Lumen Field—–John McCarthy showcased his skills with five remarkable saves as the Los Angeles Galaxy, missing two key players, secured a valuable away point in a goalless draw on Sunday afternoon against Seattle.
Stefan Frei, guarding the Sounders’ net, made three crucial saves during the match. The Galaxy, without their top scorer Dejan Joveljic due to a hip injury and playmaker Riqui Puig serving a suspension for yellow-card accumulation, faced a formidable challenge. Meanwhile, Seattle was deprived of the services of right back Alex Roldan, suspended for the game.
Despite their absence, the Galaxy stood firm, extending their winless streak at Lumen Field since 2016, yet managing to hold Seattle at bay with McCarthy’s heroics. Seattle dominated the shot count, tallying 19 attempts compared to Galaxy’s 12, but failed to breach McCarthy’s defense.
The match saw both teams create promising opportunities in the latter half, with McCarthy denying Seattle’s Raul Ruidiaz and Joao Paulo with acrobatic saves. Diego Fagundez came close for the Galaxy, only to be thwarted by Frei’s agility.
Seattle’s Leo Chu squandered a golden opportunity in the 78th minute, putting his shot over the crossbar from close range. The first half remained goalless despite Seattle’s dominance, with both sides failing to convert their chances into goals.
For the Galaxy, it was their second consecutive game without finding the back of the net, following a 2-0 loss to Austin FC the previous weekend. Joveljic’s absence was felt keenly, considering his status as the team’s leading goal scorer with six goals, while Puig, with three goals and four assists, was also sorely missed.
The Sounders, unable to capitalize on their recent victory against Philadelphia, failed to maintain momentum after a disrupted match resumption due to a waterlogged pitch.
