Sounders Christian Roki, led by Danny Musovski's hat-trick, crush Sporting KC in a dominant win
In a thrilling game at Lumen Field on Sunday, Danny Musovski scored a hat-trick, including the game-winning goal, to lead the Seattle Sounders to a 5-2 victory over Sporting Kansas City.
The Sounders, currently fourth in the Western Conference, got off to a strong start with Kalani Kossa-Rienzi scoring the first goal off his own rebound in the 11th minute. However, Sporting Kansas City found an equalizer in the 36th minute through Mason Toye.
The Sounders regained their lead just before halftime when Reed Baker-Whiting provided a cross for Musovski to head into goal, giving the Sounders a 2-1 lead at the break.
In the second half, Danny Musovski expressed his desire to make up for his red card in the Leagues Cup quarterfinal match and his regret over the suspension. His determination paid off as he scored his second goal in the 50th minute, thanks to a perfect ball from Danny Leyva.
Cody Baker, a Sounders defender, inadvertently scored an own goal for Sporting Kansas City in the 53rd minute, but Snyder Brunell scored for the Sounders in the 61st minute to extend their lead to 4-2. Musovski then completed his hat-trick by converting a penalty for his fourth goal in the match, resulting in a 5-2 scoreline.
Brian Schmetzer, the Sounders' coach who has been active at the club since 2002, fielded a new and mostly inexperienced lineup due to the tournament. Cody Baker started his first MLS game of the season on Sunday, while several players made their MLS debuts, including Snyder Brunell.
The Sounders will travel to California to play the LA Galaxy in the Leagues Cup semifinals on Wednesday. The team hasn't won a title since the 2022 CONCACAF Champions Cup, and they will be hoping to continue their form in the upcoming match.
The crowd gave Musovski a standing ovation when he was subbed off in the 84th minute, recognizing his 15 goals this season across all competitions. Musovski's hat-trick is the eighth in Sounders' MLS history, with the last one being scored by Albert Rusnรกk against Columbus in September 2024.
