The Seattle Sounders, after years of coming incredibly close, have finally been crowned MLS Cup champions. They won 5-4 in a penalty kick shootout over Toronto FC after 120 minutes of scoreless action.
Despite not putting a shot on target the entire game, Seattle center back Roman Torres — after a man-of-the-match caliber performance — slammed home the winning penalty and the Sounders defeated TFC at BMO Field.
Toronto, playing at home in front of 36,000 incredible fans, were on the front foot for the entire match. Jozy Altidore was dominant, and they forced Stefan Frei into an incredible extra-time save. Sebastian Giovinco, however, was mostly ineffective, and he had to be subbed off due to injury.
It was not an incredibly exciting match. Neither goalkeeper was forced to do much until Frei made his dynamic save late in the game, and Clint Irwin was essentially a spectator. The game got fairly frantic closer to the end as the teams got tired, but nobody put together a real scoring opportunity, sending it to PKs.
Frei and Irwin made one save each in the shootout, and when it entered sudden-death, TFC left back Justin Morrow saw his penalty go hit the crossbar and hit just outside the goal line. Torres calmly finished his PK, and Seattle were champions.
Here’s the moment! Roman Torres shoots @SoundersFC to their first #MLSCup! https://t.co/iDORGsF8bq
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) December 11, 2016
Something that may have been an afterthought this summer, became a reality tonight and the Sounders are MLS champs.
