Toronto claim historic first MLS Cup title

Dec 10, 2017 - 3:43 AM This wasn't the kind of MLS Cup performance the Seattle Sounders were hoping for.

Far from it.

Jozy Altidore opened the scoring in the 67th minute and Toronto FC beat Seattle 2-0 on Saturday to become the first Canadian champions in league history, to deny the Sounders a repeat triumph.

Toronto avenged a penalty-shootout loss to Seattle last year in the title game.

"Lifting this trophy has been an obsession for the last 364 days, not just for me but for every single guy on our team," Toronto captain Michael Bradley said.

"There's no other word for it."

Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer pointed to a single statistic, duels won, to illustrate the disparity between the teams. Toronto won 58 duels to Seattle's 24.

"We picked the wrong time to have a game that was below our standards," Schmetzer said.

"We put our best attacking lineup out there but we weren't able to keep the ball in any part of the game. That was not one of our stellar performances."

In the 67th minute, Sebastian Giovinco's pass from just inside the Seattle half helped Altidore split a pair of defenders.

He took a few steps to his left and fired the ball over goalkeeper Stefan Frei, setting off a wild celebration among the 30,584 fans that left BMO Field shaking.

Victor Vasquez made it 2-0 in injury time when from close range after substitute Armando Cooper's shot rebounded off the post.

Altidore was selected MLS Cup MVP.

"To cap it off the way we did shows what this team is all about," he said.

Toronto won the title in their 11th season, having first reach the playoffs in 2015.

Their 69 points this season are the most in league history, and the team won their first Supporters' Shield as regular season champions.

"In terms of seasons, I think we had the greatest season in the history of the league," Toronto coach Greg Vanney said.

"I don't think it's debatable."

Seattle were seeking to become the fourth back-to-back champions after DC United (1996 and 1996), Houston (2006 and 2007) and the Los Angeles Galaxy (2011 and 2012).

Source: AAP