MATCH RECAP: Sounders FC advances to Leagues Cup Semifinal with Dominant 3-0 win over Tigres

Playing the club’s first-ever match in Leagues Cup, Seattle Sounders FC cemented a memorable victory over leading Mexican side Tigres UANL by a final score of 3-0. Raúl Ruidíaz, Fredy Montero and Nicolás Lodeiro provided the goals, as the Rave Green move onto the seminal round of the competition, where Seattle is set to face the winner of Thursday’s match between Santos Laguna and Orlando City. 

Major League Soccer is due to release dates, locations, kickoff times and broadcast information for the semifinal matches at the conclusion of Thursday’s quarterfinal round. Should Sounders FC host its semifinal match, tickets are scheduled to go on sale to the public starting this Friday, August 13 at 11:00 a.m. PT, with an exclusive presale window for Season Ticket Members beginning earlier that day at 9:00 a.m. PT. Tickets are available exclusively through Ticketmaster.

Ruidíaz put the home side into the lead with a signature panenka penalty kick in the 23rd minute, chipping Tigres goalkeeper Miguel Ortega down the middle of his goal. For the Peruvian striker, it was his first goal for the Rave Green outside of MLS regular-season and postseason play, good for his 54th strike in all competitions since joining the club midway through the 2018 season. 

Montero doubled Seattle’s advantage in the 64th minute, bagging his club-leading 65th goal in all competitions, as he stabbed home a João Paulo corner kick that Cristian Roldan squared for the Colombian. 

Lodeiro added the exclamation point, recording his 44th goal as a Sounder by lofting an audacious shot over the outstretched arms of Ortega in the 70th minute of play. The shot came from roughly 30 yards away from Tigres’ goal, marking Lodeiro’s first tally since November 24, 2020 after missing time earlier this season due to injury. He is now in sole possession of fourth place in the club’s scoring charts, passing former striker Obafemi Martins. 

The Rave Green are competing in Leagues Cup – the official annual single-elimination tournament featuring clubs from MLS and Liga MX, Mexico’s topflight league – for the first time, with a 5-8-2 all-time record against Liga MX clubs, with all fixtures prior to tonight’s match coming in Concacaf Champions League play. Further information about the tournament can be found here. Seattle is also now 2-1-0 all-time against Tigres (including Champions League play).  

After advancing to the Leagues Cup semifinals, Seattle prepares for a three-match road swing that takes the club from Oregon to Texas and Ohio. First up for the Rave Green is a Cascadia clash at Providence Park against the Portland Timbers on Sunday, August 15 (5:30 p.m. PT / FS1, 950 KJR AM, El Rey 1360 AM). Seattle then travels to play FC Dallas on August 18 and Columbus on August 21. 

MATCH SUMMARY

Seattle Sounders FC 3 – Tigres UANL 0
Tuesday, August 10, 2021

Venue: Lumen Field
Referee: John Pitti
Assistants: Alejandro Camarena, Ronald Bruña
Fourth Official: Oliver Vergara
VAR: Said Martinez
Attendance: 17,077
Weather: 80 degrees and clear

SCORING SUMMARY

SEA – Raúl Ruidíaz (penalty) 23’
SEA – Fredy Montero (Cristian Roldan, João Paulo) 64’
SEA – Nicolás Lodeiro (Cristian Roldan) 70’

MISCONDUCT SUMMARY

SEA – Kelyn Rowe (caution) 58’
SEA – Nicolás Lodeiro (caution) 67’
TIG – Diego Reyes (caution) 88’

LINEUPS & STATS

Seattle Sounders FC – Stefan Cleveland; Alex Roldan, Xavier Arreaga, Shane O’Neill, Yeimar (Abdoulaye Cissoko 85’), Brad Smith (Jimmy Medranda 65’); João Paulo, Cristian Roldan, Kelyn Rowe (Josh Atencio 76’); Raúl Ruidíaz (Will Bruin 84’), Fredy Montero (Nicolás Lodeiro 65’) 

Substitutes not used: Spencer Richey, Ethan Dobbelaere, Reed Baker-Whiting, Danny Leyva

Total shots: 9
Shots on goal: 5
Fouls: 17
Offside: 1
Corner-kicks: 4
Saves: 1 

Tigres UANL – Miguel Ortega; Diego Reyes, Hugo Ayala, Francisco Venegas, Erick Avalos (Javier Aquino HT); David Ayala (Rafael Carloca 72’), Leonardo Fernandez (Raymundo Fulgencio 59’), Jesús Dueñas (Juan Vigón 72’), Florian Thauvin (Nicolás Lopez HT); Luis Quinoñes, Carlos Gonzalez

Substitutes not used: Adrián Garza, Arturo Delgado, Juan Sánchez, Aldo Cruz, Jesús Garza, Luis Nájera, Alan Ramos

Total shots: 16
Shots on goal: 1
Fouls: 12
Offside: 1
Corner-kicks: 8
Saves: 2