SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC

Defending champs moving on as Sounders oust LAFC 3-1

Nov 24, 2020, 10:14 PM | Updated: Feb 8, 2021, 6:58 pm

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 24: Jordan Morris #13 of Seattle Sounders celebrates after scoring a goal as Pablo Sisniega #23 (C) and Latif Blessing #7 of Los Angeles FC react in the second half during Round One of the MLS Cup Playoffs at Lumen Field Field on November 24, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. The Sounders took a 3-1 lead on the play. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 24: Jordan Morris #13 of Seattle Sounders and Carlos Vela #10 of Los Angeles FC battle for possession in the first half during Round One of the MLS Cup Playoffs at Lumen Field Field on November 24, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 24: Nicolas Lodeiro #10 of Seattle Sounders celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal in the first half against Los Angeles FC during Round One of the MLS Cup Playoffs at Lumen Field Field on November 24, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. The Sounders took a 1-0 lead on the play. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 24: Nicolas Lodeiro #10 of Seattle Sounders celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal in the first half against Los Angeles FC during Round One of the MLS Cup Playoffs at Lumen Field Field on November 24, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. The Sounders took a 1-0 lead on the play. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 24: Nouhou Tolo #5 of Seattle Sounders controls the ball in the firtst half against Los Angeles FC during Round One of the MLS Cup Playoffs at Lumen Field Field on November 24, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 24: Mark-Anthony Kaye #14 of Los Angeles FC tracks the ball alongside Joevin Jones #33 of Seattle Sounders in the first half during Round One of the MLS Cup Playoffs at Lumen Field Field on November 24, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 24: Stefan Frei #24 of Seattle Sounders looks on in the first half against Los Angeles FC during Round One of the MLS Cup Playoffs at Lumen Field Field on November 24, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 24: Raul Ruidiaz #9 of Seattle Sounders celebrates his goal with Cristian Roldan #7 in the second half against Los Angeles FC during Round One of the MLS Cup Playoffs at Lumen Field Field on November 24, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. The Sounders took a 2-0 lead on the play. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 24: Raul Ruidiaz #9 of Seattle Sounders celebrates his goal with Cristian Roldan #7 in the second half against Los Angeles FC during Round One of the MLS Cup Playoffs at Lumen Field Field on November 24, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. The Sounders took a 2-0 lead on the play. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 24: Pablo Sisniega #23 of Los Angeles FC reacts alongside Jesus Murillo #94 in the second half against the Seattle Sounders during Round One of the MLS Cup Playoffs at Lumen Field Field on November 24, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 24: Jordan Morris #13 of Seattle Sounders celebrates after scoring a goal against Los Angeles FC in the second half during Round One of the MLS Cup Playoffs at Lumen Field Field on November 24, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. The Sounders took a 3-1 lead on the play. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 24: The Seattle Sounders celebrate their 3-1 win against Los Angeles FC during Round One of the MLS Cup Playoffs at Lumen Field Field on November 24, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 24: Mohamed El-Munir #13 of Los Angeles FC reacts after the 3-1 loss to the Seattle Sounders during Round One of the MLS Cup Playoffs at Lumen Field Field on November 24, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 24: Latif Blessing #7 of Los Angeles FC and Nouhou Tolo #5 of Seattle Sounders battle for possession in the second half during Round One of the MLS Cup Playoffs at Lumen Field Field on November 24, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 24: Nicolas Lodeiro #10 of Seattle Sounders and Carlos Vela #10 of Los Angeles FC have a conversation after the Seattle Sounders defeated Los Angeles FC 3-1 during Round One of the MLS Cup Playoffs at Lumen Field Field on November 24, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 24: Nicolas Lodeiro #10 of Seattle Sounders and Latif Blessing #7 of Los Angeles FC battle for possession in the second half during Round One of the MLS Cup Playoffs at Lumen Field Field on November 24, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 24: A general view of play between the Seattle Sounders and Los Angeles FC as rain pours down during Round One of the MLS Cup Playoffs at Lumen Field Field on November 24, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)

SEATTLE (AP) — Nicolas Lodeiro scored early in the first half, Raul Ruidiaz added a second midway through the second, and the defending champion Seattle Sounders beat depleted Los Angeles FC 3-1 on Tuesday night in the opening round of the MLS Cup playoffs.

Sounders 3, LAFC 1: Stats

Lodeiro scored in the 18th minute to give the home side the early advantage and Ruidiaz finally finished one of Seattle’s numerous chances with his eighth career playoff goal in the 66th minute.

Eduard Atuesta scored in the 77th minute to pull LAFC to 2-1, but Seattle regained its two-goal advantage moments later when Ruidiaz found Jordan Morris on a quick counter. Morris had missed a wide-open goal earlier in the half, one of several missed chances Seattle had in the opening stages of the second half to build a cushion.

Ruidiaz has six career playoff assists to go with his eight goals.

Seattle will host FC Dallas in the Western Conference semifinals next week.

The marquee matchup in the first round of the MLS Cup playoffs lived up to its billing in a rematch of last year’s Western Conference final won by the Sounders in Los Angeles. And it was the Sounders coming out on top again.

LAFC needed to be nearly perfect beginning the playoffs short-handed. LAFC was without Golden Boot winner Diego Rossi, Brian Rodriguez, Diego Palacios and Jose Cifuentes after all four tested positive for COVID-19 while on international duty in South America.

The absence of Rossi was the most notable after he led the league with 14 goals in the regular season and was the trigger to LAFC’s offensive attack. Without Rossi, LAFC needed Carlos Vela to be otherworldly.

Vela was good. He assisted on Atuesta’s goal, and nearly had a second but Mark-Anthony Kaye’s goal in the 88th minute was ruled offside by video review.

But Vela’s lasting memory will be a poorly taken penalty kick in the first half that was easily saved Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei.

Vela drew the penalty just two minutes after Lodeiro’s opening goal, using his experience to catch Nouhou Tolo reaching and cause the foul in the penalty area. But Vela’s PK attempt was a weak, forgettable effort that caused Frei to slide only one step to his left and make a clean catch without much effort.

It was the first penalty saved by Frei in a non-shootout since April 2016.

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