The Seattle Sounders have made history by becoming the first American side to win the CONCACAF Champions League, with the MLS outfit now assured of a place at the 2022 FIFA Club World Cup.
A 5-2 aggregate victory over Pumas UNAM, completed during a 3-0 second leg victory on home soil, has seen a 16-year run of Mexican dominance snapped in a tournament featuring sides from North America, Central America and the Caribbean.
A record crowd of 68,741 at Lumen Field saw two goals from Peru international Raul Ruidiaz and a late effort from veteran Uruguayan Nicolas Lodeiro get the Sounders over the line – becoming the first MLS side since the LA Galaxy in 2000 to win a CONCACAF club competition.
Watch: How the Seattle Sounders made history in the CONCACAF Champions League
Following a 2-2 first leg in Mexico, the Sounders saw Ruidiaz edge them in front on aggregate shortly before half-time.
He netted a second in the 80th minute, before Lodeiro ended the game as a contest two minutes from the end and sparked wild scenes of celebration in Seattle.
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What have the Seattle Sounders said about their triumph?
Amid the jubilation in the State of Washington, Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei told the club’s official website: “There will be many more CONCACAF Champions League winners, but there is only one that does it for the first time for MLS.
“We wrote ourselves into the history books.”
Who will join the Seattle Sounders at the 2022 FIFA Club World Cup?
The Sounders have become the first side to book their place at that event, which is usually held at the end of the calendar year.
That may change in 2022 with the World Cup finals due to be staged in Qatar from late-November, with FIFA yet to announce where the 2022 Club World Cup will take place.
One of Liverpool and Real Madrid will join the Sounders in pursuit of a global crown, with Premier League and La Liga heavyweights set to face off in the Champions League final.
The winners of the AFC Champions League, CAF Champions League, Copa Libertadores and the OFC Champions League will also figure at the event which will see one team crowned as successors to 2021 winners Chelsea.
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