MLS

Lucas Zelarayan scored two goals and assisted on another as Columbus Crew SC defeated Seattle Sounders FC 3-0 in the 2020 MLS Cup on Saturday at Mapfre Stadium.

Zelarayan's 25th-minute goal gave the home side a 1-0 advantage, and he assisted on Derrick Etienne's effort six minutes later. He added an 82nd-minute tally to cap the 3-0 victory.

The 28-year-old Argentinian midfielder fired Harrison Afful's cross past Seattle goalie Stefan Frei and into the back of the net for the first goal:

Shortly thereafter, Zelarayan found Etienne, who curled a shot past Frei for Columbus' second:

Columbus entered halftime with a 8-2 shot advantage (3-0 shots on goal) despite Seattle holding possession for 65 percent of the first half. They couldn't have played much better, and ESPN's Taylor Twellman gave a shoutout:

Seattle ramped up the pressure in the second half, outshooting Columbus 11-7 and putting a pair of shots on goal. However, Sounders FC couldn't find the back of the net, and Zelarayan earned the brace off a laser into the upper-left hand corner of the net:

Zelarayan won the MLS Cup MVP for his efforts.

The win marks Columbus' second-ever MLS Cup victory and a particularly sweet one for their fans, who fought to keep the team from moving to Austin, Texas, as former Sports Illustrated journalist Grant Wahl noted:

Columbus Crew SC's first MLS Cup occurred in 2008 after defeating the New York Red Bulls.

Seattle's season ended in disappointment, but the Sounders still has four MLS Cup appearances in five years, including two wins.

They'll also always have their epic Western Conference Final comeback when they overcame a 2-0 deficit in the 75th minute to defeat Minnesota United FC 3-2.

As for next year, MLS plans to return in March and play a full schedule, per MLS deputy commissioner Mark Abbott.

On Saturday, Major League Soccer will become the first sports league to complete its season in a home market after restarting inside a bubble when the Columbus Crew host the Seattle Sounders in the 2020 MLS Cup Final at Mapfre Stadium.

Columbus was pegged as one of the favorites to win the Eastern Conference after its group-stage performance at the MLS is Back tournament. The Crew's form dipped a bit when they returned home from the bubble in Orlando, Florida, and they finished third behind Supporters' Shield winner Philadelphia Union and three-time MLS Cup participant Toronto FC.

Caleb Porter's side benefited a bit from the luck of the draw, as it knocked out the No. 6, No. 7 and No. 8 seeds in the Eastern Conference to reach the MLS Cup Final.

Seattle used a dramatic comeback on home soil to advance to its fourth MLS Cup in five years. Brian Schmetzer's team finished second in the Western Conference, and each of its league final berths has come in a year when it has not been the No. 1 seed.

The Sounders come into Saturday night's contest with a significant advantage in midfield since the Crew are without Darlington Nagbe, one of the best midfielders in the league, because of a positive COVID-19 test.

After the news of Nagbe's absence, the odds flipped in Seattle's favor.

MLS Cup Final Information

Date: Saturday, December 12

Start Time: 8:30 p.m. ET

TV: Fox

Live Stream: FoxSports.com or Fox Sports app

Odds (via DraftKings Sportsbook): Columbus (+180), Seattle (+148), draw in regulation (+230)

Preview

The odds shift in Seattle's favor reflects the absences of Nagbe and midfielder Pedro Santos, who were listed as unavailable for Saturday's game.

Columbus was already going to have a tough time containing Seattle's attack with Nagbe in the fold, but now Porter has to come up with a game plan on the fly to replace the the midfielder's impact.

The Crew's dip in form during the regular season can be tied to Nagbe's absence. They had three wins over an eight-game stretch when the 30-year-old was out from September 12-October 18. During that run, the Eastern Conference champion recorded a single clean sheet and conceded multiple goals on five occasions.

If the Crew concede more than once Saturday night, the game could be out of reach given how well Seattle's attacking trio combines. Nicolas Lodeiro, Jordan Morris and Raul Ruidiaz make up the league's best attacking threesome. They proved in the playoff-opening win over Los Angeles FC just how dangerous they can be, with each member of the group finding the back of the net and the other two being heavily involved in the buildup.

