SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - AUGUST 12: Sandoval Santiago #30 of Guadalajara scores past Stefan Frei #24 of the Seattle Sounders FC during the Leagues Cup Phase One match at Lumen Field on August 12, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Steph Chambers / Leagues Cup / MLS / Getty Images)
The chance to repeat as Leagues Cup champions is officially over prior to the knockout stage for the Seattle Sounders.
The Sounders lost 2-1 to Chivas de Guadalajara in Leagues Cup on Wednesday night, eliminating the defending champions. Seattle needed to win and get help as only four MLS teams out of the 18 in the tournament advance to the knockout stages.
Gallatin Sandnes gave the Sounders a 1-0 lead in the 13th minute with his first goal with the senior team in his first ever start. Seattle held the advantage into halftime, but was unable to hold it after the break.
A Chivas cross into the box fell to the foot of Luis Gabriel Rey, who beat Stefan Frei in the 60th minute to level the match at 1-1.
Chivas found the back of the net again in the 64th minute, but the play was waved off for an offsides call to give Seattle a brief respite. Much like the Sounders' 3-0 loss to Toluca FC in the first match of the tournament, Stefan Frei was peppered in goal. Frei made nine saves on 11 shots to keep Seattle in the match.
Santiago Sandoval timed a run perfectly to get to a looping pass over the Sounders' defense to bury a header past Frei in the 72nd minute that put Chivas ahead for good.
The Sounders won Leagues Cup last year, defeating Lionel Messi and Inter Miami in the final in Seattle. But the Sounders have not been in form most of the summer as injuries have helped derail their efforts. A 3-0 win over Querétaro on Sunday was Seattle's first win in any competition since May 13.
The Source: Information in this story came from FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
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