Danny Musovski nets hat trick as surging Sounders rout Sporting KC
SEATTLE – Sometimes the best “I’m sorry” comes in the form of a win.
Danny Musovski had a hat trick, including the game-winner, to help the Sounders defeat Sporting Kansas City 5-2 on Sunday. It was the kind of night Musovski needed at Lumen Field.
Not for confidence. The Sounders striker is amid a career-best goal-scoring season.
But the team’s most experienced forward available put Seattle’s best chance to win their first trophy since 2022 in doubt when he was ejected from the Leagues Cup quarterfinal match last week at Lumen. Musovski was suspended through the remainder of the tournament for bumping into the referee in a swirl of rage, leaving the Sounders with one traditional forward to rely on.
Teammates and coach Brian Schmetzer expressed their disappointment repeatedly. The best Musovski could do is ensure the Sounders win the MLS match to maintain their Western Conference standing for home-field advantage in the postseason. A difficult task, despite SKC entering the match winless in their past five matches.
Schmetzer fielded a completely new and mostly inexperienced lineup Sunday due to the tournament. And it provided the kind of frantic entertainment anyone would predict.
Kalani Kossa-Rienzi got the Sounders’ opening goal off his own rebound in the 11th minute. Georgi Minoungou provided the entry pass from the left wing and Kossa-Rienzi’s left-footed attempt was blocked. He chested down the deflection and blasted another attempt from his right foot that got past SKC keeper John Pulskamp.
Sporting (6-15-6) found their equalizer in the 36th minute. Sounders defenders Reed Baker-Whiting and Yeimar misjudged their runs on a counterattack to give up and easy shot for Mason Toye to place beyond keeper Stefan Frei’s reach from the six-yard box.
Baker-Whiting redeemed himself in first-half stoppage time with a well-placed cross for Musovski to head into goal. Seattle entered the break leading 2-1.
Musovski had his game-winner in the 50th minute. The Sounders (12-7-8) won a corner kick and midfielder Danny Leyva lofted the perfect ball into the box. Sporting midfielder Jake Davis tugged and pulled at Musovski, but the latter still whipped a header past Pulskamp.
Sounders defender Cody Baker gifted SKC a score in the 53rd minute with an own goal. But teammate Snyder Brunell cut a nice attempt into goal off assists from Leyva and Minoungou to push the score to 4-2 in the 61st minute.
Leyva won a penalty in the 75th minute but didn’t argue when Musovski wanted the ball to take the shot to have a hat trick, a first for him in MLS competitions.
Musovski cupped the ball on his hip until the check was completed. Then he placed the ball down and confidently mashed the penalty into the back of the net for the 5-2 scoreline.
Musovski is the eighth player in the Sounders’ MLS history to net a trio of goals in a single match. The last time was Sounders midfielder Albert Rusnák’s hat trick against Columbus in September 2024.
Schmetzer made eight lineup changes from the Leagues Cup quarterfinal win against Mexico’s Club Puebla last week. Brunell made his debut MLS start. The midfielder, who was signed in July, is one of five Sounders players whose nod was their fifth or fewer start of the season. Baker has made 13 starts in his MLS career, but Sunday was his first of the season.
Schmetzer subbed on Alex Roldan and Jackson Ragen at halftime for Cristian Roldan and Yeimar. The coach gave the crowd of 30,184 a chance to give Musovski a standing ovation in the 84th minute when he was subbed off for Osaze De Rosario. The veteran has 15 goals this season, through all competitions.
Seattle resumes Leagues Cup play Wednesday. They’ll travel to California to play the LA Galaxy in the semifinals.