The Sounders beat Liga MX club Pumas UNAM 3-0 last night to win the Concacaf Champions League title at Lumen Field, where an "expected sellout crowd materialized into a tournament-record 68,741 fans engulfed in a shared overload of adrenaline and emotion." No MLS team previously had "won the regional trophy, the Sounders being the fifth to advance to a final." Along with "making history for the Sounders and the league, the Sounders earned $500,000 and a berth in the FIFA Club World Cup," likely to be played in '23 (SEATTLE TIMES, 5/4).
The win added to the Sounders' "already filled trophy case that includes U.S. Open Cup titles, a MLS Supporters' Shield and two MLS Cup titles." Seattle "managed to finish where Real Salt Lake (2011), Montreal (2015), Toronto (2018) and LAFC (2020) fell short." The current CCL format was adopted in '08 (AP, 5/5).
Congratulations to @SoundersFC – a club whose determination, talent, and incredible fans led them to @MLS’ first title in the @Concacaf Champions League in front of a record crowd of 68,741.
— Don Garber (@thesoccerdon) May 5, 2022
The entire @SoundersFC organization earned this championship! pic.twitter.com/7ITdv54kx9
