Leagues Cup Final Erupts in Chaos after Sounders Win | OneFootball

Seattle Sounders 3 – 0 Inter MiamiLumen Field, Seattle, WA

My goodness what an absolute fustercluck this was.

I’m only referring to the action between the final whistle and the trophy lift. We’ll get to the actual game in a bit.

Post-Match Shnanigans

There were numerous flashpoints in the moments after the referee blew time. Luis Suárez, that exemplary poster child for grace under pressure and post-game chivalry, shocked nobody by sparking the fracas with his antics. He approached Obed Vargas and uttered some choice words accompanied by a tight arm lock around the midfielder’s neck. Sounders players intervened, and tempers quickly escalated as both sides got involved. Cameras caught Suárez spitting on Gene Ramirez, the Seattle director of security, after he tried to talk with the Uruguayan. At least Gene got out there with his epidermis intact!

Vargas was also targeted by Sergio Busquets, who apparently laid hands upon Vargas’ face, causing the Mexican national to fall to the turf. Sounders staff and players were reportedly a bit too physical in attempting to separate the two sides, leading many to suspect that league punishments will be meted out to both camps.

But How Was the Game?

In a word: spicy. But really solid.

Playing before a capacity 69,314 crowd, Seattle were fired up and channeled the home-field energy. Miami keeper Oscar Ustári denied Osaze de Rosario in the 3rd minute in what was a harbinger of the remaining 87 minutes.

Overall, Seattle defended brilliantly. The center back pairing of Jackson Regan and Yeimar Gómez denied the Miami attack any time on the ball, or clear shooting opportunities. Obed Vargas, who slotted in above them, was an absolute terrier, pressuring and stopping any Miami attacks before they could become dangerous. Sounders limited Miami to 10 total shots, zero of which were on target.

On the opposite side of the pitch, Seattle were utterly ruthless in their attack. They timed their penetrations well, exploiting gaps in the center, then the flanks, to keep the Miami defense scrambling. When Alex Roldan found de Rosario with a cross in the 26th minute, the towering striker did not miss on the header. Jesús Ferreira almost doubled the score in the 39th, his shot striking the post and ricocheting into Ustári’s arms.

Miami Take Momentum, But Squander It

Miami’s first chance of the game came minutes into the second half. Busquets, Suárez and Messi combined for some brilliant short pass combinations, but Messi uncharacteristically scuffed the resulting close shot over the crossbar. This heralded a longish stretch of Miami possession, which culminated in their second solid chance in the 60th minute. Tadeo Allende could only clasp his face in regret after pulling an open goal shot just wide of the post after being fed a dime from Suárez.

Seattle began to shift the momentum after that. Paul Rothrock almost had a poor clearance bounce off him into the goal in the 70th; his one-on-one vs. Ustári minutes later was saved. But in the 81st, the Miami defensive dam broke. Fresh legged substitute Geogri Minnoungou drove into the box, drawing the penalty when Yannick Bright swept his legs as he attempted to cut back. Alex Roldan coolly converted the spot-kick. Rothrock eventually got on the board in the 89th minute, putting to bed any hopes for an Inter Miami comeback.

Final Thoughts

The better team won tonight. Not just in this game, but in the tournament overall. Seattle was simply magnificent in the Leagues Cup. In six games, they scored sixteen goals and conceded only two. In their last ten games overall, they have nine wins by a combined 23 – 9 scoreline and a single loss. With this win, the final piece of hardware completes their trophy case, the Leagues Cup chalice joins the Supporter’s Shield, MLS Cup, U.S. Open Cup and CONCACAF Champions Cup silverware.

Disciplinary Actions

The MLS will have to be someone careful in how they handle discipline and punishments. This was an old school bench-clearing brawl. Grabbing, flailing, holding was exhibited by both sides, and if the league was to suspend everyone involved, neither side could field a team for the next scheduled match. Expect to see financial penalties imposed, and game suspensions reserved for those who without question threw a punch or otherwise caused harm.

This much is clear: don’t expect to see Luis Suárez on the pitch anytime soon. He was clearly the instigator, and his spitting was caught on camera. The league has handed down suspensions for spitting in the past, but this instance was particularly egregious, high profile, and committed by a player with a long rap sheet. If he gets anything less than five games, it will be a travesty. Honestly, it should be more.