Seattle Sounders Aim to End Puebla’s Cinderella Run in Leagues Cup

Seattle Sounders enter the quarterfinals as the only team to post a perfect record in Phase One and will host Club Puebla, who are enjoying their first deep run in the tournament. The two sides meet Wednesday night at Lumen Field, with the winner set to face either LA Galaxy or Pachuca in the semifinals.

This will be the first-ever meeting between the clubs. Seattle holds a 5-4 overall record in Leagues Cup play, while Puebla sits at 3-4. In this edition, the Sounders topped their group with nine points and a tournament-best +9 goal differential. Puebla, meanwhile, recorded their first-ever regulation wins in Leagues Cup history, defeating New York City FC and CF Montréal, though losses to Columbus and others exposed weaknesses.

The Sounders have looked dominant throughout. They opened with a resounding 7-0 rout of Cruz Azul, followed it up with a 2-1 win over Santos Laguna, and sealed Phase One with another 2-1 victory over Club Tijuana. Eight different players have scored for Seattle, reflecting the squad’s balance. Danny Musovski has netted three goals in his last three outings, while Cristian Roldán continues to anchor the midfield and provide leadership.

Puebla, on the other hand, is rewriting its own history. Before this year, the Mexican side had never advanced beyond the group stage and had only one victory in the competition, a penalty shootout win over Chicago Fire in 2023. Now, they arrive at the Knockouts with momentum but also concerns, having conceded 18 goals across their eight games in both Liga MX and Leagues Cup. Adding to their challenge, midfielder Raúl Castillo will miss the quarterfinal due to suspension after a red card against Montréal.

Seattle is eyeing redemption after falling in the 2024 quarterfinals, while Puebla will look to extend their Cinderella run in their first-ever knockout stage appearance.