Where four other MLS clubs had failed over the past 22 years, the Seattle Sounders stayed the course and made history.
Dealt blow after blow across the two-legged CONCACAF Champions League final, the Sounders produced a historic performance in front of a record crowd at Lumen Field, with a 3-0 win seeing Seattle become the first MLS team to win the CONCACAF Champions League, and the first MLS team since 2000 to win a continental title.
Much has been made over the years about the Mexican dominance of the continental club tournament, with a Liga MX side winning every single year since 2005, until Pumas came to Lumen Field in front of the largest crowd in CONCACAF Champions League history.
The weight of the CCL duck weighed heavily on MLS, growing heavier with each successive failure. Where other MLS clubs crumbled under the weight of the moment or the pressure of adversity, Seattle managed to stay on course. Two early injuries to Nouhou and Joao Paulo looked like more MLS bad vibes in the continental competition, but Raul Ruidiaz scored twice and Nicolas Lodeiro finished it off to make sure the Sounders shook off all that stood in its way.
Albert Rusnak was the best player on the field the whole match, given extra weight after Joao Paulo's departure. The Slovakian international controlled the midfield and moved Seattle's buildup forward, cropping up all over the pitch on multiple occasions.
Goalkeeper Stefan Frei made a huge save midway through the second half to keep Seattle in front, and the leaders up front in Jordan Morris, Cristian Roldan, and Nicolas Lodeiro swarmed the Pumas back line consistently.
Frei won Player of the Tournament, beating runaway goalscoring leader Juan Ignacio Dinenno of Pumas to the prize.
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 5, 2022🎉 Lift it, @SoundersFC! 🎉
Up next: FIFA Club World Cup pic.twitter.com/KEitIpNonl
MORE:
Seattle Sounders vs. Pumas final score
| 1H | 2H | Final | |
| Seattle | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Pumas | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Goals:
45 min — SEA — Raul Ruidiaz
80 min — SEA — Raul Ruidiaz
88th min — SEA — Nicolas Lodeiro
Seattle Sounds vs. Pumas live updates, highlights commentary
FULL-TIME: Seattle 3-0 Pumas
History is made!! The Seattle Sounders are the first MLS club to win the CONCACAF Champions League, and a long-awaited moment has finally arrived.
Seattle took blow after blow in this two-legged final, and managed to hold firm each time. The second leg was a resounding performance, as 90-minute dominance entertained a record CONCACAF Champions League crowd. Pumas was overwhelmed on the road, and the physical style of play couldn't knock Seattle off course. The Mexican side was soundly beaten.
Seattle will now become the first MLS club to compete in the Club World Cup later this year.
seattle had just about every possible concacaf thing thrown at them over two legs. terrible weather, iffy penalty, unexpected injuries, etc. and they somehow found the Uno reverse card for all of it
— J. Sam Jones (@J_SamJones) May 5, 2022
Rusnak having himself a big game. Seattle needed him to step up when Joao Paulo went down; he's done a very good job of keeping things composed in the middle.
— Sam Stejskal (@samstejskal) May 5, 2022
🥲 Seattle look at you pic.twitter.com/5aFjBZyM3R
— Meg Swanick (@Meg_Swanick) May 5, 2022
91+2 min:Brian Schmetzer, knowing the match is dusted, takes off Lodeiro, Morris, and Ruidiaz and the home crowd gives the trio a wild ovation. The roof is almost blown off Lumen Field.
88th min: GOAL! SEATTLE!The Sounders have done it!! Albert Rusnak, who's been the best player on the pitch all match in midfield, feeds Jordan Morris from a tight angle on the right. The USMNT international takes aim, and his shot clatters the post, touched wide by Talavera. The rebound falls at the feet of Lodeiro, and he makes sure to finish the game off, burying the ball with a ripple in the back of the net.
The Seattle Sounders are going to make history. Lodeiro gets a yellow card as his shirt whirlwinds around his head in celebration.
