Seattle Sounders vs. Toronto FC score: Second-half surge boosts Seattle to MLS Cup victory

Rudi Schuller

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Seattle Sounders vs. Toronto FC score: Second-half surge boosts Seattle to MLS Cup victory image

The Seattle Sounders overcame a nervy first half to defeat Toronto FC 3-1 in the MLS Cup final on Sunday.

Goals by Kelvin Leerdam, Victor Rodriguez and Raul Ruidiaz propelled the Sounders to victory in a wild closing 45 minutes, while substitute Jozy Altidore scored in injury time for TFC. 

The Sounders entered the match as odds-on favorites, having bested Supporters' Shield-winner LAFC in the Western Conference final to get into Sunday's match. However, the game looked like it was on a platter for TFC for large stretches, especially the first half when the visitors built up a 65 percent possession advantage.

Toronto was missing the big presence of Altidore up front until his entrance with just over 20 minutes to go, as the Reds couldn't do much with their overwhelming possession advantage. Seattle, content to rely on a counterattacking strategy, eventually found chances and it was a fortuitous bounce from Leerdam's 57th-minute shot — originally ruled an own goal — that broke the game open.

With the crowd reinvigorated, the Sounders played with their tails up and flipped the pressure on their visitors, eventually finding the winning goal through substitute Rodriguez on a pretty movement to slice open TFC's defense down the middle of the field. Ruidiaz put the cherry on top after a routine long ball over the top caused havoc between Toronto defender Chris Mavinga and goalkeeper Quentin Westberg to allow one of the easiest goals the Sounders striker will ever score.

With the game over, TFC continued pushing and Alejandro Pozuelo found the head of Altidore for a consolation goal in stoppage time.

Sporting News tracked all the goals, big plays and highlights. See how it all went down below.

Seattle Sounders 3, Toronto FC 1: Updates, highlights from MLS Cup 2019

Pre-game

2:11 p.m. ET - The lineups are out. Seattle makes one change with Torres stepping in for Arreaga, while Toronto puts Gonzalez into the lineup in place of Ciman. The biggest news is that Jozy Altidore is on the bench for TFC.

2:16 p.m. ET - As is tradition, other teams from each city are sending their support ahead of kickoff. Firstly, the well-wishes from Seattle:

2:19 p.m. ET - And words of support from Toronto teams:

2:29 p.m. ET - It's a landmark match for Toronto captain Michael Bradley, who starts his 200th game for the club (his first was also at CenturyLink Field). Interestingly, his contract ends after this season, and if TFC wins today he'll reportedly see an option year automatically kick in that will pay him $6.5 million in 2020. Needless to say, Bradley will be doubly motivated today.

2:42 p.m. ET - Seattle is hyped up.

2:49 p.m. ET - It's fair to say Seattle is not too enamored with Michael Bradley.

2:57 p.m. ET - Interestingly, this is Seattle's third MLS Cup final, with one victory, but the Sounders have yet to score a goal. The 2016 penalty shootout is just considered a tiebreaker and doesn't count toward official goal total.

First half

0' - Kickoff! Here we go! (3:09 p.m. ET)

3' - First corner of the game goes to Seattle. It's dealt with rather easily by Toronto.

4' - First shot of the match goes to Toronto. It's a long-distance effort from Benezet that one-hops into Frei's awaiting hands.

7' - It appears as though the Sounders are willing to concede possession to TFC and try for counterattacks. It's a bit unexpected given that Seattle's the home side, but it plays to their strengths.

9' - Sounders get their first shot after a TFC giveaway deep allows Morris to use his blistering pace to run 80 yards downfield before unleashing an effort from just inside the penalty area. Toronto goalkeeper Westberg has it covered, but that's the danger of Seattle's speed.

11' - Now TFC gets a shot off after a nice, incisive movement through the middle of the pitch allows Osorio to turn and fire from the penalty spot. It's right at Frei, however.

18' - Not much of note going on over the past few minutes, except for a couple of hard fouls from each side that the referee has to keep in check.

21 - Another corner for the Sounders. Torres comes close after the ball somehow falls to him near the top of the 18-yard-box. 

26' - Overall play has been wide open; far less cagey than most cup finals in the early stages.

32' - Sounders go with a short corner, and earn another one after the ball kind of bounces around in front. The follow-up is driven away by TFC.

33' - Yet another Seattle corner after the ball is recycled back into the box in the second phase. It leads to another one, then another, then it's finally gathered by Westberg.

35' - Free kick for TFC from 30 yards out after Pozuelo and Osorio try to out-pirouette each other to the chagrin of the Seattle defense. The set piece is cleared but on the second phase Benezet gets the ball out wide left and hits a low rocket that's well saved by Frei.

39' - Good interplay by TFC to get into the final third, but there's a distinct lack of decisiveness and Seattle gets off without much threat.

42' - It's been an incredibly scrappy few minutes as referee Chapman seems to be letting a lot more go.

45' - Big save Westberg! Sounders counterattack on the right wing and Ruidiaz gets in behind Gonzalez before hitting a low, hard shot that forces a kick save by the Toronto goalkeeper.

45'+1 - The whistle blows and it's scoreless at the half. The numbers favor TFC, but both teams had good chances.

Second half

46' - And the second half is underway. (4:12 p.m. ET)

50' - Seattle has started this half sitting very deep, allowing TFC to be on the front foot.

52' - Toronto gets a corner after a Pozuelo free kick is shunted out by the Sounders. It amounts to nothing.

54' - Pozuelo takes on four Seattle defenders and wins. His ball through to Osorio is punted by Kim before the TFC midfielder had a free shot on goal from 10 yards out.

57' - GOAL ⚽️ Against the run of play, Seattle gets the ball out to Leerdam, whose shot deflects off Morrow and into the Toronto goal. Seattle 1, Toronto 0.

61' - Seattle sub. Rodriguez in for Smith.

62' - Toronto makes a change now. Endoh out, DeLeon in.

68' - It's a "bit of a miracle" as Jozy Altidore enters play for the first time in a month.

72' - Yellow card to Pozuelo after he drags Lodeiro down. The TFC man knew what he was doing as Lodeiro was off to the races.

74' - Mavinga's down on the pitch after semingly pulling his hamstring or calf in the middle of a Seattle break. 

75' - The TFC defender is back on the field after briefly leaving to get medical attention. Looked like it was actually his ankle.

76' ⚽️ GOAL - Seattle grabs a two-goal lead after the Sounders pin Toronto in their own half and substitute Rodriguez drills a low effort from outside the box. Seattle 2, Toronto 0 .

77' - TFC makes its final change: Laryea for Osorio. A bit of a strange one as Osorio has been very good today.

83' - Unsurprisingly, TFC now throwing everything forward. Gonzalez is pretty much playing as a forward now.

85' - Sounders make another change. Jordan Morris leaves to big applause.

90' ⚽️ GOAL - Game over. Ruidiaz lobs it over Westberg after Mavinga and his goalkeeper got their wires crossed. Nothing fancy about that, but it's very pretty for the home crowd. Seattle 3, Toronto 0 .

90'+3 ⚽️ GOAL - Altidore hits a powerful header and TFC's on the board. It's too little, too late for the visitors. Seattle 3, Toronto 1 .

90'+5 - Game over!

 

Rudi Schuller