Sebastian Gomez nets goal, assist as Seattle Sounders earn 3-0 over Querétaro in Leagues Cup
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - AUGUST 09: Sebastian Gomez #90 of Seattle Sounders FC reacts after scoring a goal in the first half during the Leagues Cup Phase One match between Seattle Sounders FC and Querétaro FC at Lumen Field on August 09, 2026 in Seattle (Kevin Ng / Leagues Cup / MLS / Getty Images)
SEATTLE - Sebastian Gomez scored his first goal just four minutes into his first career start for the Seattle Sounders and added an assist on Albert Rusnák's late goal in a 3-0 win over Querétaro in Leagues Cup on Sunday afternoon.
Danny Musovski also scored and Paul Rothrock had a pair of assists as the Sounders won their first match in nearly three months.
The victory was the first in any competition for the Sounders since a 3-2 win over the San Jose Earthquakes on May 13, snapping a run of seven straight losses across all competitions. The team was off for six weeks through June for the FIFA World Cup.
The Sounders are the defending Leagues Cup champions, beating Lionel Messi and Inter Miami 3-0 in the final at Lumen Field last year. However, Seattle has been struggling heavily with numerous players sidelined with injuries this summer. The Sounders lost their 2026 Leagues Cup opener 3-0 to Toluca FC on Wednesday night in a match that was even more lopsided than the final result.
Gomez's goal set the tone early for the Sounders. A full-field buildup led to Paul Rothrock finding a crashing Gomez on the backside of the goal for a finish past goalkeeper José Hernández for the 1-0 lead.
Rothrock picked up another assist on Musovski's goal in the 41st minute. A through ball from Peter Kingston sprung Rothrock on a run up the left flank. He then found Musovski, who contorted to direct the ball into the goal for a 2-0 at halftime.
Musovski and Gomez then combined to tee up a shot for Rusnák from the top of the box in the 68th minute for a 3-0 lead.
Seattle will face Chivas de Guadalajara at Lumen Field on Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. in the final match of group play for Leagues Cup. Only four teams each from MLS and Liga MX advance to the knockout stages. The 3-0 loss to Toluca will make it difficult for Seattle to advance.
Pedro de la Vega entered as a substitute for the Sounders in the 77th minute for his first action of the year since a significant knee injury last October. However, it was a short-lived return as he left for the locker room before the match was over.
The Source: Information in this story came from FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
MORE SOUNDERS NEWS FROM FOX 13 SEATTLE
Seattle Sounders dominated by Toluca FC in 3-0 loss in Leagues Cup
Leagues Cup kicks off tomorrow
Brandon Bye goal in 82nd minute dooms Seattle Sounders in 2-1 loss to Timbers
Injuries continue for Seattle Sounders ahead of rematch with Timbers after 5-1 loss
Seattle Sounders drop fifth straight game in 1-0 loss to Union
To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter.
Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.