Columbus Crew 3-0 Seattle Sounders - 2020 MLS Cup final: results, summary and goals

That's it. Columbus secure their second ever MLS Cup to win the 25th MLS Cup. 

Caleb Porter appeals for some noise from the 1500 fans at the Mapfre stadium.

Seattle have been much better in the second half but were absent in the first 45 and let the game slip against a depleted Columbus side.

5 minutes of added time here in Columbus.

The Crew just minutes away from winning the 25th MLS Cup. A solid display from Porter's men who are worthy winners.

Jiminez replaces Etienne

Great work from Etienne as he carved open the Seattle rearguard ant teed up the Argentine who had time to pick his spot. Great work from the Crew.

Goooooooooooool. Zelarayan again with an emphatic finish. 

Morris aims the ball onto the bar. Did Room get a touch? As close as Seattle have come all night to finding the net.

Columbus with every player behind the ball now as Seattle continues to probe. Still no way through for the side from Washington State as we drift towards the final ten minutes of normal time.

Medranda on for O'Neill (Seattle change)

Less than 15 remains in Columbus and the clock ticks down on Seattle's reign as champions. 2008 the last time when the Crew were proclaimed MLS champions. 

Josh Williams makes a vital intervention as Ruidiaz was poised to fire on target. Svensson heads inches wide and a goal for the side in green one senses looms closer. 

Seattle almost find the net as Lodeiro pokes the ball inches wide.

Artur is in trouble after a collision and may not be able to carry on.

Valenzuela has a go from a very tight angle and fires the ball into the side netting. The Crew pushing for their third of the night.

Columbus just happy to whack the ball away when danger arises as the Crew threaten again with Artur too slow as Smith steals in 

Diaz unmarked right footed drives the ball across the face of the Seattle goal. Should have done better the Costa Rican.

Bruin on for Paolo and Roldan off for Leerdam (Seattle changes). Columbus still yet to make any subs.

Columbus win their first corner of the half. Zelarayan takes and the ball is headed straight at Frei. A third goal for the Crew would really spell curtains for the final.

It's all Seattle pressure now with the bulk of the game being played in the Columbus half. Yet to see Argentine Zelarayan for the Crew with the player one of the more decisive of the first 45'.

Roldan does well to meet a corner but his header just drifts over..... a huge sense of urgency now from the side in green.

Seattle look like a different side now, playing with more determination and purpose after the break. 

Smith booked for a rash challenge on Diaz.

Decent shot from Roldan as he forces Room into action but the Columbus is level to the test.

Two changes at the break for Seattle: Tolo and Jones off/ Svensson and Smith on 

Seattle were two down to Minnesota on Monday for the Conference final so they do know what it's like to be in this position.
 

Second half is underway in Ohio. Is there a way back for Seattle ?

Here's a clip of Derrick Etienne's finish to make it 2-0. 

HT in. Columbus and the Crew lead 2-0 with a disappointing display from the men in green. 

We're into a single one minute of added time here at the Mapfre Stadium. 

Yeimar clips Zelarayan in the face and escapes being carded. Free for the home side and Morris blazes over from the breaking ball. 

Morris and Zelarayan have been excellent for Columbus tonight. A wonderful display from the 19-year-old Morris with the teenager undaunted by the big occasion.

Seattle have not been at the races tonight and Columbus' lead is a just reward for their pressure and endeavour. Less than 10' remain in the first half.

Great finish from the Columbus no. 22  with once again Zelarayan instrumental in the goal delivering the assist for the 24-year-old who places the ball adeptlky past Frei.

J.Paulo carded

Zelarayan volleys and Frei is unlucky to steer the ball into the net. Great finish from the Argentine and the Swiss stopper will be unhappy that the ball managed to squirm into the net. 

Seattle ahead in terms of possession but Columbus looking the more threatening side so far in the final.

We've seen little from Ruidiaz or Lodeiro so far tonight as Seattle have really yet to get out of the blocks. 

Frei saves well as Columbus push with Zelarayan at the heart of all the positive play from the home side.

Columbus having slightly the better of the opening action as they win a reasonably dangerous free kick which is floated over and easlily dealt with by the Seattle rearguard. 

