Columbus Crew's Jonathan Mensah, center, carries the trophy on stage after the Crew defeated the Seattle Sounders 3-0 in the MLS Cup championship game Saturday, Dec. 12, 2020, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)COLUMBUS, Ohio – No matter the absences from the lineup or the opponent, Caleb Porter implored the Columbus Crew to impose themselves. Porter's players responded, putting aside the recent history of the defending champion Seattle Sounders and capping the most unpredictable of MLS seasons with one of the league's original franchises raising a championship trophy. Columbus claimed its first title since 2008 and denied Seattle a chance at being just the fourth back-to-back champions in league history. Seattle needed a frantic comeback in the final 15 minutes of its Western Conference final against Minnesota United just to reach MLS Cup.

Seattle Sounders forward Will Bruin (17) shoots to score against Minnesota United during the second half of an MLS playoff Western Conference final soccer match, Monday, Dec. 7, 2020, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)SEATTLE – Gustav Svensson scored off a corner kick in the final moments of second-half stoppage time, and the Seattle Sounders beat Minnesota United 3-2 on Monday night to advance to the MLS Cup final. Seattle scored three times in the final 15 minutes of regulation and stoppage time to stun Minnesota and claim the Western Conference championship for the fourth time in the past five seasons. Will Bruin scored in the 75th minute to pull Seattle within 2-1 and set the stage for the wild final moments when the Sounders scored twice off corner kicks. But Svensson came through by rising above on the final corner kick and giving the Sounders the victory.