A similarly lethal touch in the MLS Cup Final could see Seattle cruise to victory, which is something they did not do in their two previous final triumphs.

In 2016, Seattle needed a tremendous effort out of goalkeeper Stefan Frei to force penalties and defeat Toronto FC. A year ago, the Sounders defeated TFC 3-1 in their home stadium, but two of the tallies occurred in the final 15 minutes.

In fact, the MLS Cup Final has been a low-scoring game for quite some time. Seattle was the first club since the L.A. Galaxy in 2012 to score three goals in the league's season finale.

From 2016-2018, the victorious side held a clean sheet in regulation. The Sounders also did not allow a goal in extra time of their 2016 victory.

Although there will be plenty of attacking talent on the field between Seattle's aforementioned trio and Columbus pair Gyasi Zardes and Lucas Zelarayan, goals could be hard to come by.

Columbus conceded the second-fewest goals in the regular season behind Philadelphia, and Seattle produced the lowest goals-against total in the Western Conference.

With that in mind, an under bet seems like the best way to go for totals, especially if you target the first-half under prop. Both teams will be playing themselves into the game, and Columbus could take a cautious approach to avoid going down early without Nagbe.

Each member of Seattle's attacking triumvirate and Columbus' two front-line stars are the best options to score. Ruidiaz was one of three Sounders to score in the 2019 final, and Zardes scored for the Galaxy in the 2014 showpiece.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from MLSSoccer.com.

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The MLS conducted its return-to-play tournament and regular season amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and as a result, "almost 20 percent" of the league's athletes tested positive, according to Bob Foose, the executive director of the league's players association (h/t ESPN's Jeff Carlisle). 

Per Carlisle, that equates to about 150 players testing positive throughout the season. 

"Almost 20 percent of the players in the league, at one point or another, were infected with the virus, which meant that those who became infected and those who didn't become infected, became dangerous and dangerous to their partners, their family and their friends just by virtue of doing their jobs," Foose said.

Some positive tests were thrust into the public eye, as outbreaks of the virus forced both FC Dallas and Nashville SC to drop out of the league's "MLS Is Back" tournament in July. When the regular season resumed, the Colorado Rapids missed five games as they dealt with their own outbreak, complicating how the league could determine which teams were eligible for the playoffs. 

Columbus and Seattle will play for the MLS Cup on Saturday night, and the league is attempting to organize a March start for the 2021 season, though Foose feared that would not allow enough time to allow for a "significant amount of physical healing that has to happen." 

Baseball Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. and his family joined the ownership group for the Seattle Sounders, the club announced Tuesday.

"Ken Griffey Jr. is a name that requires no introduction, whether in Seattle or across the sports world, and we couldn't be more proud to welcome Ken and his family into our club," Sounders majority owner Adrian Hanauer said in a statement. "As a lifelong resident of this great city, bringing someone like Ken into Sounders FC holds a special significance to me, as he is truly a part of Seattle sports' heart and soul. We value the contributions that he will add as a partner in our club and welcome him and his family with open arms."

Griffey spent 13 of his 22 MLB seasons with Seattle, winning the 1997 American League MVP Award and emerging as one of the most beloved athletes in the city's history.

The Griffey family joined a robust leadership group that notably includes Ciara and Russell Wilson and Price Is Right host Drew Carey.

"This is a meaningful day for our entire family," Griffey said in a statement. "My wife Melissa and I said that we wanted to be a part of something special, not only for ourselves, but for our kids to be proud of, and this is it. We know how much this club means to Sounders fans, and for us, this comes back to the city where it all started for our family. We are joining a first-class organization, and we are so proud to give back to the city we love. To the Seattle Sounders community: we are inspired to become part of what you have created. Like you, we are excited to get behind our incredible team as the players prepare for this year's playoff run."

The Sounders have been among the most successful franchises in MLS, finishing second in the Western Conference in each of the last four seasons and regularly finish with among the highest attendance in the sport.

Griffey's joining the Sounders ownership group will further ingratiate himself with the Seattle community.