The Seattle Sounders made a huge splash in the transfer market this offseason when they signed highly touted 23-year-old attacker Pedro de la Vega from Lanús in his native Argentina. The Sounders made de la Vega their first Young Designated Player, and the Argentine youth international showed everyone what to expect during his 26-minute cameo on Saturday.
It took exactly eight minutes into his MLS career for de la Vega to get on the score sheet. He became the eighth player in club history to score in his debut.
Though the Sounders fell 2-1 on the road at LAFC in the 2024 MLS season-opener, de la Vega impressed and converted a 72nd-minute penalty to give the Sounders a lifeline.
“I’m very happy for my debut,” said de la Vega through a translator. “I had a lot of trust from my teammates. They told me that I was good to take the PK, and that was something that really helped me out with the trust in myself. It gave me confidence. It was also a good moment in the game because I was able to step up and score the goal and we still had time to continue to fight to get a result in the game.”
More than just his contribution from the penalty spot, de la Vega injected an electricity into this Sounders attack with his ability to eliminate defenders off the dribble and set up his teammates. He also nearly connected on a through ball to fellow newcomer Danny Musovski after slicing through LAFC’s midfield.
“You guys can see what de la Vega brings,” said Head Coach Brian Schmetzer.
De la Vega was an option off the bench as he continues to work to full fitness, and he should contend for a spot in the starting lineup once he’s 90-minute fit. His incisiveness is exactly what the Sounders have been looking for and they will need him to be a focal point in the final third.
“It was a very, very fast [game],” said de la Vega. “I felt the speed of the game. I felt good in the football side, but I still think I need to keep my rhythm. I’ve only played 30 minutes in the past couple of weeks, and I still need to continue to improve in that area.”
The next opportunity for de la Vega comes next Saturday in the Sounders’ home-opener against Austin FC (7:30 p.m. PT; Watch on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV | TICKETS) as they look to pick up their first win of the early campaign.
