The Seattle Sounders defeated Liga MX side and reigning Concacaf Champions Cup winners Cruz Azul in a historic 7-0 demolition at Lumen Field in Seattle on Thursday evening in their first of three Phase One matches in the Leagues Cup. Yeimar, Obed Vargas, Jesús Ferreira, Osaze De Rosario, a brace from Pedro de la Vega and Nouhou all got on the score sheet in the second half.
Cristian Roldan had an opportunity in the ninth minute when he turned at midfield and attacked the heart of the Cruz Azul defense before releasing a shot from the top of the 18-yard box that skipped just past the far post.
Ferreira thought he had given the Sounders the lead in the 12th minute when he found the back of the net from six yards out, but Alex Roldan was whistled offside in the buildup before he dropped a pass back to Ferreira from the end line.
After the Sounders dominated the opening 20 minutes, former LAFC wingback Omar Campos had Cruz Azul’s first real opportunity when he rattled the near post at the end of a counterattack.
After a latter part of the first half bereft of bona fide opportunities for either side, the Sounders turned the match on its head in the opening five minutes of the second half. Yeimar rose for a towering header on an Albert Rusnák corner in the 48th minute to open the scoring before Vargas doubled the lead two minutes later. His shot from the top of the box took a wicked deflection off Willer Ditta and clipped over goalkeeper Kevin Mier, who had already gone to ground trying to save the initial shot.
Ferreira nearly made it 3-0 in the 54th minute when he had his second goal of the night taken off the board when Nouhou was deemed offside in the buildup in a tight decision via Video Review.
It took just four minutes later for Ferreira to finally earn his goal when he was on the end of a Cristian Roldan flicked header from a Rusnák corner. Ferreira beat his man at the far post and one-timed the finish from Roldan’s head.
The Sounders made it four when De Rosario was on the receiving end of beautiful buildup play from Vargas and Ryan Kent, who picked out the MLS rookie on the doorstep where he redirected a low cross past Mier.
Seattle added a fifth when substitute de la Vega scored on his first touch of the match in the 76th minute when Danny Leyva dropped a pass off for Ferreira inside the box. Ferreira turned and poked a square ball to de la Vega, who one-timed a laser that rang off the far post and went in.
Ferreira almost added another in the 87th minute when he got free on the right side of the box and looked for the far post, but Mier made a great kick save to deny the shot.
The Sounders made it 6-0 in the 88th minute when Leyva saw his free kick saved by Mier and off the crossbar before Nouhou headed home the rebound.
de la Vega added the coup de grâce in the first minute of stoppage time when he scored an unbelievable first-time volley off a cross from Alex Roldan in one of the best hits of the season.
Seattle has extended its unbeaten streak to seven matches in all competitions (4-0-3) since ending its FIFA Club World Cup journey earlier this summer.
The Sounders finish their match in first place in the MLS Leagues Cup table. They will take on Santos Laguna in their second Phase One contest on Sunday at Lumen Field (7:30 p.m. PT; Watch on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV | TICKETS) before finishing Phase One with Club Tijuana next Wednesday (8 p.m. PT; Watch on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV | TICKETS).
THREE TAKEAWAYS
de la Vega can’t stop scoring
Make that four goals in his last three matches in all competitions for de la Vega, who has been absolutely electric since moving to the left wing. The Argentine Designated Player made an instant impact on Thursday before capping a historic performance with a divine piece of technical skill.
Vargas makes statement
The budding Mexican international and recent MLS All-Star put his stamp down in a massive way against the Mexicans. The 19-year-old bossed central midfield all evening, scoring a goal and adding a secondary assist on De Rosario’s goal after a wonderful bit of skill in the final third to set up Kent for the final ball.
Yeimar opens 2025 account
Yeimar scored his first goal of the year in a perfectly timed goal, setting up a massive second half for the Sounders. The hulking center back also did his part defensively in keeping Cruz Azul off the score sheet.
