The Sounders faced their third reigning continental champion Thursday.
Instead of being congratulated for respectable FIFA men’s Club World Cup losses against European champion Paris Saint-Germain and South American titleholder Botafogo, the Sounders shredded CONCACAF champs Cruz Azul to open the Leagues Cup tournament.
The whopping 7-0 win at Lumen Field put the Sounders atop the MLS table in the competition. Sounders midfielder Pedro de la Vega capped the spanking with a goal on the volley in the 91st minute where the ball traveled at least 50 yards on a cross from Alex Roldan and 20 from de la Vega from the far corner of the box.
“They set another standard,” Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer said of his team. “Is it a similar standard than when we played in the Club World Cup? Certainly the effort, the application but we were playing against some of the best teams in the world. But we played against a CCC champion, the best team in CONCACAF and we scored seven. Let that sink in.”
The event features all of Liga MX’s 18 teams and 18 from MLS playing three Phase One matches each. Results aren’t against each other. There’s an MLS-specific and Liga MX-specific table where the top four teams from each advance to the quarterfinals. The final is slated for Aug. 31.
Both sides fielded a strong lineup for the match and were goalless headed into halftime. Seattle ripped the match open in a two-minute span after the break.
With Cruz Azul contesting every step of the way, the Sounders scored their opening goal off a corner kick. Albert Rusnák sent the ball in and center back Yeimar rose to head it home in the 48th minute.
Obed Vargas tacked on another in the 50th minute. Sounders right back Alex Roldan dribbled into space and sent a ball to Vargas, who sent a shot from the top of the box that deflected off the foot of Cruz Azul center back Willer Ditta.
Offside calls took away some of the match’s more entertaining goals, both converted by forward Jesús Ferreira. Play stopped in the 54th minute because a nice combo between Ferreira and left back Nouhou was under review for offside.
The goal was ultimately disallowed because Nouhou was ruled to be inches ahead of Ditta before plucking the ball from the star.
Ferreira’s chance came in the 58th minute off a corner kick. Rusnák sent the ball in, and Cristian Roldan headed it Ferreira’s way for the U.S. international to score for a 3-0 lead.
Schmetzer started his substitutions in the 65th minute, putting forward Osaze De Rosario on for Danny Musovski. In the 69th minute, De Rosario was replicating his father’s iconic “shake and bake” goal celebration after poking a shot across the line to make the score 4-0.
Seattle remained merciless with the subs on the field. De la Vega entered for Ryan Kent in the 73rd minute and had a goal in the 76th minute. Ferreira had a smooth turn on the ball in the box to get an assist to de la Vega.
Up 5-0, Nouhou headed home a rebound shot from Danny Leyva’s free kick in the 88th minute. De la Vega’s brace finished it off for a historic win against a Mexican side.
The Sounders were kicked out of the CCC tournament in the Round of 16 by Cruz Azul in March. They’re currently on a seven-game unbeaten streak (4-0-3) since dropping three group-stage CWC matches.
An offside call on Alex Roldan in the 12th minute erased the only goal in the opening half. Roldan was early on his run for a long ball pass that he cut back into the box for Ferreira to knock home. Ferreira, Rusnák and parts of Lumen Field’s 22,697 fans were mid-celebration when the flag went up.
Vargas got the first look of the match in the third minute from distance that was saved by keeper Kevin Mier. Cristian Roldan also had an attempt from the top of the box that brushed by the side netting.
Musovski had a strong chance that ended in a scrum with Ditta. In jockeying for possession in the box, the players fell over each other, Musovski immediately popping up and shoving Ditta in anger.
Referee Víctor Cáceres showed Ditta and Musovski yellow cards in the 32nd minute.
Kent started on the left wing for the Sounders on Thursday. He joined Nouhou as the only lineup changes from last week’s draw on the road against Atlanta United.
The Sounders (1-0) continue Phase One play against Mexico’s Santos Laguna on Sunday and host Club Tijuana on Wednesday. Both matches are at Lumen.
“We will make sure they stay grounded because this is just the first game,” Schmetzer said. “The players are driving this. That group is completely motivated. They know they’re a good team.”