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 5, 2022SEATTLE IS RUNNING AWAY WITH IT 🤯
Lodeiro makes it a 3️⃣ goal game for @SoundersFC 🙌 pic.twitter.com/ZqHQsb17r0
86th min:Arreaga down in some pain and needs stretching to fend off a cramp. The stretcher comes out, and Arreaga waves it off. Classic CONCACAF, that.
80th min: GOAL! SEATTLE!Ruidiaz has the ball in the back of the net on a venomous counter-attack, and the Seattle Sounders have nearly done it!! The more Pumas pushed, the more things opened up behind them, and Seattle makes the visitors pay.
It comes down the right through the tireless Jordan Morris, and it comes to Nicolas Lodeiro whosebrilliantfeed to Ruidiaz wide left sets up the finish. Lodeiro's assist was lovely, and Ruidiaz's finish was pinpoint. History on the doorstep.
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 5, 2022HE DOES IT AGAIN 😱😱😱
Raúl Ruidíaz gives @SoundersFC a 2-0 lead 🔥 pic.twitter.com/BWgBWSPo9U
— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) May 5, 2022That goal started in the Seattle Sounders’ defensive third.
Albert Rusnak to Cristian Roldan to Alex Roldan to Jordan Morris to Nico Lodeiro to Raul Ruidiaz.
From Roldan to the goal: 8 touches. 4 passes. 1 shot. On the brink of history.
74th min:The Lumen Field crowd is utterly electric at the moment. There's time still, as Pumas just needs one to turn this around, but the home fans can feel it. Pumas has had long spells of possession, but continues to foul in chunks. Lodeiro now down after a tackle through the back by Rogerio.
69th min: CHANCE, Seattle!Now it's Talavera's turn to make a huge stop! Alex Roldan appeared to have delivered a left-footed curler that maybe sealed the deal for Seattle, but Talavera leaps to palm it away.
This game has exploded to life!
The first 150 mins of this two-legged CCL final has be so, so good. Entertaining, intense, moments of quality. Has felt heavily caffeinated, which I mean as a compliment
— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) May 5, 2022
65th min: CHANCE, Pumas!WHAT. A. SAVE. STEFAN FREI! The Seattle shot-stopper keeps out a header from Diogo that's driven into the ground. It's not the prettiest save of all time, more of an awkward looking stop, but the header was a yorker right at Frei's feet and difficult to deal with. It's a critical stop that keeps Seattle in front.
WHAT A SAVE FOR SEATTLE 😱😱😱@Stefan24Frei | @SoundersFC pic.twitter.com/4FtjV34xs8
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 5, 2022
Another look at that INSANE save by @SoundersFC's @Stefan24Frei 👏👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/1238MnR3zA
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 5, 2022
63rd min:This game has torn wide open. Jordan Morris isnearlyclean through on goal but the feed from Lodeiro is just inches out of reach as Talavera comes out to collect. Down the other end Pumas nearly breaks before Arreaga smartly earns a foul.
Pumas makes its first substitution, with Lopez coming off for Rogerio.
61st min:Another dangerous Pumas free-kick, and this one comesmuchcloser. It's Dinenno who wins it, and Dinenno who takes it. It misses, but only by inches, flashing by the top-left corner. The Pumas talisman is throwing his weight around now, Seattle hanging on.
👀 @PumasMX still looking dangerous pic.twitter.com/Z6sM1Ts995
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 5, 2022
57th min:The first yellow card produced for the Sounders as Rusnak takes down Velarde on the break, and it's a dangerous free-kick for Pumas...Lopez rips it straight into the wall.
Seattle officially announces a CONCACAF Champions League record crowd of over 68,000 fans at Lumen Field.
Announced crowd of 68,741. #CCL2022
— Jeff Carlisle (@JeffreyCarlisle) May 5, 2022
54th min:The stretcher is on again as Arreaga clashes heads with Diogo in the penalty area, and the Seattle center-back is down. There's a long delay for treatment, but the defender is back on.
