The Seattle Sounders beat Mexican side Pumas to win the CCL title. (0:42) When no one wants to leave a sporting event, it's a big deal. The history that was made at Lumen Field on Wednesday makes it hard to blame anyone connected with the Seattle Sounders for wanting to stay. The second leg of the CCL final was won by Seattle with a trio of goals. The hugs on the field were almost as plentiful as the cheers in the stands. The sea of green-shirted fans surged and jumped. The defender waved a flag from his country while the forward wore a flag from his country. Kids are playing in the snow. Nicolas Lodeiro raised the trophy and the crowd roared. It is a historic moment for the MLS. It had been over 20 years since an MLS side won continental supremacy, and the first such triumph since the competition went to a home-and-away format. MLS sides have been done in by superior talent in the CCL over the years. When an MLS team looked poised for a possible breakthrough, they also seemed to get overwhelmed when circumstances went against them. Missed chances, injuries, questionable refereeing decisions, the list goes on. There was a sense of inevitability about when an MLS team would fall. - ESPN+ guide: LaLiga, Bundesliga, MLS, FA Cup, more (U.S.)
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- Don't have ESPN? Get instant access The expectations surrounding the Sounders added to the tension. They got a 2-2 draw in the altitude of Mexico City in the first leg. The sell-out crowd was hoping to push their heroes over the line. On this occasion, the pressure had the desired effect. Kelyn Rowe said she had a big smile on her face when she heard the clap from the fans. The spirit of this club is the connection to the fans and the players. You guys heard it. That was awesome when the teams walked out. It was great. The building had energy in it. The players felt it. It was amazing. As Seattle was on the front foot, enough of the old, haunting elements showed themselves to suggest that history might be repeating itself. Within the first 30 minutes of the game, the substitution of Joao Paulo and Nouhou had the potential to knock Seattle off its stride. It did for a while. A side that had been second best began to settle in, and seemed to be in control of the game. The Sounders relied on their depth, which included Rowe and 16-year-old academy product Obed Vargas, and rode the playmaking of Lodeiro to prevail. The win is a badly needed feather in the cap of MLS. For what has seemed like forever, MLS commissioner Don Garber has been talking about how the league wanted to be the best in the world. This laudable goal, however you define it, seemed to ignore the fact that you have to take care of business in your own region before you can start thinking of competing with the rest of the world. MLS can start to have dreams that are more grounded in reality. It will take more than one title to claim regional dominance, but it can begin once the first win is in the books. MLS now has that. Major League Soccer is on TV. Charlotte FC will join the league in 2022.
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It has to be thanks to Seattle. Other teams have claimed titles, but the Sounders have been consistent in their salary cap league, making the playoffs every year and reaching the MLS Cup final four times. It is clear that trophies are the expectation rather than a goal when you add in a Supporters Shield and four U.S. Open Cup crowns.
If done right, planning can get depth along with talent. That was on display. The foundation for Seattle to reestablish itself was provided by Rowe and Vargas.
The front office has done a great job of creating depth, but it is difficult to lose Joao and Nouhou who are difference makers. It is great to have a good team on paper, but you have to show that we are a good team on the field. The guys stepped up. The next man mentality was what it was. A 16-year-old and a 10-year veteran coming in for those two guys is something that you can not replicate in this league.
Bad breaks can easily be blunted by a ruthless finishing like Ruidiaz. His first goal came after Diogo's shot hit the ground and trickled into the goal. His second goal in the 80th minute was a beautiful team goal. After Morris' effort was touched off the post by Talavera, Lodeiro cleaned up the mess.
Raul is a killer, in a good way, not in a bad way. Is that what they have? You can refer to him as the franchise player.
Seattle's defense came through as well. A spell of sustained pressure by Pumas forced Frei to make a save. Albert Rusnak gave a bit of composure on the ball, and kicked-start the sequence that led to the second goal. The CCL title was all the way to the Sounders.
The celebrations had different moments. Everyone in the organization was praised by Schmetzer. He wasn't drawn in to the historical import even in the moment of his biggest triumph. The magnitude of the victory will start to sink in once he has a glass of wine with his wife, but for now he is living in the moment.
It has been a team effort to push this over the line. They are all happy in there, and we accomplished it. We are going to move forward. We have a game against Dallas on the weekend.
The win was celebrated by the president of soccer and the general manager of the Sounders. It was about redemption for him. When he was the GM of Real Salt Lake in 2011, the side fell just short. He said that the CCL Holy Grail is in his possession. It has been 11 years. It is really special to do it this way and with these fans.
Seattle isn't a one-off in terms of MLS teams winning in the CCL. LAFC and New York City FC are pushing the level of the league higher.
He said that they were the tip of the spear. With a league on the rise, the Leagues Cup competition is more exciting than ever. The best generation of American players will play in the World Cup. It is an exciting time to be a part of American soccer.
It is a historical one as well.
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