The Seattle Sounders defeated Liga MX’s Santos Laguna 2-1 at Lumen Field on Sunday evening in their second of three Phase One matches of the 2025 Leagues Cup. Seattle forced an early own goal by Haret Ortega before Georgi Minoungou doubled their lead in the 72nd minute. Santos Laguna’s Cristian Dájome scored a late consolation goal in the seventh minute of stoppage time.
The Sounders took the lead just eight minutes into the match when Alex Roldan played a beautifully weighted through ball behind the Santos defense for Paul Rothrock. The winger, who returned to the lineup after recovering from surgery on his broken hand, then sent in a dangerous low cross looking for Danny Musovski that Ortega deflected into his own net.
Musovski had a chance in the 22nd minute when a free kick from the head of Albert Rusnák picked out Kim Kee-hee, who headed the cross back across goal. Musovski couldn’t quite generate enough on his effort in front of goal to beat goalkeeper Héctor HolguÃn.
The Sounders thought they had won a penalty, but had it waved off in the 32nd minute after Video Review. Musovski was battered down in the box by Javier Güémez, who received a subsequent red card for Denial of a Goalscoring Opportunity, but both the penalty and the ejection were taken off the board after Musovski was judged to have fouled defender Kevin Balanta in the buildup.
Rusnák found the back of the net in the 35th minute with a rocket of a half-volley off a cross from Rothrock, but the goal was disallowed because Rothrock was offside.
Rusnák had a deep free kick in the 39th minute that forced HolguÃn into a punched save, and Rothrock’s follow-up header on a tough rebound went wide.
Rothrock almost bagged a goal a minute after halftime when his shot from close range was denied by HolguÃn. Danny Leyva tried to follow up the rebound, but his attempt missed wide.
The Sounders doubled their advantage in the 72nd minute when substitute Minoungou got free on the left side of the box, cut inside and unleashed a gorgeous strike to the far post that rattled the side netting.
Seattle was forced to finish the match with 10 men, however, when Minoungou was shown a second yellow card for his celebration and was sent off.
Jesús Ferreira found the net in the 89th minute, but his goal was called back for offside, his third disallowed goal in two Leagues Cup contests.
Dájome pulled a late consolation goal back for Santos in the seventh minute of stoppage time when he was played in behind and beat Andrew Thomas.
The Sounders are now unbeaten in eight matches (5-0-3) since ending their FIFA Club World Cup experience earlier this summer. Seattle will finish its Phase One on Wednesday when they welcome Club Tijuana to Lumen Field (8 p.m. PT; Watch on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV | TICKETS).
THREE TAKEAWAYS
Rothrock returns
After undergoing surgery on his broken hand on July 25, Rothrock returned to the starting lineup in a big way. He was in fine form all evening including forcing the own goal that game the Sounders an early lead.
Minoungou scores first of 2025
Minoungou opened his 2025 account with a beauty of a goal as part of a wild 11-minute appearance. The Ivorian entered in the 63rd minute, earned a yellow card in the 66th minute, scored in the 72nd minute and was sent off in the 74th minute.
Prime position
The Sounders start the Leagues Cup with back-to-back wins and put themselves in prime position to qualify for the Quarterfinals, which just four of the 18 competing MLS teams will do. They end the match in first place in the MLS table with six points and a plus-eight goal differential.
