Sounders Fight Back From 2 Down To Earn 2-2 Tie In CCL Final First Leg

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO —Sounders midfielder Nicolas Lodeiro converted two penalty kicks —the second in the ninth minute of second-half stoppage time —as Seattle fought back from a two-goal deficit to earn a 2-2 tie with LigaMX club Pumas on Wednesday night in the CONCACAF Champions League Final first leg at Estadio Olimpico Universitario.

Thanks to the Uruguayan's goals from the penalty spot, Seattle's dream of becoming the first Major League Soccer team to win the competition remains very much alive.

The two-legged final series shifts back to Seattle's Lumen field on May 4, where a raucous home crowd is expected to cheer on the Sounders in their attempt to make history. The game is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. PT.

"I have to be with peace of mind and confidence that I'm going to be able to deliver," Lodeiro told the Seattle Times about his ability to step up and take both penalty kicks. "That's what the team is expecting and that's what we are preparing ourselves to do all the time. Having that confidence that we're going to be able to execute well is what helps us when playing and kicking penalty kicks."

At one point Wednesday, it appeared the Sounders would have a tall task ahead of them in Seattle next week as Pumas opened up a 2-0 lead thanks to two goals by Argentine striker Juan Ignacio Dinenno.

Dinenno opened the scoring with a 38th-minute penalty kick and then headed in a cross from teammate Jesus Rivas in the 48th minute.

Lodeiro, Seattle's captain, got one goal back from the spot in the 77th minute after Pumas' Sebastian Saucedo was whistled for a handball.

Deep into stoppage time, referee Ivan Barton, with the help of the video assistant referee (VAR), determined that Seattle's Cristian Roldan had been kicked by Efrain Velarde in the box.

Lodeiro then put his second penalty kick of the night past the goalkeeper Alfredo Talavera —who actually guessed correctly both times by diving to left —setting the stage for next week's showdown in Seattle.

"It might take me until we're halfway back home to really understand what happened in the game," Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer said, according to Yahoo. "It certainly was an interesting game.

"I think it's just getting back to our team understanding what we're good at because tonight I don't think we were at our best."