Sounders FC exploded for five goals and cruised past F.C. Motagua 5-0 in the second leg of the Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League Round of 16 matchup Thursday evening at Lumen Field. After a scoreless draw in the first leg in Honduras last Thursday, Sounders FC took decisive control in the second leg thanks to goals from Nicolás Lodeiro, Cristian Roldan, Jordan Morris, Kelyn Rowe and Léo Chú.
Lodeiro opened the scoring in the 33rd minute for the club’s first goal of 2022. After his initial shot off a deflected corner bounced back to his feet, the Uruguayan was able to take a second shot that slipped past the outstretched hands of the Motagua goalkeeper. Seattle quickly doubled its lead in the 46th minute when Roldan got on the end of a Lodeiro free kick in the area and finished from point-blank range. The Rave Green added one more in the 56th minute when a through ball from Roldan slipped past two Motagua defenders and found the feet of Morris, who was able to slot it in the bottom right corner for his first goal since the Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Sounders FC kept the scoring going in the 62nd minute, with Roldan adding a second assist to his night when he crossed a ball in front of goal that found the feet of substitute Rowe for a tap-in. Léo Chú added one more in the 74th minute after Albert Rusnák muscled a Motagua defender off the ball and was able to lay it off for Chú, who finished from a tight angle to make it 5-0.
The Rave Green now face Club Léon of Liga MX in the Quarterfinals of the tournament. The two sides have recent history, with Sounders FC facing the Mexican club in the 2021 Leagues Cup Final in Las Vegas that saw a narrow 3-2 Léon victory.
Brian Schmetzer’s side now faces a quick three-day turnaround before it hosts Nashville SC in its MLS season opener on Sunday, February 27 (5:00 p.m. PT / FOX 13+, Prime Video, iHeartMedia, El Rey 1360 AM).
MEDIA RESOURCES
MATCH NOTES
- Seattle now advances to the 2022 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League Quarterfinals against Liga MX side Club Léon. The two sides recently met in the 2021 Leagues Cup Final last summer, with Léon winning 3-2 in Las Vegas.
- Sounders FC is now 17-15-8 all-time in Concacaf Champions League play across seven separate tournaments. Seattle has now advanced to at least the Quarterfinals in five of its seven appearances in the tournament, including a run to the Semifinals in 2012-2013.
- Seattle’s 5-0 aggregate win marks the first time the club has recorded a combined shutout over two legs in a SCCL Knockout Round tie.
- Lodeiro’s first-half goal marked Seattle’s first strike of the 2022 campaign and his third career in SCCL play. His 45 goals across all competitions ranks fourth all-time for Sounders FC, on top of ranking first in club history with 72 assists across all competitions.
- Cristian Roldan recorded one goal and two assists this evening, giving him two goals and three assists in 14 career SCCL matches.
- Jordan Morris scored his first goal for Sounders FC since the Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs against LAFC on November 24, 2020. The Mercer Island native and U.S. Men’s National Team player sat out the majority of last season with a torn ACL. It marked Morris’ 43rd career goal for the club across all competitions, tying Obafemi Martins for fifth in club history.
- Kelyn Rowe’s goal marked his second since joining Sounders FC prior to the 2021 season. The 11-year veteran was the only Seattle player to appear in every match last season.
- Léo Chú scored his second goal in just his 10th appearance for Sounders FC across all competitions after joining in the 2021 Summer Transfer Window from Brazilian side Grêmio. He previously scored last season in a 4-1 win over Vancouver (October 9).
- Seattle begins its 2022 MLS regular season campaign on Sunday, February 27 with a home match against Nashville SC at Lumen Field (5:00 p.m. PT / FOX 13+, Prime Video, iHeartMedia, El Rey 1360 AM).
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 5 – F.C. Motagua 0
Thursday, February 24, 2022
Venue: Lumen Field
Referee: Ivan Barton
Assistants: David Moran, Zachari Zeegelaar
Fourth Official: Bryan Lopez
VAR: Erick Miranda
Attendance: 28,954
Weather: 40 degrees and clear
SCORING SUMMARY
SEA – Nico Lodeiro 33’
SEA – Cristian Roldan (Nico Lodeiro) 47’
SEA – Jordan Morris (Cristian Roldan) 56’
SEA – Kelyn Rowe (Cristian Roldan) 61’
SEA – Léo Chú (Albert Rusnák) 73’
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
MOT – Christopher Meléndez (caution) 4’
SEA – Xavier Arreaga (caution) 84’
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC – Stefan Frei; Alex Roldan, Yeimar, Xavier Arreaga, Nouhou (Fredy Montero 77’); Cristian Roldan (Léo Chú 65’), Obed Vargas, Albert Rusnák, Nico Lodeiro (Kelyn Rowe 60’), Jordan Morris (Sam Adeniran 59’); Raúl Ruidíaz (João Paulo HT)
Substitutes not used: Stefan Cleveland, Jackson Ragen
Total shots: 15
Shots on goal: 6
Fouls: 12
Offside: 1
Corner-kicks: 5
Saves: 0
F.C. Motagua – Jonathan Rougier; Marcelo Pereira, Denil Maldona, Wesly Decas, Christopher Meléndez (Diego Rodríguez HT), Jonathan Núñez, Raul Santos; Jessé Moncada (Lucas Baldunciel 56’), Diego Auzqui (Iván López 69’); Roberto Moreira, Ángel Tejeda (Franco Olego HT)
Substitutes not used: Marlon Lincona, Carlos Mejía, Josue Villafranca
Total shots: 4
Shots on goal: 0
Fouls: 8
Offside: 2
Corner-kicks: 2
Saves: 1
