Seattle Sounders 3-0 Inter Miami
Moneybags Miami had a chastening night in Seattle on Sunday night as the Sounders delighted their home fans with a resounding 3-0 win in the Leagues Cup final.
The MLS Leagues Cup 2025 highlights didn’t exactly go the way expected as Inter Miami, led by the history maker Lionel Messi and with the likes of Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets Jordi Alba and Rodrigo de Paul to call on, were swept aside by Seattle Sounders who were happy to concede possession but had plenty of bite when they breached the Miami defence.
Both teams came through the 2025 MLS Leagues Cup semi-finals in some comfort, as David Beckham’s Miami beat Orlando to reach the final at Lumen Field, while Seattle saw off LA Galaxy.
At sixth in the MLS Eastern Conference table it’s not been the greatest of campaigns for the Herons, while the Sounders sit fourth in the Western Conference and, while the Miami side played some nice football they had no end product, leaving the hosts to celebrate long into the night.
The win meant Seattle have a full collection of North American trophies, the first team in MLS to win all five competitions on offer. And while it was sleepless in Seattle on Sunday night the Miami Sound machine went strangely quiet.
Highlights of the game
In front of a record Lumen Field crowd of 69,000 fans 29 year old right back Alex Roldan put in a man-of-the-match with a goal and two assists as Messi’s Miami had no answer. It took just 26 minutes for the hosts to get their noses in front as Roldan put in a superb cross for Osaze De Rosario to plant a header home, and that was after he had already forced a save from Miami stopper Oscar Ustari.
Messi tried his best to get Miami back in the game and the home crowd collectively held its breath when the Argentine maestro fell under a tackle from the defensive rock Obed Vargas, but the referee dismissed any thoughts of a spot-kick, and minutes later Jackson Ragen blocked a goal-bound shot from De Paul. But Seattle’s dangerous attack was always on the prowl and they almost doubled their lead on 40 minutes when Jesus Ferreira’s long range effort cannoned back off the post.
The Herons huffed and puffed in the second half and Messi put an effort over after good work from Suarez, who then missed a sitter with the goal gaping. But any thoughts of a comeback all but disappeared when Roldan planted home an 84th minute penalty. The home crowd erupted and Seattle pushed on; Vargas had a shot blocked and Paul Rothrock forced a save from Ustari. But the 26 year old beat the Miami stopper when he latched on to a through ball from Roldan and slid his shot home, on 89 minutes, to start the celebrations.
Inter’s frustration boiled over and there was a melee at the final whistle with Suarez seemingly involved, but nothing could delay the party in Seattle which raged on into the night.
Key statistics
The MLS Leagues Cup 2025 betting odds certainly didn’t predict a one sided affair, and the balance of play told a story of Miami control until Seattle cut loose. The Florida boys passed the ball around nicely and had 62 per cent possession but the Sounders defended stoutly and restricted the Herons to just one shot on target, while Ustari made three big saves and picked the ball out of the net three times.
The Miami wage bill is around three times that of Seattle; but money can’t always buy you happiness and it is the Sounders who have added the 2025 Leagues Cup to their two MLS Cup titles, a Supporters Shield, four US Open Cups and a CONCACAF Champions Cup.
What’s next?
While Seattle Sounders are the team who can celebrate, both finalists are already assured a place in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. And that gives them a chance to qualify for the lucrative FIFA Club World Cup in 2029.
Over in Europe we have an international break folks, with the first weekend off for the Premier League, La Liga, the Bundesliga and Serie A. In the meantime there’s more action for SBOTOP fans to get stuck into as the European World Cup qualifiers are back on the agenda as Germany, England and France are all in action. It’s a little early for a break in the European domestic leagues, which have just got underway. But over in the USA they have a different calendar, with the MLS action dominating the last few months and now a cup for Seattle Sounders, while Messi and Co return to the East Coast to lick their wounds.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
