Seattle Sounders Host Cruz Azul in Leagues Cup Showdown

SEATTLE, Wash. – The Seattle Sounders are set to face Cruz Azul in Phase One of the Leagues Cup on Thursday, July 31, at 7:30 p.m. PT. The match will take place at Lumen Field and will be broadcast live on Apple TV+, FS1, UniMás, TUDN, TSN, and Televisa.

Fans across the globe can stream the game on MLS Season Pass without any blackout restrictions. Audio coverage will also be available in Spanish on El Rey 1360AM, featuring live commentary before, during, and after the game.

This match comes shortly after a tough scoreless draw between the two clubs during the Concacaf Champions Cup. The Sounders were eliminated from that tournament when Cruz Azul defeated them 4-1 in the return fixture in Mexico City earlier this month. Now, the Sounders are looking for redemption.

“This is a really good team,” said Head Coach Brian Schmetzer. “Looking forward to a little bit of a rematch.” Cruz Azul enters the league cup with a new coach, Nicolás Larcamón, and a lineup that features new talent, including midfielder José Paradela.

Despite losing key player Alexis Gutiérrez to Club América, Cruz Azul retains strong players like Ángel Sepúlveda, who excelled with nine goals in the Champions Cup.

“These are the games that we want to play,” said Sounders midfielder Albert Rusnák. He recognizes the challenge Cruz Azul presents as one of the toughest teams he’s faced since joining MLS.

With the stakes high in this weekend’s matchup, the Sounders are determined to capitalize on any mistakes by Cruz Azul while leveraging their own style of play, which emphasizes ball possession and effective transitions.

Thursday night’s game is crucial for the Sounders, not just as their Leagues Cup opener, but as a chance to prove they can compete against top-tier teams in the league.

“If we can beat them, then it will set us up well for the remainder of Leagues Cup and the rest of the season,” Rusnák added, highlighting the motivation the team feels in facing off against a club that recently triumphed in the Champions Cup.