Seattle's Lumen Field witnessed a compelling Club World Cup Group B match on Thursday as Atlético Madrid defeated the Seattle Sounders 3-1, spearheaded by a Pablo Barrios brace. The Spanish side demonstrated their superior quality, leaving the Sounders facing an uphill battle to advance in the tournament.

Atlético Madrid asserted their dominance early in the game. In the 11th minute, Giuliano Simeone delivered a precise pass to Pablo Barrios at the top of the penalty box. Barrios unleashed a powerful first-time shot that ricocheted off the crossbar and into the net, giving Atlético a 1-0 lead. Seattle's goalkeeper, Stefan Frei, had already been called into action, making a save on Alexander Sørloth in the 4th minute, and Julián Alvarez hit the post shortly after the opening goal, indicating the relentless pressure from the La Liga side.

The Sounders struggled to find their footing in the first half, although they had a few promising moments. In the 17th minute, Albert Rusnák created space on the right flank and delivered a cross to Danny Musovski, whose close-range shot was saved by Atlético's goalkeeper, Jan Oblak. Cristian Roldan also had a volley blocked in the 21st minute. Frei made a crucial save against Sørloth to prevent Atlético from extending their lead. A penalty initially awarded to Atlético around the 35th minute was overturned after a video review determined the foul occurred outside the box, providing a temporary reprieve for Seattle.

Atlético Madrid increased their lead early in the second half. Just two minutes after the restart, Marcos Llorente's powerful shot was deflected onto the crossbar by Frei, but Robin Le Normand volleyed the rebound to Axel Witsel, who headed it into the net, making it 2-0. Seattle responded quickly, with Albert Rusnák scoring in the 50th minute. Obed Vargas found Musovski, who headed the ball down for Rusnák to finish, reducing the deficit to 2-1.

However, Seattle's hopes were short-lived. In the 55th minute, Barrios scored his second goal of the match. A long throw-in wasn't properly cleared, and the ball fell to Barrios, who calmly guided his shot past Frei, restoring Atlético's two-goal advantage.

The Sounders fought to get back into the game, and in the 79th minute, it appeared they had closed the gap when Jesús Ferreira scored from a Georgi Minoungou pass, but the goal was disallowed for offside. Despite their efforts, they couldn't break down Atlético's defense again.

According to Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer, his players "showed courage" and "weren't afraid to attack", despite Atlético's strength in transition and counterattacks. Atlético Madrid midfielder Koke acknowledged the difficulty in creating chances but emphasized his team's focus on winning to qualify for the knockout stage.

The attendance at Lumen Field was 51,636. The Sounders' chances of advancing from Group B now depend on Paris Saint-Germain losing to Botafogo. Seattle will face PSG in their final group stage match.