Toronto FC, Seattle will meet for title once again
Associated Press
TORONTO — Toronto FC needs to beat the defending champion Seattle Sounders to cap their record-breaking regular season with an MLS Cupcrown.
In a rematch, Toronto will play host to the Sounders Saturday in the MLS Cup. Seattle won the title game a year ago in a penalty shootout after neither team could score in regulation or 30 minutes of extra time.
The memory of Sounders players celebrating on his homefield remains painful for Torontostriker Jozy Altidore.
“It was not great, so it’s good that we have a chance to hopefully reverse that feeling,” Altidore said.
Led by Altidore, fellow U.S. international Michael Bradley and 2015 league MVP Sebastian Giovinco, Toronto set a league record with 69 points this season. That’s one better than the 1998 Los Angeles Galaxy. Toronto won 20 of 34 games, matching the 2014 Sounders for most victories in the league’s post-shootout era.
Bradley said he and his Toronto teammates are “all excited that it’s Seattle again” in the decisive game.
“This was all we wanted, to give ourselves another crack,” Bradley said.
Seattle has steamrolled its opponents in the playoffs after
Game: Toronto FC vs. Seattle Sounders FC, 4 p.m., BMO Field, Toronto.
TV: ESPN. finishing second in the Western Conference in the regular season. The Sounders had shutouts in all fourpostseason games so far.
“You want a final like this each and every year,” Sounders midfielder Cristian Roldan said. “It’s two powerhouse teams with fantastic quality.”
Other things to watch in the MLS Cup:
• An injured Altidore was replaced in the final minutes after scoring the goal that helped Toronto beat Columbus in the second leg of the Eastern Conference final. He hurt his right ankle in a collision with Crew defender Harrison Afful. After practice Thursday, the striker insisted he would be ready to go against Seattle.
• Seattle midfielder and captain Osvaldo Alonso failed a fitness test on his strained right quadriceps muscle Thursday and was ruled out of the final. After being out for two months by a hamstring injury, Sounders forward Jordan Morris came off the bench late in the second-leg of the West final against Houston and could reprise his substitute’s role against Toronto.