Seattle is taking an absolute physical beating. They’re tough
— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) May 5, 2022
51st min:The 14th foul for Pumas sees Meritao send Ruidiaz tumbling to the turf. Seattle has been whistled for just four fouls. It will be interesting to see how long the official allows Pumas to continue fouling before accumulation cards are produced.
The ensuing corner is a vicious one, but Arreaga's header pops up into the Seattle night sky, harmlessly over the crossbar.
47th min:Alex Roldan goes hard into Velarde and the Pumas man takes a hard shoulder to the head. Play is stopped and Velarde is attended to. It was a very hard whack right to the noggin, and he seems a bit woozy.
46th min:Back under way for the second half. Seattle has the first-half advantage both on the scoresheet and via momentum swing, but there's still a ton of soccer left to be played. Juan Dinenno has made his presence known a few times already.
HALFTIME: Seattle 1-0 Pumas
The Seattle Sounders were dealt a double dose of adversity with the injuries to Nouhou and Joao Paulo, and could have collapsed mentally. Instead, the home side, with the crowd at its back, stayed the course and took the lead just before the halftime whistle. Seattle controlled long stretches of the first half, and while the hosts didn't create many opportunities in front of net, they still felt largely in control.
The goal right before the break wasn't exactly one for the highlight reel, but it could be the moment that changes CONCACAF Champions League history. Long way to go, and plenty of soccer to come.
— Sam Stejskal (@samstejskal) May 5, 2022That half went about as poorly as you could've scripted it for Seattle. Like they have so many times in this tournament, they kept their heads and came out of it in a great spot.
45 minutes to history.
I can not tell you how satisfying it would be if the goal which clinches the first CCL title by an MLS team was *that* gnarly.
— Jeff Rueter (@jeffrueter) May 5, 2022
45th min: GOAL! SEATTLE!It's one of the ugliest goals you'll ever see, but Seattle won't care, and Lumen Field explodes! John Rusnak's cross finds Arreaga on the penalty spot with his back to goal, and he lays off to Ruidiaz. The striker's shot clatters into Diogo, and the ball bobbles over the goal line, almost comically. Talavera had already committed to the shot, and all he could do is watch the ball bounce over the line.
SOUNDERS ON TOP 👏👏👏@RaulRuidiazM | @SoundersFC pic.twitter.com/apjC3AQDwO
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 5, 2022
As called on Sounders radio: pic.twitter.com/wIxE8imgZw
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) May 5, 2022
A #CCL final goal worthy of yakety sax
— Kyle Bonn (@the_bonnfire) May 5, 2022
44th min:Stefan Frei just made anoutlandishsave. It won't count, because there was a foul whistled just before, but my WORD what a save! Dinenno's shot headed for the underside of the crossbar, and Frei gets a hand to it. It doesn't go into the official match timeline, but deserves mention nonetheless.
42nd min:Seattle building through the attacking third, and Jordan Morris comesflyingin from nowhere to produce a sliding shot from the top of the 18-yard-box. It's nowhere close, skittering well wide left, but it's a creative chance for Seattle, who has yet to create a truly dangerous opportunity.
💪 @SoundersFC giving it all they have this first half pic.twitter.com/KJG8M5kmVX
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 5, 2022
35th min:A second yellow card to the Liga MX side as veteran Leonel Lopez arrives late and stamps on Alex Roldan's foot, earning a caution. Roldan is ok, to the relief of jaded Sounders fans who watched two important players go down early in this one.
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 5, 2022A second yellow card is shown for Pumas so far tonight 🟨
This time for Leonel López pic.twitter.com/AHVs559oxB
32nd min: CHANCE, Pumas!The visitors have the first true chance of the evening, and it's a letoff for Seattle. A ball from deep by Alvarez is perfectly placed for Corozo clean through, but the Pumas attacker mish*ts his shot and can't get it on target. The Pumas coaching staff surrender cobras.
