Sounders FC was eliminated from the 2024 Leagues Cup after a 3-0 defeat to LAFC in the Quarterfinals. The match, held at Lumen Field on the Emerald Queen Casino Pitch, saw goals from Ryan Hollingshead, Kei Kamara, and Denis Bouanga. Despite playing at home, Seattle failed to find the back of the net and was shut out by LAFC’s strong defense. This loss concluded their Leagues Cup journey, and the team now shifts focus to the MLS regular season, with a match against Minnesota United on August 24.
Leagues Cup Record and Jackson Ragen’s Milestone Achievement
Seattle finished the 2024 Leagues Cup with a 3-2-0 record, ultimately falling in the Quarterfinals. Over the course of the tournament, they registered a 5-5-0 all-time record in Leagues Cup play. One bright spot for the Sounders was Jackson Ragen reaching his 100th appearance across all competitions for the club. Ragen, who signed with Seattle in 2022 after playing for Tacoma Defiance, marked a personal achievement despite the team’s early exit. Additionally, the Sounders’ ongoing struggles against LAFC continued, with the team now having been outscored 8-1 in three meetings with them in 2024.
The loss to LAFC represented another chapter in Seattle’s difficult season against the California team. The Sounders will face LAFC again in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Semifinals on August 28. For this Leagues Cup match, Stefan Frei made his first appearance in goal, replacing Andrew Thomas, who had been the starting goalkeeper for the previous games in the tournament. Despite changes to the lineup, including substitutions throughout the game, Seattle could not manage to break down LAFC’s defense and struggled to generate offensive chances.
LAFC’s Strong Performance and Key Goals
Ryan Hollingshead opened the scoring for LAFC in the 14th minute, giving the visitors an early lead. Kei Kamara doubled the advantage in the 25th minute, and Denis Bouanga secured the win with a third goal in the 53rd minute, assisted by Hugo Lloris. Despite the Sounders’ efforts, they could not capitalize on their opportunities, and Seattle’s lone yellow card came in the 60th minute when Cristian Roldan was cautioned. The Rave Green finished the match with 16 total shots, but only one of those was on target.
While Seattle had an edge in total shots (16 compared to LAFC’s 10), they were unable to convert these into meaningful chances, with just one shot on goal. They also led in corner kicks, registering 12 to LAFC’s 1. On the other hand, LAFC had seven shots on target, and Hugo Lloris made just one save. The match had an attendance of 19,643 and was played in clear weather, with a temperature of 73 degrees. Despite the defeat, Seattle now shifts their focus back to MLS play, with a match against Minnesota United on the horizon.
