NICOLAS LODEIRO

CCL Pumas Sounders Soccer United States' Seattle Sounders forward Raul Ruidiaz (9) celebrates his goal with teammates during the second half of the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions League soccer final against Mexico's Pumas, Wednesday, May 4, 2022, in Seattle. But with away goals not a tiebreaker in the final, whoever won the second leg in Seattle outright would be the champion. The second goal was even better. Lodeiro’s goal just added to the party and the 3-0 win was the largest margin of victory in any CCL final match. But Dinenno was mostly quiet in the second leg.

Raúl Ruidíaz scored on a deflected shot late in the first half added a second goal off a perfect counter attack in the 80th minute, and the Seattle Sounders defeated Pumas 3-0 to win the CONCACAF Champions League title.

(AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) (Ted S. Warren)LOS ANGELES — (AP) — Major League Soccer and Liga MX both realize they’re more powerful as partners than rivals. The leagues' top teams already compete against each other in the Campeones Cup and the Leagues Cup, providing two opportunities to gauge the teams' relative quality. Liga MX games have long generated higher U.S. television ratings than MLS games, and this intriguing All-Star clash might do big numbers on both sides of the Mexico border. Just ask teenage FC Dallas forward Ricardo Pepi, who grew up in Texas watching Liga MX, not the MLS. “I’ve always watched (Liga MX) games with my dad,” echoed the Galaxy's Julian Araujo, the U.S.-born Mexican international.

Major League Soccer and Liga MX both realize they’re more powerful as partners than rivals.

Columbus Crew's Jonathan Mensah, center, carries the trophy on stage after the Crew defeated the Seattle Sounders 3-0 in the MLS Cup championship game Saturday, Dec. 12, 2020, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)COLUMBUS, Ohio – No matter the absences from the lineup or the opponent, Caleb Porter implored the Columbus Crew to impose themselves. Porter's players responded, putting aside the recent history of the defending champion Seattle Sounders and capping the most unpredictable of MLS seasons with one of the league's original franchises raising a championship trophy. Columbus claimed its first title since 2008 and denied Seattle a chance at being just the fourth back-to-back champions in league history. Seattle needed a frantic comeback in the final 15 minutes of its Western Conference final against Minnesota United just to reach MLS Cup.

Seattle Sounders defender Shane O'Neill (27) heads in a goal against FC Dallas during the second half of an MLS playoff soccer match, Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2020, in Seattle. As in his one previous MLS goal before Tuesday night. The Sounders will face either Minnesota United or Sporting Kansas City in the West final next Monday. But O’Neill found himself unmarked in front of the Dallas goal in the 49th minute and flicked Nicolas Lodeiro’s corner kick past Dallas goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer. It was the first Seattle goal by someone other than Lodeiro, Raul Ruidiaz and Jordan Morris in the past five matches.