Williams clips Jones and Seattle win a freekick. Seattle's Frei the busier of the two goalkeepers so far but nothing of what you could call a clear-cut chance being created. 

This is what it's all about....The MLS Cup

Zardes caught offside as Seattle look to establish a sustained spell of possession. 

Bright start here as both sides look to establish a foothold on the action. Columbus win a second corner as the referee has to intervene with some jostling in the box. Mensah gets a shot off but deflected by the side in green. 

This is the first final that Seattle contest with a side that is not Toronto FC as Columbus look to create early danger.

Ruidiaz the danger man for the men in 'Rave Green'. Columbus in their all black kit and we're underway at the Mapfre Stadium. 

The national anthem ends and we're all set in Columbus. 

Seattle to seal MLS Cup No. 3 or Columbus to claim their second title ? the next 90 minutes will reveal all.

The teams are poised to take to the pitch in Columbus with the 1,500 supporters dotted around the Mapfre Stadium. 

Special guest in the house tonight as MLS commissioner Don Garber is in attendance before the 2020 MLS Cup Final between the Seattle Sounders and the Columbus Crew at MAPFRE Stadium

Jonathan Mensah #4, Gyasi Zardes #11 and Milton Valenzuela #19 of Columbus Crew warm up prior to the MLS Cup Final between the Columbus Crew and the Seattle Sounders at MAPFRE Stadium 

A remiunder of tonight's teams for anyone joinging us late with kick-off now just over 10 minutes away. 

1,500 supporters have been permitted to attend tonight's final at the Mapfre Stadium with the reduced admission a precautionary measure against the ongoing covid-19n pandemic. 

Seattle very much the favourites for tonight's contest with the Nagbe and Santos' absence a major blow for the Crew at the heart of their midfield with Columbus' trials off the pitch over the years where fans came to the rescue of the club, making the men in black and yellow the favourites with the neutrals tonight. 

More on that here

11 goals from free flowing and free scoring Seattle on their way to the Columbus final

The Crew's path to the MLS Cup final:

Two back-to-back clean sheets helped the Ohio based side see off the Revs and Nashville on the way to the final.

Some pre-game SofaScore stats

Ominous dark clouds lurk over the Mapfre Stadium as we head towards kick-off. Temperature currently in Columbus is 10C/57F.

Sad that Crew midfield duo Darlington Nagbe and Pedro Santos will miss tonight's final after both recently tested positive for Covid-19 and have not been medically fit to play. As for the Sounders, Ecuadorian central defender Xavier Arreaga remained at home where he is waiting for his wife to give birth and he did not travel with the squad. Schmetzer has Yeimar and Shane O’Neill available to fill in at the back.

Pre match: Columbus boss Porter

"I know the guys in that locker room are really happy to put the Eastern Conference championship trophy in the trophy case - that's what it is about," said Crew head coach Caleb Porter.

"But there's a much bigger trophy, the MLS Cup trophy, that we have our eye on. We expected to be here in this position, we believed we could be here, and now we have the opportunity to play a home game to become MLS Cup champions."

Pre match comments: Seattle head coach Brian Schmetzer

"I don't know how to say it differently: That's a locker room full of championship players ... As a soccer fan, when I look back on this in 10 years, that was an unbelievable performance. I don't know how we did it."​​​​​​

Caleb Porter starts with this XI for Columbus: 

The teams are out, first up the visitors XI: 

Major League Soccer brings this rather different and strange season to close later this evening as Eastern Conference champions Columbus Crew take on the Western Conference champions, and title holders Seattle Sounders in the MLS Cup final. For Caleb Porter’s Columbus Crew, this will be an unique chance to lift the trophy for the first time on home turf – they were crowned champions at the Home Depot Center in California in 2008 but missed out on what would have been their second title after losing to Portland Timbers at Mapfre Stadium in 2015. This is set to be the Crew's last game at their old ground and what better way to bring the curtain down. 

Can defending champions Seattle Sounders pull off a third title win in five years to rubber stamp their status as the current dominant force in Major League Soccer?

The action from the Mapfre Stadium in Columbus (Ohio) gets underway at 20:30 ET/02:30 CET

Hello and a very warm welcome to our live coverage of the 2020 MLS Cup final as Columbus Crew face Seattle Sounders.