SI

WATCH: Toronto FC Exacts Revenge on Seattle Sounders With MLS Cup Triumph

Watch all the highlights of goals and key plays as Toronto FC beats the Seattle Sounders 2-0 to win the 2017 MLS Cup.

Avi Creditor

WATCH: Toronto FC Exacts Revenge on Seattle Sounders With MLS Cup Triumph
WATCH: Toronto FC Exacts Revenge on Seattle Sounders With MLS Cup Triumph /

Toronto FC has its revenge, and, most importantly, it has its treble.

TFC broke through on an otherwise stifling Stefan Frei on Jozy Altidore's 67th-minute goal, and it received an insurance strike from Victor Vazquez in stoppage time to win the 2017 MLS Cup title 2-0 and make up for last season's disappointing loss on penalty kicks at BMO Field.

Frei was the hero last season, most notably on his acrobatic save on Altidore in extra time, and he was at it again on Saturday, making nine saves in the face of one-way traffic. Altidore finally broke through to relieve the tension at TFC's home park, and Toronto FC capped its best-ever regular season with a first MLS Cup. The title makes the club the first to win the MLS Cup, Supporters' Shield and domestic cup treble.

Toronto sure looked to be making up for last season's dud early, forcing the issue in the opening minutes and winning a second-minute corner kick. Chris Mavinga's flick on found Drew Moor by the back post, but his clear header looped over the bar.

Toronto continued to press, with Sebastian Giovinco failing to get full power on an attempt saved by Frei in the eighth minute before the Sounders goalkeeper was on point for a diving save to rob Jonathan Osorio's volley.

Frei was at it again a minute later, getting just enough on a breakaway attempt by Giovinco to tip it wide of the post after a stellar diagonal ball from Victor Vazquez.

Frei came through again in the 23rd minute, awkwardly readjusting to tip over Giovinco's effort from a left-side angle.

Seattle hardly threatened over the opening half an hour, but it managed something in the 30th minute that it failed to do in its title triumph last year–it put a shot on frame. Joevin Jones's effort, which was easily handled by TFC goalkeeper Alex Bono, accounted for the monumental accomplishment. 

Frei continued to be called into duty, making his fifth save of the game in the 35th minute, palming Marky Delgado's drive from long range over the bar for what turned out to be a fruitless corner.

Frei, a former Toronto FC player, wasn't done there. Vazquez forced him into yet another diving save, his sixth of the contest, keeping the Reds off the board as halftime approached.

Frei made his seventh save in the 60th minute, getting his chest to Bradley's bounding ball from outside the box before Roman Torres could clear the rebound to safety.

Moments later, Frei made it eight, albeit in simple fashion, as Altidore's close-range header was meekly hit right into his gut.

The beat went on in the 64th minute, when Altidore fed Giovinco to his left, where the Italian forced Frei into a diving save to his left for his ninth denial.

At long last, the breakthrough came for TFC, and it came from Altidore. The hosts turned a change in possession into a lethal counter, one- and two-touching the ball through the center of the field before Giovinco found the U.S. forward, who chipped over Frei on the breakaway in the 67th minute.

Vazquez put the match out of reach in stoppage time, bundling home a rebound off the post into an empty net to make it 2-0 and send Toronto FC on its way to a first league championship.

After last season's disappointment at home, 2017 brought sweet revenge and closure for a dominant Toronto.

For Seattle, it missed out on becoming the fourth team to repeat as MLS Cup champions. The last side to do that was the LA Galaxy, which accomplished the feat with a pair of home wins over the Houston Dynamo in 2011 and 2012.

Published
Avi Creditor
AVI CREDITOR

Avi Creditor is a senior editor and has covered soccer for more than a decade. He’s also a scrappy left back. 

Home/Soccer