MIAMI, Florida – The 2022 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League Final is now just days away from getting started in Mexico City where the Seattle Sounders of Major League Soccer (MLS) will take on Pumas of Liga MX in the first leg on Wednesday night.

The 2022 SCCL is the fifth appearance for Pumas in the tournament and their first since 2016-17. The Mexico City club have not been in a Concacaf final since 2005 and last were crowned champions of the region in 1989. However, a new era of players is looking to change that.

Pumas began their 2022 SCCL with a tough Round of 16 tie against Costa Rican giants Deportivo Saprissa, who coincidentally defeated Pumas in that 2005 Concacaf Champions Cup Final.

Keen to extinguish those ghosts, Pumas managed to withstand a superb performance from ageless wonder Christian Bolanos of Saprissa, who scored two goals, and came away with a 2-2 draw in the first leg at the Estadio Saprissa in San Jose.

The second leg at Pumas’ home ground of the Estadio Olimpico Universitario in Mexico City was hanging in the balance until a late surge led by Juan Dinenno’s two goals helped give Pumas a 4-1 win in the match and a 6-3 triumph on aggregate.

A trip to cold and snowy Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts was next for the Liga MX side to take on the New England Revolution in the first leg of the quarterfinals. It was a tough night for the visiting Mexicans, who found themselves in a 3-0 hole at the full-time whistle.

But something special was in the air in the return leg the following week in Mexico City, as Pumas delivered a night to remember for the home fans, with Dinneno scoring his fourth and fifth goals of the tournament to pave the way for a 3-0 second leg win.

The 3-3 tie on aggregate meant a penalty shootout had to resolve matters, and veteran GK Alfredo Talavera made sure the comeback would be completed, as Pumas won the shootout 4-3 to advance to the semifinals.

Up next was a semifinal date against fellow Liga MX and city rivals Cruz Azul, and again Dinenno came through in a big spot for his side, scoring another two goals in a 2-1 first leg win at the Estadio Olimpico Universitario.

Knowing that Cruz Azul were going to attack with everything, Pumas put forth a defensive display that won’t soon be forgotten, keeping La Maquina off the scoreboard even while playing a man down for the final 27 minutes after Arturo Ortiz’s sending off to nail down a 0-0 draw and a place in the Final.

It has been a rollercoaster arrival to the Final for Pumas, but a side brimming with so much belief will be confident that the Concacaf crown can be theirs.