3-0! Seattle Sounders crush Inter Miami to win historic Leagues Cup title
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Seattle: Seattle Sounders FC made history at Lumen Field, delivering a commanding 3-0 victory over Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami CF to claim their first-ever Leagues Cup title. The emphatic win crowns the Sounders as the only Major League Soccer (MLS) club to have won every major North American soccer trophy.
The triumph adds to an already impressive trophy cabinet that includes four U.S. Open Cups, two MLS Cups, one CONCACAF Champions Cup, and one Supporters’ Shield.
The breakthrough came in the 26th minute, when forward Osaze De Rosario rose high to meet Paul Rothrock’s pinpoint cross, thundering a header into the far post to put Seattle ahead. The lead was doubled in the 84th minute after Georgi Minoungou was brought down in the box, earning a penalty that defender Alex Roldan coolly converted.
Rothrock capped off a standout performance in the 89th minute, curling a sublime shot across the face of goal and into the far post to seal the 3-0 win and send the record crowd at Lumen Field into celebration.
Despite the scoreline, Inter Miami had opportunities to get back into the match. Luis Suárez created key chances in the second half, setting up Lionel Messi in the 50th minute and Tadeo Allende in the 60th, but neither could capitalize. The 2023 Leagues Cup champions ultimately saw their title defense fall short.
With the win, Seattle not only secured the Leagues Cup but also earned automatic qualification to the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16, further extending their reputation as one of North America's elite clubs. This victory continues their strong form following a competitive showing at the FIFA Club World Cup earlier this summer.
Seattle’s journey through the tournament was nothing short of dominant. They were the only team, MLS or Liga MX to earn maximum points in Phase One, finishing the competition with an astonishing 16-2 goal differential, all while managing injuries and suspensions.
The Sounders will now enjoy a brief week-long break before resuming MLS regular season play on September 13, when they host LA Galaxy at Lumen Field.
With IANS inputs
