Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez scored the opener in the 78th minute, but Raul Ruidiaz scored a dramatic leveler at the death, forcing the LA Galaxy to settle for a 1-1 draw with the Seattle Sounders in the Wednesday matchup between the sides at Dignity Health Sports Park.
The result eliminates the Galaxy from Western Conference playoff contention, while Seattle are at the No. 3 spot in the Western Conference with 1.71 points from 21 matches.
Both sides had close looks at an opener in the first half, but none that wound up materializing.
The Sounders thought they had an early penalty kick shout when rookie midfielder Ethan Dobbelaere, making his first MLS start, teed up a shot that Seattle argued went off the outstretched hand of Galaxy defender Daniel Steres. But referee Silviu Petrescu wouldn't oblige the Sounders' players pleas for a handball.
The Galaxy hit the woodwork twice in the first half, first in the 15th minute when a headed effort from Steres was headed off the line by Seattle right back Alex Roldan and bounced off the crossbar before being cleared away by Dobbelaere.
Hernandez would find the Galaxy's opener in the 78th minute, breaking through Seattle's back line after some nifty combination play with Efrain Alvarez and finding himself with a one-v-one with Galaxy goalkeeper Stefan Frei. The Mexico international slotted home the finish for his second goal of the season.
It looked like the Galaxy were going to get the win that would've kept their slim playoff hopes alive, but Ruidiaz snatched a point at the death for the Sounders, taking a feed from Jordan Morris and sliding home the leveler past LA goalkeeper David Bingham.
Goals
- 78' - LA - Javier Hernandez | WATCH
- 90'+4 - SEA - Raul Ruidiaz
Next Up
- LA: Sunday, Nov. 8 at Vancouver Whitecaps (6:30 pm ET | MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US; TSN1 in Canada)
- SEA: Sunday, Nov. 8 vs. San Jose Earthquakes (6:30 pm ET | MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US; MLS LIVE on DAZN in Canada)
