SEATTLE, Washington – When Kelyn Rowe’s name was called, he was ready.

With the second leg of the 2022 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League Final barely underway, an injury sustained by Seattle Sounders DF Nouhou Tolo meant Rowe was brought on to replace the injured defender.

The 30-year-old midfielder responded with aplomb, playing the final 79 minutes and helping Seattle claim a 3-0 second leg win over Pumas and a first ever SCCL title.

“This club always prides itself on the next man up, so I made sure I was prepared at any time. This club is a winning club and we know how to do it. I’m just so happy for the fans, the players, the staff, everyone,” said Rowe in an exclusive postgame interview with Concacaf.com.

Rowe finished the tournament playing in all eight of Seattle’s matches in the 2022 SCCL, making three starts, scoring one goal and accumulating 428 minutes.

Like so many others, he was an integral member of a side that became the first team from Major League Soccer to win a Concacaf title in the SCCL era.

“I don’t think anyone is surprised by that. The Seattle Sounders have been in the playoffs before, they’ve won trophies. This club knows how to win and I don’t think anyone is surprised that we were the first ones [from MLS] to win Concacaf Champions League. We deserved it. We didn’t lose any of the games. We made sure we won every game at home. This is a club that knows how to win,” said Rowe.

Making his professional debut in 2012 with the New England Revolution, Rowe’s career has taken all sorts of twists and turns, with spells at three different teams before arriving to Seattle in 2021.

Until Wednesday night, a title had always eluded Rowe, which makes Wednesday’s conquest the first of his career and one he will forever cherish.

“For me, this is a dream. You play in your backyard, you count down to have the final shot and you want to do it at home. This is in front of almost 70,000 people and to win the Concacaf Champions League in front of my family, my friends, my home, that is a dream come true and nothing will top that,” concluded Rowe.