Photos courtesy of LAFC.
Diego Rossi was again the catalyst for LAFC in its Round of 16 win over Seattle.
Facing each other for the first time since last year’s Western Conference Final, the scenario was the same for LAFC and the Seattle Sounders as they prepared to face each other in the Round of 16 of the MLS is Back Tournament, and that scenario was simple; win or go home.
This time, it was LAFC that got to taste victory. Diego Rossi was the catalyst, as his two goals and numerous chances throughout the match enabled LAFC to exact some revenge for last year’s conference final loss, as they eliminated Seattle with a convincing 4-1 win.
Latiff Blessing and Brian Rodriguez also found the back net for LAFC, whose forward pressure frustrated the Sounders the whole night. LAFC now braces for a tough test, as they face the de facto home team, Orlando City FC, in the quarterfinals on Friday.
After pressing Seattle for the first 12 minutes, LAFC finally made the pressure pay off. Diego Rossi had the ball in the top of the box and made his move into the box, Sounders defender William Arriaga attempted a slide tackle, but ended up taking down Rossi, leaving referee Jair Marrufo with no choice but to whistle for the penalty spot. Rossi stepped up, shot right and even though Stefan Frei guessed correctly, Rossi still beat him to the right side to give LAFC the lead.
LAFC continued to be the aggressors throughout the first half, and its continued pressure eventually got them a second goal, with a little help from the Sounders. Blessing held the ball, and curled a ball towards the framework, Seattle’s Shane O’Neill cut off the cross, but the ball did not go the direction it needed to, as the ball bounced forward and into the back net for LAFC’s second goal, which was credited to Blessing despite O’Neill’s deflection.
LAFC kept the pressure up for most of the second half, but could not produce that third goal. Seattle them put a brief scare into LAFC in the 75th minute when Joevin Jones sprinted from the left side, crossed into the penalty area, LAFC’s Dejan Jakovic whiffed on the clearance attempt and Will Bruin sent the ball into the back net to cut the LAFC lead in half.
Any thought of another Sounders comeback however was snuffed out by Rossi in the 83rd minute, as Rossi played a ball off Arriaga into the penalty area and fired a shot that beat Frei far post. Brian Rodriguez wrapped up LAFC’s berth in the quarterfinals, as he capitalized on another Sounders mistake, which started when Gustav Svensson got a bad touch on a ball played by Joshua Atencio, Rodriguez collected the ball, broke for goal, made a cutting move before firing a shot that beat Frei far post.
