Seattle Sounders and Toronto clash in MLS Cup Final

Seattle Sounders FC and Toronto FC are facing off for the third time in four years in MLS Cup Final.

This time in Seattle in front of 69,000 fans. With the MLS Cup Final series matchup between the two sides tied at 1-1 and the ties between National Teams, CONCACAF rivals, recently eliminated family members, and a matchup that produced extremely competitive matchups, statistically anomalous victories, and iconic moments for both clubs should be enticing enough for anyone to tune in. 

Sounders had been the team that couldn’t get over the hump, despite being the world’s most successful expansion franchise (just ask them), and win the big game until Brian Schmetzer was given the reins and took the Sounders on Odyssey through the second half of the 2016 season no one would have ever believed. The margin for error that season was practically zero and the Sounders rose to the challenge. The arrival of Nico Lodeiro certainly helped Sounders cause, but Schmetzer pulled the strings for the supporting cast to get his team into the playoffs and continued their run into MLS Cup Final. 

Even more improbably the Sounders are unable to create a shot on goal, and somehow win the penalty kick shootout in the sixth round with a Roman Torres goal. Amazing. 

Oh and Stefan Frei’s save on Jozy Altidore happened. Pretty crazy. It really is true that you can’t lose 0-0. 

Toronto was experiencing their own Canadian Renaissance after being the team that couldn’t quite get off the mat. Despite their vocal fan support and quality players over the years, Toronto FC couldn’t quite put a winning club together, or collect trophies, but have been transformed into one of the most consistent sides in MLS with Jozy Altidore, Michael Bradley, and Greg Vanney in the fold. Not to mention Sebastian Giovinco and currently Alejandro Pozuelo. 

And after losing a cup final they had every right to claim victory in, stuck together, maintained focus, and won MLS Cup 2017 in decisive fashion 2-0. It should come as no surprise that the quality and consistency of these players and managers have made their clubs into what they are. The two clubs that made a big splash the last two seasons, Atlanta and LAFC, have fizzled out against teams with deeper talent. 

Schmetzer and Vanney cobbling together their best eleven while their top talent is injured or otherwise unavailable has been a hallmark of this of both teams. Omar Gonzalez is back for Toronto. Jozy Altidore is listed as, “needs a miracle,” but will likely be listed in the 18. Roman Torres and Will Bruin are listed as injured and unlikely to be called into action. Jordan Morris will be fully active after being limited in the 2017 MLS Cup and provides an Altidore-esque physical presence and counter-attacking fully healthy. Despite the injury to Altidore, both sides seem the healthiest they have been in this matchup. 

Finding ways to get better is always key to success in any competitive league. Sounders addition of Raul Ruidiaz and TFC adding Alej Pozuelo finding Nick DeLeon, who scored to advance in the Conference Finals, show that there is more than one way to add talent to your roster. DeLeon who had only scored five goals since 2015 for DC United, has scored seven for TFC. Not exactly prolific like Giovinco was but obviously a good value. And oh what a goal he scored to get his team through. 

The midfield matchups between Lodeiro and Michael Bradley is likely where the match will be won. Bradley will be sitting deeper and Lodeiro will be looking to attack and combine with Ruidiaz. How much space is too much for the minuscule, yet mighty, Ruidiaz? He seems to create space from nothing with a simple touch and has the power to score beyond 18 yards. 

Sounders at home in front of nearly 70,000 fans will likely be on the front foot to start the match, and who doesn’t want to score early? I would look for Toronto to try and sit back and try to counter attack if Sounders bring fullbacks into the attack. If Sounders are able to score early and dictate the tempo and what space the match is played in, it will be tough for Toronto to break down the Sounders defence. The same goes for Toronto, if they can capitalize on an early mistake or get a counter, they can quiet the fans and sit back in their half a bit more. Both coaches have not really shown a tendency to “park the bus” if they get a goal lead, they try to play more possession, but this is a Cup Final. 

The one thing I am loathe to even mention is VAR. 

There were a couple of calls for PKs last week, specifically thinking of Arreaga vs Vela, and I was pleased that it was let go as two players competing for the ball and the contact could have been incidental. The handball….that probably should have been called, but even that was not likely to change the outcome of the game at that point in my opinion. But I think every fan and player wants the match decided on the pitch and not in a video booth unless it is truly egregious. The last two matches were somewhat physical and we can expect the Final to be slightly more so. But given how well these two teams are playing, the history between them, familiarity between coaches and players, we should expect a match with a little bit of everything, and hopefully no drama from the referees and their computers.