Rusnák helps Sounders clinch playoff spot with 2-1 victory over LAFC

Albert Rusnák scored in the first minute, then notched an assist and the Seattle Sounders clinched a postseason spot on Decision Day with a 2-1 victory over Los Angeles FC on Saturday.

Seattle (12-12-10) began the day on the outside looking in, but finished eighth in the Western Conference and will host Real Salt Lake in the wild-card match with the top-seeded Vancouver Whitecaps awaiting the winner in the best-of-three first round.

LAFC (12-11-11) finished sixth in the West and will not have the home-field advantage in a first-round matchup with No. 3 seed St. Louis City.

Seattle grabbed the lead 51 seconds into the match when Rusnák took a pass from Cristian Roldan and scored the Sounders earliest goal this season. It was the fifth netter for Rusnák and the sixth assist for Roldan.

It was the fourth fastest goal in Decision Day history. Former Sounders midfielder Nico Lodeiro holds the record for a regular-season finale, scoring in 24 seconds for Seattle in 2022.

Rusnák added an assist when he set up rookie forward Sebastian Gomez in the 31st minute for his third netter and a two-goal lead. It was the seventh start and 20th appearance for the 20-year-old Gomez.

LAFC made things interesting when defender Eddie Segura used his head to score in the 82nd minute. Segura's first goal of the season came with assists from defender Ryan Porteous — the second of his career — and Leo Walta — his first in his fifth league appearance.

Andrew Thomas turned away seven shots for Seattle — none better than this one on a point-blank shot by Son Heung-min to keep it 2-0 in the 54th minute.

Rookie Cabral Carter had one save for LAFC in his second start and third appearance of the season..

Seattle's Jordan Morris left in the 24th minute with a quadriceps injury.

The Sounders have missed the postseason just once since joining the league in 2009. It was only the second time the club had to wait until Decision Day to decide its playoff fate.

LAFC beat Seattle 1-0 in Los Angeles to close out May.