Santiago Sandoval’s header hands Chivas a 2-1 Leagues Cup win at Lumen Field

Santiago Sandoval, a 19-year-old academy product, scored the winning header for Chivas de Guadalajara in a 2-1 victory over defending champions Seattle Sounders FC at Lumen Field on August 12 in the 2026 Leagues Cup, only days after winning the CONCACAF U-20 Championship with Mexico.

Sandoval is a Mexican attacking midfielder born on August 7, 2007, in Boca del Río and developed through Guadalajara’s youth system. He made his official first-team debut for Chivas on July 27, 2025 and had emerged into the senior picture before the Leagues Cup. Chivas had collected a single point from their first two tournament matches prior to the trip to Seattle.

Chivas travelled to Lumen Field on August 12 and defeated the Seattle Sounders 2-1 to claim three points in the competition. Sandoval entered as a substitute and scored the match-winner with a header; it was his first appearance for the club after returning from the CONCACAF U-20 Championship. The goal delivered Chivas their first Leagues Cup win of the tournament.

Sandoval’s breakthrough for Guadalajara came on May 9, 2026, in the Clausura quarterfinals against Tigres UANL when he scored two goals in three minutes after coming off the bench. Those strikes produced a 2-0 win that sent Chivas through to the semifinals of the competition.

At international youth level, Sandoval has been a regular for Mexico’s U20 side and played a key role in the country’s run to the 2026 CONCACAF U-20 Championship title. In the tournament’s group stage he both scored and provided an assist in Mexico’s first match, a win over Antigua and Barbuda.

Sandoval is described as a left-footed attacking playmaker noted for tight-space control, acceleration, spatial awareness and vertical, line-breaking passing; he typically operates between defensive lines to influence offensive phases. He is already regarded within the club as one of its emerging young players and is hoping to appear for the senior national team.

The header at Lumen Field not only secured three points for Chivas after a slow start in the Leagues Cup but also represented Sandoval’s immediate impact on his first match back from the U-20 tournament, giving Guadalajara their first victory of the Leagues Cup campaign.