LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles FC (7-1-1, 22 points) rode two strikes from Carlos Vela and another two goals from Eduard Atuesta and Christian Ramirez to earn a 4-1 victory over Seattle Sounders FC (5-1-1-, 16 points) at Banc of California Stadium. Harry Shipp scored his first goal of the season for Seattle, but it was not enough in a contest that pitted the top two sides in Major League Soccer against one another. Brian Schmetzer's team has an opportunity to avenge its first loss of the 2019 MLS season next weekend, this time at CenturyLink Field versus LAFC on Sunday, April 28. Before that contest, Seattle plays host to San Jose in midweek action on Wednesday, April 24.
LAFC drew first blood in the 12th minute of play through leading scorer Carlos Vela, who notched his league-best ninth goal of the campaign after breaking through Seattle's backline. LA's Mark-Anthony Kaye played Vela through from midfield, giving the Mexican international a clean shot on goal.
The home side doubled its advantage just before the halftime whistle, as Eduard Atuesta took advantage of a Seattle turnover inside the Rave Green's half to fire a shot past Stefan Frei, making the score 2-0 through the first 45 minutes.
Seattle pulled one back in the 51st minute through Harry Shipp, who fired a calm and collected shot past LA goalkeeper Tyler Miller at his back post. The strike came courtesy of fluid build-up from the Rave Green, with VÃctor RodrÃguez earning his third assist of the season on the play's final pass.
Vela added his 10th goal of the season in the 55th minute, finishing at Frei's far post on a cutting pass from Atuesta. Christian Ramirez made it 4-1 six minutes later with a simple finish inside Seattle's six-yard-box. Kaye earned his third assist of the day on the goal.
Following todays' result, Sounders FC embarks on a two-match week at CenturyLink Field, beginning on Wednesday, April 24 versus San Jose (7:30 p.m. PT / JOEtv, YouTube TV, 950 KJR AM, El Rey 1360 AM). Brian Schmetzer's side then hosts its second and final match of the season against LAFC at home on Sunday, April 28 (12:30 p.m. PT / ESPN, YouTube TV, 950 KJR AM, El Rey 1360 AM).
MATCH NOTES
- With its first loss of the season, Seattle falls to 5-1-1 on the year, good for second place in the Western Conference with 16 points. Today's defeat halts Seattle's 11-match unbeaten run in the regular season dating back to 2018.
- Sunday marked the first starts of the season for central defender Román Torres and midfielder Harry Shipp. With Jordan Morris moving to forward in place of injured frontline mates Raúl RuidÃaz (right heel contusion) and Will Bruin (left hamstring strain), Shipp took over Morris' usual duties at right wing. Torres came into Seattle's backline in place of Chad Marshall, who is battling right knee inflammation.
- Harry Shipp scored his first goal of the season in the 51st minute this afternoon, with VÃctor RodrÃguez assisting. For RodrÃguez, it was his third assist of 2019, good for second on the club behind Nicolás Lodeiro's four.
- Today's match marked just the third overall encounter between Sounders FC and LAFC, but already the two clubs have an interesting shared history. Seattle was LAFC's first-ever opponent to kick off their inaugural MLS season in 2018, followed by the Southern California side opening Banc of California Stadium on April 29, 2018 (both 1-0 wins for LAFC).
- Carlos Vela added his league-leading ninth and tenth goals of the 2019 for LAFC in the 12th and 55th minutes, respectively.
- Goalkeeper Stefan Frei made his 200th appearance across all competitions for Seattle since joining with the club prior to the 2014 season. The 33-year-old has 190 appearances in MLS (including postseason), three appearances in U.S. Open Cup action and seven in CONCACAF Champions League play.
- Sounders FC and LAFC wore specially designed adidas Parley kits for today's match as part of the annual league-wide initiative. The unique collaboration between adidas, Major League Soccer and environmental network Parley for the Oceans began in 2017, when Sounders FC was one of four MLS teams selected to participate in the program, which was designed to raise awareness around the harmful impact of marine plastic pollution. Following a successful launch, the initiative was expanded in 2018 to include all MLS clubs, in conjunction with MLS WORKS Greener Goals and the league-wide effort to highlight MLS' commitment to environmental sustainability.
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 1 - Los Angeles FC 3
Sunday, April 21, 2019
Venue: Banc of California Stadium
Referee: Baldomero Toledo
Assistants: Mike Rottersman, Ian B. Anderson
Fourth Official: Tim Ford
VAR: Alex Chilowicz
Attendance: 22,221
Weather: Sunny and 65 degrees
SCORING SUMMARY
LAFC - Carlos Vela (Mark-Anthony Kaye) 12'
LAFC - Eduard Atuesta (Mark-Anthony Kaye) 39'
SEA - Harry Shipp (VÃctor RodrÃguez) 51'
LAFC - Carlos Vela (Eduard Atuesta) 55'
LAFC - Christian Ramirez (Mark-Anthony Kaye) 61'
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
SEA - Román Torres (caution) 22'
LAFC - Eduard Atuesta (caution) 35'
SEA - Kim Kee-hee (caution) 44'
SEA - Kelvin Leerdam (caution) 58'
SEA - Jody Delem (caution) 67'
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC - Stefan Frei; Kelvin Leerdam, Román Torres, Kim Kee-hee (Jordy Delem 64'), Brad Smith; Cristian Roldan, Gustav Svensson; Harry Shipp, Nicolás Lodeiro - captain, VÃctor RodrÃguez (Nouhou 64'); Jordan Morris (Henry Wingo 68')
Substitutes not used: Bryan Meredith, Saad Abdul-Salaam, Alex Roldan, Handwalla Bwana
Total shots: 6 (Lodeiro/Shipp, 2)
Shots on goal: 2 (Kim/Shipp, 1)
Fouls: 19 (Lodeiro, 5)
Offside: 1 (Morris, 1)
Corner-kicks: 4 (Lodeiro, 4)
Saves: 4 (Frei, 4)
Los Angeles FC - Tyler Miller; Steven Beitashour (Lee Nguyen 80'), Walker Zimmerman, Eddie Segura, Jordan Harvey; Mark-Anthony Kaye, Eduardo Atuesta (Peter-Lee Vassell 89'), Latif Blessing; Carlos Vela - captain, Christian Ramirez (Adrien Perez 80'), Diego Rossi
Substitutes not used: Pablo Sisniega, Danilo Silva, Mohamed El-Munir, Josh Pérez
Total shots: 16 (Vela, 5)
Shots on goal: 8 (Vela, 4)
Fouls: 15 (Kaye, 4)
Offside: 1 (Zimmerman, 1)
Corner-kicks: 5 (Atuesta, 4)
Saves: 1 (Miller, 1)
