MATCH RECAP: Sounders FC Falls 2-1 to LAFC at Banc of California Stadium

LOS ANGELES, CALIF. – In a Western Conference slugfest between two familiar rivals, Seattle Sounders FC (9-11-2, 29 points) fell by a final score of 2-1 to Los Angeles FC (15-4-3, 48 points) on Friday night at Banc of California Stadium. The sold-out crowd of 22,111 saw first-half strikes from Kwadwo Opoku and Carlos Vela overcome an early own goal, as the Rave Green lose following last weekend’s 2-1 home win over Colorado. The race for the MLS Cup Playoffs remains tight, with Sounders FC remaining one point behind the seventh and final postseason position in the West. 

Seattle got on the board first in the 14th minute courtesy of an own goal. After Cristian Roldan won the ball off a failed clearance, the midfielder blew past LAFC defender Giorgio Chiellini and fired a cross in front of goal, deflecting it off LAFC’s Jesús David Murillo and into the back of the net.

After an earlier goal was disallowed for LAFC due to a handball, the home side leveled the score in the 35th minute. Kwadwo Opoku found himself with the ball on the outside of the area, firing a shot into the bottom corner. It was Carlos Vela who gave LAFC the lead in the 43rd minute, getting on the end of a José Cifuentes cross and beating Stefan Frei from point-blank range.

Following tonight’s match in Southern California, Seattle faces a quick return to league action in just four days’ time, as the Rave Green begin their August slate of matches with a Western Conference showdown against FC Dallas on Tuesday, August 2. Kickoff at Lumen Field is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. PT (FOX 13+, Prime Video, 93.3 KJR FM, El Rey 1360 AM). 

MATCH NOTES

• Sounders FC remains in ninth place in the Western Conference with 29 points (9-11-2), one point back of the seventh and final MLS Cup Playoffs position. Portland and the LA Galaxy sit in eighth and seventh place, respectively (30 points for each club). Seattle has played 22 matches and has 12 matches remaining in the 2022 regular-season. 

• Seattle began the match in a 4-2-3-1 formation tonight at Banc of California Stadium, with just one change to the starting XI that defeated Colorado last weekend at Lumen Field. Left-back Nouhou replaced the suspended Kelyn Rowe on Sounders FC’s backline. 

• With tonight’s result, Seattle’s all-time record against LAFC moves 5-7-3 across all competitions. Although the Rave Green trail in the regular-season series by a mark of 3-6-3, they have beaten LAFC in both postseason meetings.

• In matches across all competitions at Banc of California Stadium, Sounders FC is now 1-4-1 dating back to LAFC’s inaugural season in 2018. 

• In the all-time series between these two clubs, no player has scored more against Seattle than LAFC forward Carlos Vela. The Mexican striker recorded his fourth regular-season goal in the first half this evening. 

MATCH SUMMARY

Seattle Sounders FC 1 – Los Angeles FC 2

Friday, July 29, 2022 

Venue: Banc of California Stadium

Referee: Joseph Dickerson  

Assistants: Ian Anderson, Chris Elliot 

Fourth Official: Brandon Stevis

VAR: Guido Gonzales Jr. 

Attendance: 22,111 

Weather: 73 degrees and sunny 

SCORING SUMMARY

SEA – Jesús David Murillo(OG) 14’

LAFC – Kwadwo Opoku (Latif Blessing)35’

LAFC – Carlos Vela (José Cifuentes, Diego Palacios)43’

MISCONDUCT SUMMARY

LAFC – Diego Palacios (caution) 45’ 

SEA – Fredy Montero (caution) 76’ 

SEA – Xavier Arreaga (caution) 81’ 

LINEUPS & STATS

Seattle Sounders FC – Stefan Frei; Alex Roldan; Yeimar Gómez Andrade; Xavier Arreaga; Nouhou (Ethan Dobbelaere 68’); Cristian Roldan; Albert Rusnák (Léo Chú 81’); Jimmy Medranda (Jackson Ragen 56’); Nico Lodeiro; Jordan Morris; Will Bruin (Fredy Montero 56’) 

Substitutes not used: Stefan Cleveland; Josh Atencio; Dylan Teves 

Total shots: 11 

Shots on goal: 0 

Fouls: 10 

Offside: 0 

Corner-kicks: 4 

Saves: 6 

Los Angeles FC – Maxime Crépeau; Franco Escobar (Ryan Hollingshead 83’); Jesús David Murillo; Giorgio Chiellini (Sebastien Ibeagha 72’); Diego Palacios; Latif Blessing (Jhegson Méndez 63’); Ilie Sánchez; José Cifuentes; Carlos Vela; Cristian Arango (Gareth Bale 63’); Kwadwo Opoku (Brian Rodríguez 72’)

Substitutes not used: John McCarthy; Eddie Segura; Mamadou Fall

Total shots: 19 

Shots on goal: 8 

Fouls: 16 

Offside: 1 

Corner-kicks: 8 

Saves: 0