MLS Cup notes and Sounders’ quest,
Seattle aiming to become just fourth back-to-back champion in MLS history
Toronto FC isn’t the only team looking to write its name in the history books in Saturday’s MLS Cup final.
The Reds would be hoisting the club’s first MLS Cup trophy with a win over the Seattle Sounders, and become the first club in the league to win a domestic treble after already piecing together a record-breaking Supporters’ Shield campaign after winning the Canadian championship.
But the Sounders have a shot at a rare achievement, too: Seattle can become just the fourth team in league history to win back to back MLS Cup titles. D.C. United (1996 and 1997), Houston Dynamo (2006 and 2007) and the L.A. Galaxy (2011 and 2012) are the others.
The Sounders sense an opportunity to achieve “something big,” said goal- keeper Stefan Frei, a nine-year league veteran who started his career in Toronto before moving to Seattle in 2014.
“I think once we started getting closer to playoffs, at least for me and the goalkeeping unit, we started bringing up that (Los Angeles) squad that won back to back a few years ago and how we actually hold a lot of respect for those squads because it’s a very, very difficult feat to accom- plish and here we find ourselves with an opportunity to do something similar,” Frei said. “I think the whole squad realizes that this is an immense opportunity and we’re excited at the prospect of having a chance to achieve it.”
While Frei played up Seattle’s chance at history, his coach, Brian Schmetzer, played it down. Schmetzer said the prospect hasn’t come up amongst the team, though players may have read about it in the media.
“I know it’s out there but the guys really haven’t been focused on it, we as a coaching staff haven’t been focused on it. Our mantra last year was, we took one game at a time. We had to win pretty much every game for us to even make the playoffs and then that went through the playoffs and we got some results and we ended up winning the Cup,” Schmetzer said.
While he called the feats both Seattle and Toronto could achieve “pretty challenging or difficult things to do in any age or any sport,” Schmetzer said the mantra the Sounders relied on last year has continued into this year. Ultimately, history of any kind has little bearing on what happens on Saturday.
“I think this is a final and it’s one game and the better team on that day is going to come out and be crowned champions.”