Chivas de Guadalajara finally have something to celebrate in the 2026 Leagues Cup. After scraping together a single point from their first two matches, the Mexican club traveled to Lumen Field on August 12 and beat defending champions Seattle Sounders FC 2-1, with 19-year-old Santiago Sandoval providing the decisive goal shortly after rejoining the squad.
From U-20 gold to Leagues Cup hero
The match in Seattle carried serious weight for both sides. Chivas entered West Group 2 play alongside LAFC, FC Dallas, and the Sounders, and their early tournament form, one point from two games, left almost no margin for error. Seattle, meanwhile, came in as reigning Leagues Cup champions looking to defend their title on home soil.
Goals from Rey and Sandoval gave Chivas the 2-1 victory. More importantly, the result eliminated Seattle from the tournament entirely, ending their title defense in the group stage.
For Sandoval, the goal was a header, the kind of finish that looks simple in replays but requires being in exactly the right place at exactly the right time. It was his first action since returning from the U-20 Championship.
