Seattle Sounders vs. Pumas best bets, odds, lines, picks, and expert predictions for CONCACAF Champions League final

Kyle Bonn

Seattle Sounders vs. Pumas best bets, odds, lines, picks, and expert predictions for CONCACAF Champions League final image

With the score level after the 2-2 first-leg draw, the Seattle Sounders welcome Pumas to Lumen Field in a 90-minute (or more?) affair for all the marbles.

The 2022 CONCACAF Champions League crown comes down to this.

Either a Major League Soccer club will win the competition for the first time since it was relaunched in 2009 and claim a continental title for the first time in 22 years, or Mexico's vice grip on the continent will remain firm and Pumas will become the eighth Liga MX side to win the Champions League crown.

After an enthralling first leg that included a Juan Ignacio Dinenno brace and a gritty Seattle comeback, the second leg should prove to be just as tense and exciting. These two leagues always deliver when paired together, and Wednesday night in the Pacific Northwest should be no different.

Seattle Sounders vs. Pumas betting odds

Odds via DraftKings (USA) and Sports Interaction (Canada)

The Sounders, with home field advantage in the second leg and the scoreline level, are clear favorites to win. It seems an odd differentiation from the first leg, when Seattle was a clear underdog.

History tells a different story. Last week, Seattle became the fourth MLS club to achieve a result in Mexico in the CONCACAF Champions League final. The previous three have all faltered at home, with two collapsing in the second leg after achieving a first leg result on the road.

  USA
(DraftKings)
Canada
(Sports Interaction)
Seattle Sounders Win -110 -111
Draw +250 +225
Pumas Win +300 +250
Both teams
to score Y / N
-135 / +100 -159 / +101
Over / Under
2.5 goals
-105 / -120 -108 / -128
Sounders -0.5 -110 -106
Pumas +0.5 -110 -125

Seattle Sounders vs. Pumas prediction

Across the first 90 minutes of this finals matchup, a lot was even between the two sides. One thing stands out.

Seattle created two "big chances" from open play, and missed them both. Had the Sounders been able to capitalize on those, this would be a very different matchup. Even so, for Seattle to create that many opportunities on the road in Mexico — the Sounders also led the corner count 7-4 and had 171 passes in the opposition half to Pumas' 119 — an even stronger performance in front of the home crowd is likely.

And let's talk about that home crowd. The hosts show up on the field when their fans show up in the seats: Seattle is 7-0-1 in games when the home crowd eclipses 60,000 fans. There will be a CONCACAF Champions League record crowd of over 67,000 in Seattle on Wednesday.

On the other end, Pumas is poor on the road. The club has won just twice in nine Clausura road games, and did so just once in eight Apertura matches away from home. In CONCACAF Champions League play, Pumas has no wins in three road games. Home turf was the biggest boon for the Mexican side in this matchup, but Seattle came away with the draw.

Now, the Seattle crowd will be jumping, and this Sounders team is resilient, so even an early Pumas goal won't get them down. The Seattle Sounders become the first MLS team to hoist the CONCACAF Champions League trophy.

  • Moneyline lean: Seattle Sounders (-110 on DraftKings)
  • Against the Spread lean: Seattle Sounders (-110 on DraftKings)
  • Scoreline prediction: Seattle 3-1 Pumas

MORE: What's at stake in CONCACAF Champions League final

Seattle Sounders vs. Pumas best bets & expert analysis

Seattle Sounders vs. Pumas best bet

With the idea that Seattle will win established above, we look at ways to extract the best odds.

The first leg was an exciting, end-to-end affair, and there's no reason that will change in Seattle. It's arguably better for the Sounders that the first leg ended in a draw, since they'll have to push forward to get another goal. Sitting back and defending in the second leg has led to disaster for previous MLS clubs.

No matter the stakes, Seattle is at its best when it's playing its aggressive, attacking style of soccer and goes out to try to win the game. Attempting to galaxy brain this game would prove counterproductive.

The Sounders' attack is a strength: They have failed to score in just one CONCACAF Champions League match, and they have never been shut out at home. Pumas, meanwhile, has found the back of the net in each of the last four continental matches, and Seattle hasn't kept a single clean sheet in league play yet through seven matches.

Take Seattle to win, but Pumas should also get on the scoresheet.

Pick: Seattle Sounders to win & both teams to score (+275 on DraftKings)

MORE: Re-live the first leg as Seattle clawed back to secure draw

Seattle Sounders vs. Pumas prop: Second-half goals

This match is sure to be full of tension and excitement, and the first half should feed into that. With both teams looking to stand tall through the first 45 minutes, the first half will likely consist of more yellow cards than goals.

But the odds on the first half goal totals are unplayable — Under 1.5 goals in the first half is -280. Instead, we look to the second half, where the intensity should ramp up and a back-and-forth should unfold.

In the second half, where both teams will be closer to putting one hand on the trophy, goals should start flying. At -105 odds, multiple second-half goals feels like a steal. Pumas isn't a goalscoring machine, especially on the road, but Dinenno's good form should carry weight, and Seattle could even knock this down by itself in front of the home fans.

Prop kicker: 2+ total goals in second half (-105 on DraftKings)

Kyle Bonn

Kyle Bonn Photo

Kyle Bonn, is a Syracuse University broadcast journalism graduate with over a decade of experience covering soccer globally. Kyle specializes in soccer tactics and betting, with a degree in data analytics. Kyle also does TV broadcasts for Wake Forest soccer, and has had previous stops with NBC Soccer and IMG College. When not covering the game, he has long enjoyed loyalty to the New York Giants, Yankees, and Fulham. Kyle enjoys playing racquetball and video games when not watching or covering sports.