” -Brian Schmetzer
Brian Schmetzer seemed energized in his post-match press conference, eagerly and passionately talking about the importance of the result and the level the team had been playing up to.
“Performances like that are going to push Albert Rusnak, and Ryan Kent and Pedro De La Vega. When you get guys performing like that, the whole group is going to rise up.” -Brian Schmetzer
Musovski Bounce-Back Hat-Trick
Danny Musovski came into this match after a frustrating performance against Puebla in the Leagues Cup, playing an inconsequential 77 minutes before receiving a red card for bumping the referee. Nobody needed a big match more than Moose, and the striker delivered that and then some.
“I’m definitely disappointed about what happened in the last game, so I wanted to come out with a lot of energy today. I know I didn’t make up for it, but the least I can do is the best I can.”
-Danny Musovski“Musovski may not be out of my doghouse yet, but he had a good performance.”
-Brian Schmetzer
Leyva’s Outstanding Match
Danny Leyva played one of his best matches we’ve seen from him in Rave Green, pulling the strings in the midfield and collecting a hatrick of assists along with drawing a penalty kick. All of this while playing the positional role of a 10, which is not usually where he has slotted in under Brian Schmetzer.
“I felt really comfortable; that was the position I grew up playing, especially when I was coming through the academy.” -Danny Leyva
Depth Game
This match was yet another show of the Sounders’ deep bench, with a highly-rotated squad playing like an elite MLS first-team.
“I think we went in with the right mentality, we work hard in every training session for those games. Sometimes we don’t play as much, and we have to maintain the mentality of being ready.”
-Danny Leyva“You can see that we’re all having a good time, everyone here gets along with each other, and I think that’s step one to get the confidence and chemistry up.”
-Kalani Kossa-Rienzi
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 5 – Sporting Kansas City 2
Sunday, August 24, 2025
Venue: Lumen Field
Referee: Chris Penso
Assistants: Corey Parker, Nicholas Balcer
Fourth Official: Drew Fischer
VAR: David Barrie
Attendance: 30,184
Weather: 82 degrees and sunny
SCORING SUMMARY
SEA – Kalani Kossa-Rienzi 11’
SKC – Mason Toye (Tim Leibold, Zorhan Bassong) 36′
SEA – Danny Musovski (Reed Baker-Whiting, Danny Leyva) 45’+1’
SEA – Danny Musovski (Danny Leyva) 50’
SKC – Own Goal (Cody baker) 53′
SEA – Snyder Brunell (Georgi Minoungou, Danny Leva) 61’
SEA – Danny Musovski (penalty) 75’
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
SKC – Stephen Afrifa (caution) 85’
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC – Stefan Frei (24) – Captain; Reed Baker-Whiting (Paul Rothrock 78’), Yeimar Gómez Andrade (Jackson Ragen HT), Jonathan Bell, Cody Baker; Snyder Brunell (Jesús Ferreira 84’), Cristian Roldan (Alex Roldan HT); Kalani Kossa-Rienzi, Danny Leyva, Georgi Minoungou; Danny Musovski (Osaze De Rosario 84’)
Substitutes not used: Andrew Thomas, Nouhou, Obed Vargas, Pedro de la Vega
Total shots: 22
Shots on goal: 7
Fouls: 7
Offside: 2
Corner-Kicks: 4
Saves: 4
Sporting Kansas City – John Pulskamp; Tim Leibold (Logan Ndenbe 75’), Jansen Miller (Ian James 66’), Robert Voloder, Khiry Shelton; Santiago Muñóz, Jake Davis (Jacob Bartlett 66’), Zorhan Bassong, Dániel Sallói (Shapi Suleymanov 66’); Mason Toye (Stephen Afrifa 75’), Dejan Joveljic
Substitutes not used: Andrew Brody, Nemanja Radoja, Ryan Schewe
Total shots: 13
Shots on goal: 5
Fouls: 10
Offside: 1
Corner-kicks: 3
Saves: 2
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