LOS ANGELES – Another one.
The Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs have produced upsets galore, and the latest arrived Saturday night at BMO Stadium. Seattle Sounders FC eliminated top-seeded LAFC with a 2-1 comeback victory, advancing to the club’s seventh Western Conference Final.
Despite conceding the first goal shortly after halftime, fourth-seeded Seattle received an own-goal gift from Maxime Chanot, allowing Jordan Morris to deliver a 109th-minute knockout blow with a pure striker’s finish.
“From the start of the game, we came out and I thought set the tone and had the right mentality to come back, especially with how things had gone against this team," Morris said after the Western Conference Semifinal required extra time.
"To come back after scoring, I think it shows the character of this team and the mentality in the playoffs. You’ve just got to fight and claw your way back.”
A never-say-die approach is instilled in the fabric of the club, according to head coach Brian Schmetzer.
“The mantra of the Sounders, the mentality of the group, is we never quit. We never give up,” Schmetzer said. “Guys that want to even think about giving up, they're no longer with us. It's just the overall spirit [and] mentality of the group. They understand that coming in.
"Great players have come to this club and they understand that it's their team. It's not my team, it's not Adrian [Hanauer]'s team, it's their team, and they have to stick together. And as a collective, they can do great things. All of those little messages add up to guys not quitting and guys finding ways to impact games.”
Streak over
LAFC were Seattle's kryptonite during the past three-and-a-half seasons, building up a 10-game winless streak dating back to May 2021.
That suffering is over, dealing LAFC their first home playoff in over five years (also against Seattle; 2019 Western Conference Final). The Black & Gold had hosting priority, were they to make a third-straight MLS Cup appearance.
“We didn't love how much of a narrative that was going into this game," Morris said. "It was frustrating for us because they have gotten the best of us, knocked us out of the playoffs last year, knocked us out of Open Cup, knocked us out of Leagues Cup, where we could have had some special runs potentially to Open Cup playing in another final.
"I think we were all frustrated. We wanted to end that cycle. So it feels great to come here, to come to their home and get a win especially, and just such a great effort from the group. We're glad to kind of put that narrative to bed and move forward.”
Frei masterclass
After Stefan Frei helped Seattle win two penalty-kick shootouts in their Round One sweep of Houston Dynamo FC, this season's best defensive team again relied on their veteran goalkeeper. He made nine saves against LAFC, tying his playoff career-high mark.
“I don’t want to get too emotional with him here, but we've been teammates for a long time and Stef has saved us countless times,” Morris said. “He'll be the first one to say it's a team effort and that the guys ahead of him do a great job, which they do. But he saved us so many times, helped us win so many championships, and today you saw that on full display.”
Unsurprisingly, Schmetzer joined Morris on the Frei hype train.
“Tonight I'm going to talk about all the guys, but I'm going to stump for Stefan Frei,” Schmetzer said. “How that guy hasn't won Goalkeeper of the Year is a travesty. I'm gonna say it. It's a travesty and it's a mistake. And if people don't want to get on the bandwagon, that's your choice. But my belief, my opinion, is that guy's the best shot-stopper in the league, bar none.”
JoMo delivers
At the other end of the pitch, Morris showed his No. 9 skills with a clutch finish, tying teammate Raúl Ruidíaz for the most MLS Cup Playoffs goals by an active player (nine). This year, Morris also set a new regular-season high with 13 goals.
“He's had a couple, but this one was massive," Schmetzer said of the homegrown star. "The way he turned and spun – and we talk about tough angles for hitting the ball up – that was a classic striker’s goal. You’ve got to know where you're at. You’ve got to know where the goalkeeper is. You’ve got to know where the frame of the goal is, so credit to him. He's been working hard on being a number nine.”
For the US men's national team forward, the excitement was overwhelming.
“It’s hard when I score. Sometimes I just kind of blackout,” Morris said. “I was just happy that the team performance was rewarded.”
MLS Cup next?
Seattle await their Western Conference Final opponent, as determined by Sunday's match between LA Galaxy and Minnesota United FC (6 pm ET | MLS Season Pass; FS1, FOX Deportes). An LA win means they travel next weekend, while a Minnesota victory ensures they'll host at Lumen Field with a chance to host MLS Cup.
Will it all end with Seattle's third MLS Cup title, joining their 2016 and 2019 squads in the history books?
“That was a recipe for success for us in 2019, to beat [LAFC] here and then go on to win MLS Cup. Hopefully, we can repeat that,” Morris said.
“It's pretty cool that if we win this next game we'll get a chance to host [MLS Cup], which is a big deal. But a lot of work still to do. We'll see who we play tomorrow and start playing it from there.”
