Nate Jaqua scores twice as Sounders beat Galaxy 2-0 to reach semifinals of US Open Cup

Sounders beat Galaxy 2-0 in US Open Cup quarters

SEATTLE — Nate Jaqua scored two second-half goals to give the Seattle Sounders a 2-0 victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy on Wednesday night in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals.

The win sends Seattle, the defending Cup champion, into the semifinals against Chivas USA on Sept. 1. Chivas earned its spot Tuesday with a 3-1 victory against the Houston Dynamo.

Late in the 50th minute, rookie forward Miguel Montano took a shot that bounced off the underside of the crossbar, but Jaqua was right there to head it into a wide-open net.

Midway through the 62nd minute, a Montano cross from the left side floated right to Jaqua on the far side of the box, and his diving header beat Galaxy goalkeeper Josh Saunders to the back left corner.

Terry Boss earned the shutout for Seattle.

While the Sounders have struggled to a 4-8-3 record in MLS play this season, they now have won eight straight U.S. Open Cup games, including six last season when they won it all as an expansion team for the first cup of any kind in franchise history.

Los Angeles, which has dominated MLS play this year with an 11-1-3 record — including a 3-1 rout of Seattle last Sunday in Carson, Calif. — was trying to make the Open Cup semifinals for the seventh time in club history.

Although it was the quarterfinal stage, both teams kept most of their starters on the sidelines. The Galaxy’s two U.S. World Cup players, Landon Donovan and Edson Buddle, didn’t even dress for the game. Buddle, the leading scorer in MLS, had the first goal last Sunday in the Galaxy’s win over Seattle.

Seattle outshot Los Angeles 21-10, including 14-3 in the second half.