Xavier Arreaga's free header with under 20 minutes to go stood as the match-winner, as Seattle Sounders FC won their first game of the 2022 MLS campaign, beating the LA Galaxy 3-2 at Lumen Field on Saturday afternoon.
Seattle fell behind in the 6th minute on a great team goal capped by Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez, but pulled level just over 10 minutes later when Jordan Morris got just enough of a ball in front of LA's net.
The Sounders were awarded a penalty kick in first-half stoppage time after Julian Araujo fouled Fredy Montero in the box. Montero stepped up and converted from the spot to put his team ahead 2-1.
After Douglas Costa's free-kick attempt took a slight deflection past Stefan Frei to level the match early in the second half, Seattle jumped back in front for good in the 72nd minute, as Arreaga beat LA goalkeeper Jonathan Bond with a header to make it 3-2.
With the Galaxy seeking an equalizer with just over 10 minutes to go, Efrain Alvarez's bid for a second straight AT&T Goal of the Week rang off the crossbar.
Goals
Three Things
- THE BIG PICTURE: A wild Western Conference battle in the Pacific Northwest eventually went the Sounders' way, as Brian Schmetzer's side picked up their first win of the campaign at the expense of the previously-unbeaten Galaxy. And it's a milestone victory, too: 200 wins in 425 MLS regular-season matches played, making them the quickest to reach that mark since – ironically – the Galaxy. But the injury to Sounders' center back Yeimar Gomez Andrade is a concern as they travel to Mexico to face Club León in the second leg of the Concacaf Champions League quarterfinals Thursday.
- MOMENT OF THE MATCH: It couldn't spark a win, but LA's opening goal was a sweeping team move that produced Chicharito's second strike of 2022.
- MAN OF THE MATCH: Xavier Arreaga deserves a nod here. The Ecuadorian center back's match-winner, after hitting the post moments earlier, was the difference in Seattle returning to the win column.
Next Up
- SEA: Thursday, March 17 at Club León | 8:30 pm ET | Concacaf Champions League
- LA: Saturday, March 19 vs. Orlando City SC | 3:30 pm ET (Univision, TUDN, Twitter) | MLS regular season