He's gonna want that one back 😬 pic.twitter.com/OWBmqYvp6Z
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 5, 2022
29th min:A heroic block by Yeimar Gomez keeps Dinenno from opening the scoring. The Pumas striker is a threat every time he touches the ball in the penalty area, and nearly used a clever touch to find an opening.
Obed Vargas comes on. Vargas was born three years after Alfredo Talavera made his professional debut.
Injuries for @Sounders: Nouhou (right quad), Joao Paulo (right knee).
— Paul Kennedy (@pkedit) May 5, 2022
25th min:Now Joao Paulo is down on the right touchline and requires treatment. He's holding his right thigh or knee. It doesn't look good at all, an awkward twist may have done some damage, and Cristian Roldan grimaces as he walks away from the small scrum.
Pumas has committed seven fouls already through 24 minutes, it's a real concern how physical this game is. Seattle has already seen Nouhou come off injured, now a critical midfield body is in peril. The stretcher is out, and Vargas, a teenager, is warming.
Very much not promising pic.twitter.com/lTwVj59N7A
— Jeremiah Oshan (@JeremiahOshan) May 5, 2022
— Sam Stejskal (@samstejskal) May 5, 2022Nouhou already off, Joao Paulo about to be. Brutal luck for Seattle to start.
16-year-old Obed Vargas getting set to come in.
19th min:A long-ball from Frei following a Pumas corner finds Ruidiaz up front, and instead of threading in Lodeiro he takes it himself. A curling effort safely into Talavera's bread basket. Ruidiaz should have passed it, his curling shot was a decent effort but hardly troubled the Pumas goalkeeper.
15th min:Seattle with a long spell of possession that results in a few half-chances. The latest a Ruidiaz header that's weak and ends up safely in the arms of Talavera. The ball from Morris on the right flank was behind Ruidiaz who had to move away from goal to get his head to it. A very strong last few minutes for Seattle bracketing the unfortunate substitution.
11th min:Nouhou is subbed off in a lot of pain, and Kellyn Rowe officially comes on. An early blow for Seattle, but for Rowe, this is quite the moment, having lost three previous finals as a professional player, with no wins.
It's technically a "like-for-like" sub, but those two are far from similar players.
— Ives Galarcep (@SoccerByIves) May 5, 2022Losing Nouhou to injury 10 minutes into the match is brutal for the Sounders. Kelyn Rowe isn't the defensive force Nouhou is, but he's a veteran and sharp passer who can handle himself.
It's been a chippy one early on, no surprise after what we saw in the 1st leg.
7th min:Wow, a surprising early yellow card for Galindo, who thwacked Nouhou on the thighs on a touchline tackle. Nouhou left limping. It's a yellow-worthy tackle, but surprising the official goes to the pocket this early. Game likely to have a sting to it, likely wanting to keep a lid on it.
Now Joao Paulo and Lopez both come together and collide, with the referee immediately calling out the trainers. This one's already gotten physical. Lopez was there late, it'll be a Seattle free-kick, and probably could have been another yellow if the referee wanted to. He doesn't.
Nouhou goes down again now, and the stretcher comes out. This would be a big loss and a cruel turn of events for Seattle. Nouhou was fantastic in the first leg. Kellyn Rowe, who had some brilliant pre-match energy, is warming up and could come in. Seattle, for now, plays a man down.
Own the moment, @Krowe210. ❇️ pic.twitter.com/Cgk3UBMfWy
— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) May 5, 2022
4th min:Pumas charges forward again, and in transition, there's alotof space between the Seattle back line and midfield, allowing Pumas to burst forward nearly unchallenged all the way to the top of the box. They're ultimately dispossessed as Joao Paulo tracks back, but it's a worrying sight for the home crowd, that will need to be shored up.
3rd min:Dinenno the early target with a long-ball, and he's immediately swarmed by a double-team down near the corner flag. Hard to tell if that was by design or just on game flow, but wouldn't be shocking if it were the former. 2022 CONCACAF Champions League leading scorer rightly attracting attention.
