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Seattle Sounders knock off Toronto for second MLS Cup win in four years

by Ricky Head · November 11, 2019

The Seattle Sounders pulled off a remarkable 3-1 win over Toronto FC to win their second MLS Cup at a jam-packed CenturyLink Field on Sunday.

It was the third meeting in four years for the two teams in the MLS showpiece, with Seattle winning the Cup in 2016 and Toronto taking it home in 2017.

SEATTLE — Seattle Sounders FC supporters came out in full force Sunday for the 2019 MLS Cup at CenturyLink Field. An announced crowd of 69,274 dressed in blue and green roared from the opening whistle to the final whistle as the Sounders took down visiting Toronto FC 3-1 to claim their second Major League Soccer title. The attendance marked the largest crowd to ever watch a sporting event at CenturyLink Field, which is also home to the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks. It was also the most-attended soccer match in the history of Washington State and broke the Sounders’ attendance record. The number fell just shy of the MLS Cup record, however, held by Atlanta United’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the announced 73,019 people at last year’s final. “In the beginning, it was overwhelming. I got teary eyes when we walked out,” Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei said of the crowd. “But as soon as the referee blows that whistle, things darken and you focus on the ball. The few moments where everything opens back up is when we score goals — it’s raw, pure emotion.” Tickets to the match sold out about 20 minutes after going on sale Nov. 1, according to the league, and standing-room-only tickets were sold the day of the game. MLS Cup tickets were also a hot commodity on the resale market, where the average resale price earlier in the week hit $622, according to SeatGeek.
SEATTLE — Seattle Sounders FC supporters came out in full force Sunday for the 2019 MLS Cup at CenturyLink Field. An announced crowd of 69,274 dressed in blue and green roared from the opening whistle to the final whistle as the Sounders took down visiting Toronto FC 3-1 to claim their second Major League Soccer title. The attendance marked the largest crowd to ever watch a sporting event at CenturyLink Field, which is also home to the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks. It was also the most-attended soccer match in the history of Washington State and broke the Sounders’ attendance record. The number fell just shy of the MLS Cup record, however, held by Atlanta United’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the announced 73,019 people at last year’s final. “In the beginning, it was overwhelming. I got teary eyes when we walked out,” Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei said of the crowd. “But as soon as the referee blows that whistle, things darken and you focus on the ball. The few moments where everything opens back up is when we score goals — it’s raw, pure emotion.” Tickets to the match sold out about 20 minutes after going on sale Nov. 1, according to the league, and standing-room-only tickets were sold the day of the game. MLS Cup tickets were also a hot commodity on the resale market, where the average resale price earlier in the week hit $622, according to SeatGeek.

Toronto was the better of the two sides in a lackluster first half but had nothing to show for it, and Seattle missed a chance to take the lead right before half-time, only for Raul Ruidiaz to shoot tamely at Stefan Frei.

The hosts took the lead right before the hour mark, when Kelvin Leerdam’s shot from the right side of the penalty area took a wicked double deflection and left Quentin Westberg no chance in the Toronto goal.

It was the first time that Seattle was able to score on Toronto during the run of play in 267 minutes of MLS Cup play between the two.

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Greg Vanney brought on Jozy Altidore in search of an equalizer, but it was Seattle substitute Victor Rodriguez who struck instead, picking up a nice pass from Nicolas Lodeiro, cutting to his right and firing a low, knuckling shot past Westberg to double the Sounders’ lead.

“I think we are so competitive. We [have a] really good mentality, always keep going, always working every day so hard, and I think here in our home, with our fans, it is a little easier for us,” MVP Rodriguez said in reference to the 69,274 fans who packed into the stadium. “I think we deserved that.”

Ruidiaz added a third for Brian Schmetzer’s team after outrunning his marker and curling a shot around Westberg before Altidore netted a meaningless consolation goal for Toronto in stoppage time.

The crowd of nearly 70,000 represents the largest non-concert attendance at any event in the history of CenturyLink Field, which hosts the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks.

With historic win 2019 MLS Cup, Seattle Sounders will host a victory parade in Seattle on Tuesday

With Seattle’s 3-1 win over Toronto FC at CenturyLink Field on Sunday, the Sounders have won MLS Cup Champions Parade and Rally Presented by Premera Blue Cross for the second time in club history.

In celebration of this historic achievement, the club will be putting on an MLS Cup parade in the heart of the city on Tuesday.

Commencing at 12:00 p.m. PT, the parade route will begin at Westlake Park on the corner of 4th Avenue and Pine. The parade will weave through downtown and culminate in a rally on the Fisher Pavilion Lawn at Seattle Center, which will begin roughly at 1:30 p.m. PT.

Stay tuned for more details in the coming days.

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Ricky Head
rqhead@hotmail.com – Web

Ricky Head is Editor in Chief and Publisher of VietShowNow. He brings over 20 years of experience as a columnist, reporter, and photo journalist. In addition to concert coverage, he is a Content Creator, Writer, Photographer, and Videographer based in Seattle, Washington, and he photographs hundreds of concerts, festivals, and events each year. He takes pride in providing rich, high-quality images at a rapid pace.

Ricky Head

Ricky Head is Editor in Chief and Publisher of VietShowNow. He brings over 20 years of experience as a columnist, reporter, and photo journalist. In addition to concert coverage, he is a Content Creator, Writer, Photographer, and Videographer based in Seattle, Washington, and he photographs hundreds of concerts, festivals, and events each year. He takes pride in providing rich, high-quality images at a rapid pace.

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