Stefan Frei made a key save in second-half stoppage time to help the host Seattle Sounders preserve a scoreless draw against Los Angeles FC on Saturday, March 18.
Frei thwarted Kwadwo Opuka’s left-footed shot attempt from in close in the 92nd minute. Frei finished with three saves to secure his 94th career clean sheet and third this season.
Frei’s heroics enabled the Sounders (2–1–1, 7 points) to extend their home point streak to seven games (4–0–3) against LAFC since the latter posted a 1–0 victory in its inaugural MLS match in March 2018.
John McCarthy turned aside all four shots he faced to notch his ninth clean sheet of his career and second this season for LAFC (2–0–1, 7 points). He also played an integral role in silencing Seattle, which was unable to convert any of its seven corner kicks.
Each team was whistled for four yellow cards in a test match between Western Conference rivals.
Tempers flared late in the first half after Frei denied Denis Bouanga’s sharp-angle shot from deep in the box.
LAFC’s Aaron Long attempted to dislodge the ball from the arms of Frei, causing several Sounders players—including Nouhou Tolo—to come to their goalkeeper’s defense and create a brief skirmish on the field. Both Long and Tolo were issued yellow cards after order was restored.
Seattle nearly opened the scoring in the 23rd minute after Albert Rusnak’s shot from outside the box caromed off the right post.
Galaxy, Whitecaps play to 1–1 Tie
Kelvin Leerdam scored his first MLS goal since 2020 to help the LA Galaxy salvage a 1–1 draw against the visiting Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday night, March 18.Leerdam’s contribution from close range just before halftime of LA’s home opener canceled out Tristan Blackmon’s early header as both teams failed in their quest for their first win of the season.
The Suriname international’s offense was vital for the Galaxy (0–1–2, 2 points) on a night they were without injured striker Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez and winger Douglas Costa.
Julian Gressel contributed his third assist of the season to set up Blackmon. He has now set up every goal for Vancouver (0–2–2, 2 points) this season save one, an own-goal off Dallas’ Paul Arriola.
Galaxy goalkeeper Jonathan Bond departed after 25 minutes with an apparent shoulder injury, and 18 minutes later, Vancouver attacker Sergio Cordova left with what looked like a knee issue.
Vancouver went in front in the 14th minute through a bit of trickery on a set piece. Ryan Gauld acted like he was considering a shot from about 25 yards out to the right of goal.
Then suddenly, Gressel approached the ball instead and sent in an out-swinging cross, which Blackmon met with a powerful header beyond Bond.
The Galaxy were on the front foot for the remainder of the half, and Riqui Puig had a goal disallowed in the 28th minute after a video review spotted that Dejan Joveljic had been offside.
But LA pulled level in first-half stoppage time.
After a combination down the left, Raheem Edwards sent in a cross toward the back post. Takaoka attempted to intervene but spilled it into the path of Leerdam, who outmuscled defender Javain Brown to guide it over the goal line.
Both teams had chances late.
Joveljic forced Takaoka into a fine save in the 53rd minute.
Vancouver’s Brian White sent his 1-on-1 effort wide of the target in the 75th minute after reaching Gauld’s throughball. Moments after that, Joveljic thought he’d put the Galaxy in front, only for a second LA goal to be disallowed after the ball appeared to hit the striker’s arm in the process of controlling and shooting.
Brown also struck the inside of the far post with a wayward 85th-minute cross.
