Despite Cristian Roldanās opening goal at Allegiant Stadium, Rave Green succumb to three goals from Liga MXās Club León; After falling in the clubās first international final, Seattle returns immediately to league play with critical Western Conference matchup at Sporting Kansas City on Sunday, September 26 (4:00 p.m.)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA ā Playing in its first international championship in club history, Seattle Sounders FC came up just short in the 2021 Leagues Cup Final, falling by a final score of 3-2 to Liga MX side Club León at Allegiant Stadium. All five of the matchās goals came in the second half of play, with Cristian Roldanās opening tally in the 48th minute being nullified by three goals from León to seal the match. Seattle midfielder Nicolas Benezet netted a second strike in second-half stoppage time, but it was not enough for the Rave Green to wrestle control of the match back from the Liga MX side.
Roldanās 48th minute strike was his first of the tournament and third overall in 2021. RaĆŗl RuidĆaz played Jimmy Medranda down the left flank with a chipped through-ball, and the Colombian wingback found Roldan with a cross for a clean finish. Roldan has two goals and two assists in regular-season play this season, and he recorded a pair of assists in Seattleās win over Tigres in the Leagues Cup quarterfinals.
León equalized in the 61st minute courtesy of Ćngel Mena, who slotted a shot past Stefan Frei after a cross from the left wing. It marked the first goal surrendered by Seattle in 2021 Leagues Cup play. Mena doubled his tally with an 81st-minute penalty kick, while teammate Emmanuel Gigliotti netted Leónās third strike four minutes later.
Will Bruin played a ball to fellow substitute Nicolas Benezet at the top of Leónās area in the 92nd minute, with the Frenchman hitting a deflected shot into the back of the net, making the score 3-2. Seattle ran out of time to find an equalizer, ending the clubās inaugural run in Leagues Cup.
Seattle reached the Leagues Cup Final after defeating Tigres UANL 3-0 in the quarterfinals and Santos Laguna in the semifinal round. The Rave Green are 6-9-2 all-time against Liga MX sides, with all matches prior to this season coming in Concacaf Champions League play. Leagues Cup is the official annual single-elimination tournament that features clubs from MLS and Liga MX, Mexicoās topflight league. MLS announced yesterday that the tournament is being expanded beginning with the 2023 season.
Brian Schmetzerās side now shifts its focus back to MLS regular-season action, as the club prepares for Sundayās critical matchup with Western Conference-leading Sporting Kansas City at Childrenās Mercy Park (4:00 p.m. PT / FS1, 950 KJR AM, El Rey 1360 AM). Sounders FC enters that contest one point behind Sporting KC.
Seattle Sounders FC 2 ā Club León 3
Wednesday, September 22, 2021
Venue: Allegiant Stadium
Referee: IvƔn Arcides Barton Cisneros
Assistants: Ismael Cornejo, David Moran
Fourth Official: Juan Zumba
VAR: Tatiana Guzman
Attendance: 24,824
Weather: Indoors
SCORING SUMMARY
SEA ā Cristian Roldan (Jimmy Medranda) 48ā
LEO ā Ćngel Mena (ElĆas Hernandez) 61ā
LEO ā Ćngel Mena (PK) 81ā
LEO ā Emanuel Gigliotti 85ā
SEA ā Nicolas Benezet (Will Bruin) 90+2ā
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
SEA ā Xavier Arreaga (caution) 10ā
SEA ā JoĆ£o Paulo (caution) 15ā
LEO ā Santiago Colombatto (caution) 23ā
SEA ā RaĆŗl RuidĆaz (caution) 27ā
SEA ā Cristian Roldan (caution) 82ā
LEO ā Luis Montes (caution) 90+3ā
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC ā Stefan Frei ā captain; Alex Roldan, Yeimar Gómez Andrade, Xavier Arreaga, Shane OāNeill (Nico Benezet 83ā), Jimmy Medranda (Brad Smith 68ā); JoĆ£o Paulo, Kelyn Rowe (Josh Atencio 83ā), Cristian Roldan, Fredy Montero (Will Bruin 77ā); RaĆŗl RuidĆaz
Substitutes not used: Stefan Cleveland, Spencer Richey, AB Cissoko, Nouhou, Danny Leyva, Reed Baker-Whiting, Ethan Dobbelaere, Léo Chú
Total shots: 10
Shots on goal: 2
Fouls: 17
Offside: 1
Corner-kicks: 2
Saves: 1
Club León ā Rondolfo Cota; Osvaldo Rodriguez, William Tesillo, Jaine Barreiro, Andres Mosquera (JosĆ© David RamĆrez 59ā); Santiago Colombatto, JosĆ© RodrĆguez, Omar FernĆ”ndez (Luis Montes 71ā); Jean Meneses (ElĆas HernĆ”ndez 60ā), VĆctor DĆ”vila (Emanuel Gigliotti 60ā), Ćngel Mena
Substitutes not used: IvĆ”n VĆ”zquez, Pablo Rangel, Ramiro GonzĆ”lez, Jesse Zamudio, Gil Burón, Oscar Villa, Fidel AmbrĆz, Santiago OrmeƱo
Total shots: 8
Shots on goal: 4
Fouls: 13
Offside: 0
Corner-kicks: 3
Saves: 0