The Seattle Sounders fell 2-1 to Liga MX side Chivas de Guadalajara on Wednesday at Lumen Field on Matchday 3 of the 2026 Leagues Cup. Gallatin Sandnes opened the scoring for the Sounders early in the first half, but two second-half goals from Luis Rey and Santiago Sandoval propelled the Mexicans to three points.
Chivas tested goalkeeper Stefan Frei in the eighth minute when former Chicago Fire Homegrown Brian Gutiérrez ripped a shot from outside the box that forced Frei to dive to his right to keep it out.
The Sounders took the lead in the 13th minute when Antino Lopez won a header at the back post and sent it back to the middle of the box where Sandnes redirected it home on the doorstep.
Osaze De Rosario nearly doubled Seattle’s lead three minutes later when he was played through in behind, but his breakaway effort was denied by goalkeeper Óscar Whalley.
Chivas had a gilt-edge opportunity to equalize in the 29th minute when Hugo Camberos had an open look on the left side of the box, but his shot was right at Frei.
Camberos forced Frei into an acrobatic save three minutes later when his shot from outside the box was destined for the top part of the goal, but Frei rose to punch it over the crossbar.
Frei made another strong stop on Roberto Alvarado’s one-timed attempt in the second minute of first-half stoppage time that looked to sneak into the bottom near corner.
Frei came up with a huge kick save in the 60th minute to deny Roberto Alvarado, who had a great look on the left side of goal.
Chivas found their leveler one minute later, though, when Rey fired home from 12 yards out on a loose ball in the box.
Frei did well to parry away another Gutiérrez effort in the 64th minute. Diego Campillo picked up the ensuing rebound and crossed in for Ricardo Marin, who thought he had headed home the go-ahead goal, but it was disallowed for an offside call on Campillo.
Chivas did find their go-ahead goal in the 72nd minute when Sandoval, who had just come on as a substitute moments before, dove and headed home a cross from Luis Romo to the far post.
Camberos was inches away from adding a third goal in the 73rd minute when he wound up for a scissor kick that rattled the far post and ricocheted out.
Frei denied Sandoval a brace in the 90th minute when Frei dove to his right and got a hand on Sandoval’s shot from the right side of the box.
The Sounders bow out of the 2026 Leagues Cup with three points from three matches.
THREE TAKEAWAYS
Green Rave Green
Four Tacoma Defiance players — Sandnes, Charlie Gaffney, Mark O’Neill and Edson Carli — were in the Starting XI, along with fellow young First Team prospects Sebastian Gomez and Stuart Hawkins.
Sandnes opens account
Like Gomez against Querétaro, the 18-year-old Sandnes recorded his first goal in his inaugural First Team start.
Frei shines again
Frei put in another vintage performance on Wednesday like he did at Toluca last week on Matchday 1. After 15 saves in Mexico, Frei came up with 10 huge stops against Chivas.
