with pass to FIFA Club World Cup as a rewardthis is wednesday Pumas Mexico and Seattle Sounders, USA The two teams will meet in the first leg of the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League final.
The cougars from the National Autonomous University of Mexico with Commitment to maintain the dominance of the Aztec clubs They have been in the CONCACAF Champions Leagues since the 2005-2006 season.
For his part, the Seattle Sounders go to get the regional address that the difference The Americans have only won twicemore than 20 years ago.
to reach final concacafThe cougars They have overtaken Costa Rica’s Sabrisa in the round of 16, New England Revolution of the United States in the quarter-finals and Cruz Azul in the semi-finals.
With a humble campus, the Pumas also tried to fight in the domestic league They play with one foot in the playoff round, but with the risk of being disqualified on the last day of the regular stage, where they will face Chief Pachuca.
In such a scenario, the Argentine Andres Lelini, coach of PumasThe Concacaf Final will be a priority.
“I wouldn’t like to stay out of the league, but to be specific, We are two games away from an international title Which is very important to us. Regardless of winning it, it will be going to the Club World Cup,” Lelini told the Mexican press.
For this first match of the final, Lelini will miss three times: one to be suspended from defender Arthur Ortizand two due to injury midfielder Lionel Lopez This is for the Argentine striker John Dennino.
The Pumas seeks a fourth CONCACAF title After being crowned in 1980, 1982 and 1989. The team is also seeking compensation for being the last Mexican team to lose the title in a regional final: that was in the 2004-05 season when they fell to Sapresa.
Saunders, a historic opportunity
with the 4th highest payroll in MLSthe Seattle Sounders reached this CONCACAF final by widely eliminating Motagua of Honduras, Leon of Mexico and New York.
Seattle Sounders was founded in 2007 Twice MLS Champion in which he began competing in the 2009 season; The franchise did not exist until now when DC United in 1998 and LA Galaxy in 2000 won the only two CONCACAF titles held by American clubs.
It’s an amazing opportunity. “It’s for eternity,” said former soccer player Garth Lageroy., the current president of Sounders Corporation. “No MLS team has won it,” the captain said, referring to the CONCACAF title under the name and nickname of the Champions League, which has been in place since the 2008-09 season.
For his part, the Technical Director Brian Schmitzer He will face the final series against Pumas Confident of his offensive equipment It featured Uruguayan striker Nicolas Lodeiro and Peruvian striker Raul Ruediaz, who won two titles to score in Mexican football.
Only one aspect causes Schmetzer a slight concern. “We need to be tough to win, and tougher defensively at certain points in the match.said the coach after the Seattle Sounders lost 4-3 to the San Jose Earthquakes at the MLS over the weekend after taking a 2-0 lead in the 20th minute.
In MLS-2022, the Sounders make a bad move and are in 11th place Western Conference.
The first stop of The final will take place on Wednesday starting at 9:30 pm in Ecuador At the Olympic University Stadium in Mexico City, with a capacity of 58,445 spectators.
The The return match will take place on Wednesday, May 4th At Lumen Field in Seattle. (Dr)
Possible lineups:
Cougars:
Alfredo Talavera; Alan Muzzo, Nicolas Freire, Ricardo Galindo, Efrain Velardi; Santiago Trigos, Hegor Meritao, Washington Coruso, Favio Alvarez; Diogo de Oliveira, Rogerio de Oliveira. DT: Andres Lelini.
Seattle Sounders:
Stefan Fry, Alexander Roldan, Jackson Ragan, Xavier Arriaga, Clean Roe; Joao Paulo, Albert Rusnak, Christian Roldan, Nicolas Lodeiro; Jordan Morris, Raul Ruediaz. DT: Brian Schmitzer.
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