The Seattle Sounders are taking on Liga MX’s Club León on Thursday night in Leg Two of the Concacaf Champions League Quarterfinals. Here is everything you need to know:
WHEN AND WHERE: Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m. PT at Estadio León.
WHERE TO WATCH: The match will be televised on FS1 and TUDN.
WHERE TO LISTEN: The match will air on iHeart Radio and El Rey 1360AM.
HOW THEY GOT HERE: The Sounders toppled Honduran side F.C. Motagua 5-0 on aggregate in the Round of 16. In the first leg of the current round, Seattle defeated Club León 3-0 at Lumen field on March 8.
HOW THEY ENTER: Seattle enters the crucial second leg on the back of a thrilling 3-2 win over the LA Galaxy on Saturday, marking the Rave Green’s first win of the 2022 MLS regular season. León suffered a 3-0 defeat to Tigres UANL on Matchday 10 of the Liga MX Clausura.
RUBBER MATCH: Thursday’s clash with Club León marks the third time these two sides have met in the past year. The hosts secured a come-from-behind 3-1 victory over Seattle in the 2021 Leagues Cup Final, while the Sounders picked up a convincing win in Leg One of the CCL Quarterfinals.
HIGH STAKES: No MLS team has ever won Concacaf Champions League, with Liga MX teams dominating the tournament since its inception. Beyond the bragging rights of becoming the first American club to win the competition, lifting the CCL trophy would send the Sounders to the FIFA Club World Cup, where they will take on the champions of all the regional tournaments, including the winners of the UEFA Champions League and South America’s Copa Libertadores.
DANCING BEAR IS BACK: Sounders forward Will Bruin registered his first minutes of the 2022 season against the Galaxy on Saturday after recovering from injury.
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MONTERO MAGIC: Fredy Montero enters the match in a rich vein of form. Montero notched a brace against León in Leg One before scoring again over the weekend against the Galaxy, taking him to 71 goals across all competitions for the Sounders.
MORRIS HEATING UP: Montero isn’t the only Sounders attacker entering this crucial match on a good run. Winger Jordan Morris has scored in back-to-back games across all competitions. The Mercer Island native now has three goals from CCL and MLS play in 2022.
JOÃO WOW: Part of Seattle’s success in Leg One came from clogging up the middle and limiting León to possession in non-dangerous areas. Sounders midfielder João Paulo played a pivotal role, posting four interceptions, three tackles and a key pass while playing alongside 16-year-old Homegrown Player Obed Vargas.
