Austin came to Lumen Field and left with three points, beating Seattle Sounders 2-1 thanks to second-half goals from Facundo Torres on 66 minutes and substitute Guilherme Biro on 87. The Sounders had plenty of attempts, finishing with 19 total shots, but could not find the net until Stuart Hawkins converted in the 90th minute, by which point the damage was done. Interim coach Davy Arnaud’s side held firm despite heavy pressure late on, moving to 20 points in the Western Conference standings.
Key Moments
- 46′, Seattle made an immediate half-time change, sending on Snyder Brunell for Sebastian Gomez as the Sounders looked to break a scoreless deadlock.
- 66′, Facundo Torres broke the deadlock for Austin, finishing Žan Kolmanič’s pass to give the visitors the lead.
- 87′, Guilherme Biro, on since the 59th minute, doubled Austin’s advantage from a Brandon Vázquez pass, effectively sealing the result.
- 90′, Stuart Hawkins pulled one back for the Sounders in stoppage time, but it was too little too late for Brian Schmetzer’s side.
Tactical Breakdown
Austin controlled the game from a structural standpoint despite having fewer shots. Operating out of a 3-4-2-1, they held 54% possession, completed 487 of 561 passes at an 87% accuracy rate, and limited Seattle to half-chances for long stretches. Their xG of 1.18 against 1.25 for Seattle is close, but Austin converted two of their seven shots on goal while the Sounders managed only one.
The turning point came immediately after halftime. Pulling Sebastián Gómez at the break signaled Seattle’s urgency, and Kossa-Rienzi’s yellow card in the 48th minute disrupted the Sounders’ rhythm. Austin held their shape, and when Torres struck on 66 minutes — Žan Kolmanič supplying the pass — Arnaud started protecting the lead: Mads Desler and Emiliano Torres replaced Płacheta and Nelson at 71, then Kolmanič and Ilie Sánchez made way for Djordjevic and Sabovic at 79. Those changes helped Austin absorb Seattle’s response and then Biro added the second with three minutes remaining.
Seattle’s biggest problem was converting volume into goals. They generated 12 shots inside the box and had seven corners, but Austin goalkeeper Damian Las made six saves to keep the Sounders at bay. Seattle arrived on a run of five straight defeats and leave on six, and a first-half stalemate allowed Austin to sit deeper and absorb before hitting on the counter in the second period.
Player Ratings
Match Context
Standings
Head To Head
Verdict
Austin move to 20 points in the Western Conference, cutting the gap to playoff contention while the Sounders remain stuck in mid-table at 24 points after a fifth straight defeat. Seattle’s five-game losing run is a concern for Brian Schmetzer, who will need a significant turnaround to keep pace with Portland Timbers and the teams above them in the West.
Seattle Sounders
Facundo Torres
Guilherme Biro