1st min:After a slight delay...Kickoff, we're under way! Anthems totally drowned out by the wild atmosphere at Lumen Field. RefereeSaid Martinez officiated last summer's Gold Cup final.
— Ives Galarcep (@SoccerByIves) May 5, 2022Nice tifo from the #Sounders , the message:
Kings of Cascadia
Rulers of MLS
Next: Concacaf
We shall see. pic.twitter.com/wUV0MwM6HA
Lumen Field is READY for the #SCCL22 final second leg 🗣 pic.twitter.com/iCh1Ll7617
— Yahoo Soccer (@FCYahoo) May 5, 2022
7 mins before kick:Credit to the city of Seattle, it looks bonkers both inside the stadium and out. Kickoff right around the corner!
there is a concert upcoming. 🎸#Sounders #SEAvPUM #SCCL22 pic.twitter.com/kMfk9higdv
— Sounder At Heart (@sounderatheart) May 5, 2022
📍 Seattle, WA pic.twitter.com/OVOVbpqCnk
— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) May 5, 2022
40 mins before kick:Pumas is no stranger to playing CONCACAF Champions League matches on the road in the United States, having won two of its three matches north of the border in the current format. The club went to FC Dallas and won 2-0 in 2011-12, and picked up a 3-1 win against the Houston Dynamo in 2008-09. The only failed result was the 3-0 loss to New England earlier in this year's tournament, which the club famously turned around in the home leg and won on penalties.
2- Pumas UNAM 🔵 🟡🐾 has won two of the three away games that has played in the United States 🇺🇸 in the current @TheChampions format. Possible. pic.twitter.com/h3jdukKsEV
— OptaJorge (@OptaJorge) May 5, 2022
50 mins before kick:Lineups are in, and there are only slight surprises. Brian Schmetzer has opted against swapping center-backs, as Yeimar Gomez starts again despite struggling in the first leg, with Jackson Ragen again on the bench. That means the Sounders' lineup is unchanged from the reverse fixture.
For Pumas, despite the fact that Jesus Rivas played well off the bench at right-back when starter Alan Mozo went down injured, it's Ricardo Galindo out wide with Arturo Ortiz in the middle, back from suspension in the first leg.
75 mins before kick:The match is still on track to set the CONCACAF Champions League attendance record.
— Alyssa (@Alyssacharlston) May 5, 2022Starting to fill up with @Sounders and Pumas fans! Expected attendance: 67,000
Concacaf Champions league(all matches) record: 66,208 in Mexico City. pic.twitter.com/bmwdFPi7to
93 mins before kick:Meanwhile, professional sports stars all over Seattle are coming out to support the Sounders, including Sounders part-owner Ken Griffey, Jr. and former Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch.
— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) May 4, 2022"They say it's just a game, until it's so much more"
Narrated by Ken Griffey Jr. pic.twitter.com/Q5d9QUrYvi
CCL Final goes Beast Mode 😈 pic.twitter.com/5njvjbiAA3
— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) May 4, 2022
Seattle showing love 💚@Mariners x @Starbucks pic.twitter.com/0ZImONg4XO
— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) May 4, 2022
105 minutes before kick: (5:15 p.m. local): Pumas fans making themselves heard in the streets. They'll have an easier time there than inside the stadium.
— TUDN USA (@TUDNUSA) May 5, 2022Miren nada más 😎
Aficionados de Seattle observan la caravana de fans de Pumas y hasta la graban 📽
Seattle Sounders vs. Pumas lineups
The Sounders had the weekend off in league play, with the league moving Seattle's game against Vancouver to mid-June to give the MLS side a full week to rest up. With that, Seattle has stuck with the same starting lineup from the first leg.
