The Seattle Sounders concluded their regular season with a pivotal 2-1 victory against LAFC at Lumen Field on Saturday. The result allowed the Sounders to clinch a postseason spot on the final day of the league schedule, officially securing eighth place in the Western Conference.
Seattle wasted no time taking control of the match. Albert Rusnák scored just 51 seconds into the contest after intercepting a pass, marking the earliest goal of the season for the Sounders. “LAFC quickly allowed the Sounders to grab momentum in the match after some poor goalkeeping by Cabral Carter in the opening minute.”
The lead doubled in the 31st minute when Sebastian Gomez scored his fourth goal of the season following an assist from Rusnák. Despite LAFC dominating possession and outshooting the hosts 24-5, they struggled to break through until the final stages of the game. Goalkeeper Andrew Thomas was instrumental in maintaining the lead, recording seven saves, including a critical stop on a close-range attempt by Son Heung-min.
LAFC finally found the net in the 82nd minute through a set-piece play. Leo Walta delivered a free kick that was headed by Ryan Porteous toward the goalmouth, where Eddie Segura successfully converted to make it 2-1. Although the late goal created a tense finish, the Sounders defense held firm to secure the three points required to extend their season.
With the regular season now complete, LAFC finishes in sixth place in the Western Conference with a 12-11-11 record. The club is set to face third-seeded St. Louis City SC in a best-of-three first-round playoff series beginning later this month. Meanwhile, the Sounders prepare to host Real Salt Lake in a Western Conference wild-card match. The winner of that contest will advance to face the top-seeded Vancouver Whitecaps in the next round of the MLS Cup Playoffs.