Seattle Sounders midfielder Joao Paulo will miss the rest of the season after tearing his right anterior cruciate ligament in the team’s CONCACAF Champions League final on Wednesday.
The 31-year-old was a finalist for league MVP last season and named to the MLS Best XI team.
On Wednesday, he was subbed out in the 29th minute of the game, in which the Sounders defeated Liga MX side Pumas UNAM 3-0 in Seattle to build a 5-2 aggregate scoring lead and win their first CCL title.
Obed Vargas, a 16-year-old from Alaska, replaced Joao Paulo.
“He stepped in and performed — the kid played pretty damn well. Happy to have a good deep squad,” coach Brian Schmetzer said of Vargas, per The Seattle Times. “That is what’s required to win a tournament like this and to compete in MLS.”
Joao Paulo, a 31-year-old from Brazil, is in his third season with the Sounders. In six games this season, he scored one goal and added one assist.
In 56 games (51 starts) with the Sounders, he has six goals and 17 assists.
–Field Level Media
Denis Bouanga scored his first two goals of the season and LAFC continued their perfect start by pulling away to a 4-0 victory over the visiting New England Revolution on…
Kyle Hiebert scored on an opportunistic header in the 75th minute and expansion team St. Louis City SC rallied to 2-1 victory at the Portland Timbers on Saturday night. Hiebert’s…
Cristian Espinosa scored the lone goal as the San Jose Earthquakes produced a 1-0 victory over the visiting Colorado Rapids on Saturday night. Espinosa’s first goal of the season gave…
Expansion St. Louis City edge Portland, improve to 3-0
Late tally lifts Quakes over Rapids, 1-0
Owen Wolff tallies goal, assist as Austin FC outlast Real Salt Lake
Loons, Red Bulls draw in frosty Minnesota home opener