There weren't likely to be many changes to the starting lineup that took the field last week in Mexico, with the first-choice squad all coming through the match healthy. The only change that Brian Schmetzer could have looked to make would be to bring onJackson Ragenat center back in place of Yeimar Gomez who struggled mightily in the first leg. Schmetzer resisted the change, and has stuck with Gomez.
WithJordan MorrisandNicolas Lodeiroplaying well in the first leg, they lead the attack again.Raul Ruidiazwill look to bring his shooting boots this match after a poor first leg in front of net, while Cristian Roldanwill hope to be more of a creative force.
Seattle Sounders projected starting lineup (4-2-3-1):Frei (GK)— Nouhou, Arreaga, Gomez, A. Roldan —Rusnak, Joao Paulo — Morris, Lodeiro, C. Roldan —Ruidiaz.
Talismanic Pumas striker Juan Ignacio Dinenno wasn't even supposed to play in the first leg. Not only did Dinenno make the starting lineup, but he scored a brace and caused the Seattle backline problems all evening. Dinenno scored two more goals in a Liga MX win over Pachuca on Sunday, coming off the bench for the final half-hour and bagging a brace, cementing his in-form status.
Alan Mozosuffered an ugly leg injury in the first leg of this matchup, but his young replacement at right backJesus Rivasdid well after coming on. Still, Pumas turns to Ricardo Galindo to fill in along the back line.
Pumas rested a number of defenders in the Pachuca win over the weekend, includingNicolas FreireandEfrain Velarde, plus midfielderLeonel Lopezand attacker Fabio Alvarez. All four return for the continental decider.
Next to Friere at center back,Galindostarted the first leg in the middle and deputized at right back in league play on Sunday, but with him again out wide,Arturo Ortizjumps back into the middle after missing the first leg due to suspension.
Pumas projectedstarting lineup (4-2-3-1):Talavera (GK) — Velarde, Freire, Ortiz, Galindo — Lopez, Higor Meri — Diogo, Rogerio, Alvarez — Dinenno.
MORE:Celebrity owners across all of MLS
How to watch Seattle Sounders vs. Pumas
- Date: Wednesday, May 4
- Time:10 p.m. ET
- TV channel: FS1 (USA), TUDN (USA), OneSoccer (Canada)
- Streaming:fuboTV
Like the first leg, the second leg in Seattle will also be broadcast on FS1 (English) and TUDN (Spanish) in the USA, as well as OneSoccer in Canada.
It can also bestreamed on fuboTVin both nations, and new users can take advantage ofa free trial.
Seattle Sounders vs. Pumas betting lines, picks & prediction
Odds via DraftKings (USA) & Sports Interaction (Canada)
Across the first 90 minutes of this final series, the two sides were evenly matched. But one thing stands out: Seattle created two "big chances" from open play, and missed them both.
Had the Sounders been able to capitalize on those, this would be a very different matchup. Even so, for Seattle to create that many opportunities on the road in Mexico — the Sounders also led the corner count 7-4 and had 171 passes in the opposition half to Pumas's 119 — an even more impressive performance in front of the home crowd is likely.
And let's talk about that home crowd. The hosts show up on the field when their fans show up in the seats: Seattle is 7-0-1 in games where the home crowd eclipses 60,000 fans.
The crowd will be jumping, and this Seattle team is resilient. Even an early Pumas goal wouldn't get the Sounders down. That's why the expectation is that the Sounders become the first MLS team to hoist the CONCACAF Champions League trophy.
Pick:Seattle Sounders to win & both teams to score (+275 on DraftKings)
Prediction:Seattle Sounders 3-1 Pumas
| USA (DraftKings) | Canada (Sports Interaction) | |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle Sounders Win | -110 | -111 |
| Draw | +250 | +225 |
| Pumas Win | +300 | +250 |
| Both teams to score Y / N | -135 / +100 | -159 / +101 |
| Over / Under 2.5 goals | -105 / -120 | -108 / -128 |
| Sounders -0.5 | -110 | -106 |
| Pumas +0.5 | -110 | -125 |
