Seattle Sounders and FC Cincinnati Cruise in Concacaf Champions Cup

Paul Arriola scores twice as Seattle routs Vancouver Whitecaps

Mar. 13, 2026 at 6:24am

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The Seattle Sounders and FC Cincinnati both earned convincing victories in the opening round of the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup. Seattle defeated the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-0, with Paul Arriola scoring a brace in his first start in over a year after recovering from a torn ACL. FC Cincinnati also cruised to a lopsided win, though the details of their match were not provided.

Why it matters

The Concacaf Champions Cup is the premier club competition in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, and a strong performance in the tournament can boost a team's profile and chances of advancing to the FIFA Club World Cup. Seattle and FC Cincinnati's dominant wins suggest they could be among the favorites to lift the trophy this year.

The details

In the match between the Seattle Sounders and Vancouver Whitecaps, Paul Arriola scored in the 45th and 58th minutes to give Seattle a 2-0 lead. Paul Rothrock then added a third goal in the 70th minute to seal the victory for the Sounders. The match was played in front of a disappointing crowd of 12,446 at BC Place in Vancouver.

  • The match took place on March 13, 2026.
  • Arriola scored his first goal in the 45th minute.
  • Arriola scored his second goal in the 58th minute.
  • Rothrock scored Seattle's third goal in the 70th minute.

The players

Paul Arriola

A forward for the Seattle Sounders who scored two goals in the match after recovering from a torn ACL injury.

Paul Rothrock

A midfielder for the Seattle Sounders who scored the third goal in the match.

Brian Schmetzer

The head coach of the Seattle Sounders, who has built a deep and talented roster for the team to compete on multiple fronts.

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What’s next

The Sounders and FC Cincinnati will both look to build on their strong starts in the Concacaf Champions Cup as they advance to the next round of the tournament.

The takeaway

Seattle's dominant win, led by Paul Arriola's brace, demonstrates the team's depth and quality as they aim to make a deep run in the Concacaf Champions Cup. FC Cincinnati's own lopsided victory suggests they could also be a force to be reckoned with in the tournament.