LAFC’s dreams of an MLS Cup three-peat ended in cruel fashion Saturday, with Jordan Morris scoring four minutes into a second overtime period to give the Seattle Sounders a 2-1 Western Conference semifinal win before a sold-out crowd of more than 22,000 on a chilly autumn night at BMO Stadium. LAFC, which appeared in the last two MLS championship games, was bidding to become the first team in 17 years to play for the title in three consecutive seasons. But those hopes were undone by a scrappy Seattle side that was outplayed but never quit, riding a stellar nine-save night from goalkeeper Stefan Frei to its first win over LAFC in 11 meetings.
The Sounders, whose only other win in Los Angeles came in the 2019 Western Conference semifinals, got their other first score from LAFC defender Maxime Chanot on an own goal midway through the second half. Ryan Hollingshead accounted for the black and gold’s lone score in the 50th minute. Seattle will meet the winner of Sunday’s second conference semifinal between the Galaxy and Minnesota United in the Western Conference final next week.
Although LAFC was playing for the 50th time this season, Saturday’s game was its first in 15 days, a playoff pause necessitated by the FIFA international break, while Seattle had been off since Nov. 3. But while some LAFC players complained the long break robbed them of momentum and rhythm, the Sounders embraced it because it allowed Morris and Albert Rusnák, the team’s two leading scorers, to.
