Ouch! The LA Galaxy’s Leagues Cup run hit a Seattle-sized roadblock in the semifinals. What started as a promising bid to salvage their season took a sharp turn, leaving them to fight for a Champions Cup spot. Can they bounce back for one last chance at glory, or is this season truly a lost cause?
The LA Galaxy’s ambitious bid to salvage a historically challenging season through the Leagues Cup was decisively quashed as the Seattle Sounders delivered a commanding performance in their semifinal clash, ending the Galaxy’s unbeaten run and their hopes for the coveted trophy.
For a team that has endured one of its worst campaigns in franchise history within the MLS, the Leagues Cup had emerged as an unexpected beacon of hope. This relatively new tournament, offering a fresh slate, saw the LA Galaxy excel, showcasing a form that starkly contrasted their league struggles.
However, the dream unravelled on Wednesday night when the formidable Seattle Sounders asserted their dominance. Goals from Pedro de la Vega and Osaze De Rosario sealed Seattle’s passage to the Leagues Cup final, where they will face Lionel Messi and Inter Miami, leaving the LA Galaxy to reflect on what might have been.
Despite the semifinal setback, the Galaxy’s journey is not entirely over. They must now swiftly pivot their focus to the third-place game against Orlando City on Sunday. This crucial match offers a vital consolation prize: a coveted berth in next season’s CONCACAF Champions Cup, a significant goal for any ambitious soccer club.
Head coach Greg Vanney acknowledged the deep disappointment but emphasized the opportunity that still remains. “It would have been a great legacy for this group…to be able to say they won a trophy,” Vanney stated. “[Sunday’s] game is certainly our last opportunity to take something out of this season, and that’s the Champions League spot. With the LA Galaxy, we want to be playing in tournaments like Champions League.”
Prior to their encounter with the Seattle Sounders, the LA Galaxy had displayed impressive resilience and offensive prowess in the Leagues Cup. They navigated group play unbeaten, triumphing over three Liga MX teams, and further cemented their strong form by eliminating Pachuca in the quarterfinals, consistently scoring an average of three goals per game.
Vanney further analyzed the tactical challenges faced, particularly against a defensively stable opponent. “When you give up the goal early to Seattle, that’s one of their great strengths: just being defensively stable and solid,” he explained, contrasting it with their earlier matchups against Mexican league opponents where the Galaxy found more success in physical duels.
De la Vega’s opening goal marked the fifth unanswered score Seattle has registered against the Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park in two games. Osaze De Rosario then doubled the Sounders’ lead with a brilliant individual effort in the second half, showcasing exceptional skill as he navigated through multiple LA Galaxy defenders before clinically finishing past goalkeeper Novak Micovic.
While referee Escobedo utilized VAR to ensure a red card for Seattle defender Nouhou Tolo in the dying minutes, forcing the Sounders to play with ten men, it ultimately did not change the outcome. Seattle goalkeeper Andrew Thomas proved impenetrable, making four crucial saves to ensure a clean sheet and hand the LA Galaxy their second shutout at home in a short span. The upcoming match against Orlando City, an MLS opponent, presents a final test, where securing a CONCACAF Champions Cup spot would indeed transform a ‘lost season’ into a remarkable recovery for the team.
