Jordan Morris scored twice 61 seconds apart early in the second half as the host Seattle Sounders pulled away to defeat Los Angeles Football Club 3-1 Sunday night.
Raúl Ruidíaz scored at the 11-minute mark before being replaced because of a heel contusion at halftime for the defending MLS Cup champion Sounders (4-1-2, 14 points), who moved into second place in the Western Conference, two points behind Sporting Kansas City.
RAUL RUIDIAZ OUT OF NOWHERE!!! #SEAvLAFC pic.twitter.com/0mqFjJcQR3
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 31, 2020
Diego Rossi scored for LAFC (2-2-3, nine points) at 60 minutes, which suffered its second consecutive defeat since resuming play following the MLS is Back Tournament.
LAFC, last year's Supporters' Shield winners, defeated Seattle 4-1 in the MLS tourney's Round of 16, avenging a loss in last year's conference final in Los Angeles. But the Sounders built a three-goal lead Sunday as Morris scored in the 48th and 49th minutes.
The first of Morris' goals came as midfielder Nicolás Lodeiro made a pass from midfield that sent Morris on a breakaway past two defenders. Morris dribbled around hard-charging LAFC goalkeeper Kenneth Vermeer about 25 yards off his line and rolled the ball into an open net from just inside the top of the 18-yard box.
After the ensuing kickoff, Sounders midfielder João Paulo made a run down the right wing and sent a cross to Morris at the top of the 6-yard box near the far post. Morris' half-volley put Seattle up 3-0.
48'—@JmoSmooth13 scores
49'—Jordan Morris scores@SoundersFC are taking LAFC to school rn pic.twitter.com/bkyu6T0lFy— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 31, 2020
Rossi scored when he took a cross from José Cifuentes on a two-on-one break and put a one-timer just past diving Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei and inside the left post. Bradley Wright-Phillips also got an assist on the play.
Cifu Rossi #SEAvLAFC 3-1 pic.twitter.com/2YSjpIclZI
— LAFC (@LAFC) August 31, 2020
Ruidíaz opened the scoring after LAFC had dominated the early going. A long lead pass from near midfield pin-balled off a defender and dropped to Ruidíaz, whose left-footed shot from 30 yards left Vermeer flat-footed and found the upper left corner of the net.
