It has never been before. No MLS club has ever, and I mean EVER, eliminated a Mexican opponent from the two-legged series of the CONCACAF Champions League since Kansas City eliminated Santos in the Champions Cup back in 2002. And it was at home nonetheless!
But it’s different now; the Seattle Sounders beat UANL Tigres on a 3-2 aggregate, heading to the semi finals, the first time in club history. Excuse me while I dance obnoxiously.
DeAndre Yedlin, Djimi Traore and Eddie Johnson scored second-half goals while Elias Hernández had a well-deserved goal before the half. The first 20’ were hectic for the Sounders as they pushed forward with final touches and beautiful passes, unfortunately finishing was the issue.
Gspurning was tested throughout the whole match but continued to recover quickly saving the Sounders from falling even more behind. Eddie Johnson had incredible chances, the 34-35’ specifically as Alonso and Zakuani fed the ball to Johnson, who couldn’t get past the keeper. Yet again the culprit was…finishing.
It wasn’t until the 44’ when the whole game changed. Manuel Viniegra found his second yellow, being sent off, giving the Sounders that spark they needed entering the last 45 minutes of the match. It was first goals from Yedlin and Traore, who scored within 7 minutes of each other.
Steve Zakuani and Eddie Johnson partnered up in the 79’ when Zakuani fed Johnson the ball giving the Sounders their 3rd and final goal thanks to terrible, absolutely terrible positioning from Tigres keeper de Leon.
The final score: 3-1 Seattle Sounders.
The Sounders will face the winner of the Santos Laguna – Houston Dynamo match in the semi final.
We head back to MLS action on Saturday when we host our rivals, the Portland Timbers – kickoff is at 5 pm PT.
