Seattle Sounders FC took a 3-1 lead over New York City FC in Leg 1 of their Concacaf Champions League semifinal series on Wednesday evening at Lumen Field, thanks to goals from Albert Rusnák, Jordan Morris, and Nicolas Lodeiro. With a 27th-minute equalizer, Thiago Andrade gave NYCFC a potentially vital road goal, but the Sounders added two more goals before the game was ended, thanks to a 34th-minute golazo from Morris and a second-half penalty kick from Lodeiro. The game got off to a frantic start, with both teams trading goals in the first half-hour. Rusnák scored Seattle's first goal after a clinical 13-pass build-up that culminated with him accepting a layoff from Morris and sending it past Sean Johnson for his first goal in a Sounders uniform. But NYCFC quickly equalized, as Andrade netted a close-range finish off a cross that was headed back across goal by Taty Castellanos just 11 minutes later. Morris, though, scored the game's final goal in the 34th minute, putting Seattle back in front with a scorching finish into the top corner from inside the box.

On 68 minutes, Seattle scored their third goal when a penalty kick was awarded on Video Review for a foul on striker Raul Ruidiaz in the NYCFC penalty area, which was prompted by a kick from center back Thiago Martins. Johnson was sent the wrong way from the spot by Lodeiro, who converted. The Sounders' only significant blemish on an otherwise strong performance is a 27th-minute penalty, but they effectively defended their home field and remain in control for the time being. NYCFC is up against it right now, but Ronny Deila's team is far from out of it, and Andrade's road goal has certainly aided their cause. In the CCL final, the winner will face either Pumas UNAM or Cruz Azul from Liga MX, with the goal of becoming MLS's first winner of the contemporary version of the continental club competition.

[Photography by ICONIC photographer Alejandro Sanchez]