Lodeiro’s two late goals gives Seattle draw at Pumas

MEXICO CITY – A pair of late goals from Nicolas Lodeiro helped the Seattle Sounders rally from a two-goal deficit to earn a 2-2 draw with Pumas in the first leg of the 2022 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League Final on Wednesday night at the Estadio Olimpico Universitario.

2022 SCCL top scorer Juan Ignacio Dinenno gave the home side a 2-0 lead with a goal on each side of halftime, making it nine goals in the tournament for the Pumas striker, but Lodeiro’s two late penalty conversions got the Sounders back on level terms by the final whistle.

It was a tight, intense start between the two sides and it wasn’t until the 35’ when Pumas were presented with an opportunity to break the deadlock, as Dinenno was fouled in the penalty area, but Seattle GK Stefan Frei came up with the big save on Dinenno’s spot kick.

However, after a VAR review, the referee ruled that Frei had come off his line too early and Dinenno promptly converted the second attempt to make it 1-0 to Pumas in the 38’.

Seattle looked to respond right away and Pumas GK Alfredo Talavera was called on to save a hard hit from Nicolas Lodeiro in the 40’.

Pumas came out the stronger of the two in the second half and caught the Sounders flat-footed in the 48’, as Dinenno took a Jesus Rivas cross and smacked a header into net to double the lead to 2-0.

Talavera was at his very best a few minutes later in the 51’ denying Raul Ruidiaz from point-blank range to keep the two-goal lead intact.

The Sounders kept plugging away in search of pulling a goal back and a handball on Pumas’ Sebastian Saucedo resulted in a penalty for Seattle in the 73’. Lodeiro stepped and squeezed in the spot kick past Talavera in the 77’ to make it a 2-1 contest. 

The momentum was with Seattle and in the waning moments of stoppage time, after another VAR review, the referee ruled that Cristian Roldan had been fouled in the area, resulting in a penalty. 

Lodeiro assumed penalty-taking duties again and hammered home the spot kick in the 90+9’ to earn the dramatic 2-2 draw.