Seattle Sounders secure a 4-1 aggregate win and a place in the SCCL semifinals

LEON, Mexico. - A penalty kick just before halftime converted by Seattle Sounders FW Fredy Montero helped the MLS side to a 1-1 draw over León on Thursday at the Nou Camp. The result means the Sounders secure a 4-1 aggregate win and a place in the Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League semifinals.

The home side came into the match knowing it would need to find the back of the net at least three times and pushed for those goals early. León MF Fidel Ambriz went to the ground to put his head on a cross in the 14th minute that bounced off the crossbar and stayed out.

As the scoreline remained at zero heading toward the break, Joao Paulo was fouled in the box, with Montero stepping up and putting his shot past León GK Rodolfo Cota in first-half stoppage time.

León pushed until the end to win the series. Just after the hour mark, second-half substitute Santiago Ormeño sent a header on target thanks to service from León FW Ángel Mena, but Sounders GK Stefan Frei denied the effort.

A nice team move in the 87th minute resulted in a Jean Meneses shot that Frei saved with an outstretched leg. And Ambriz converted a header from close range off a José David Ramirez cross in the 91st minute to give fans in Guanajuato something to celebrate.

The SCCL semifinals will see the Sounders match up against New York City FC, while Pumas UNAM and Cruz Azul meet on the other side of the bracket.