Article by Matt Lichtenstadter
It took nearly 190 minutes of grueling soccer, incredibly unlucky and poor finishing, but Toronto FC finally, and deservedly, broke down Seattle Sounders, and then did it once more, to complete the most successful season in MLS history. Toronto FC won the Canadian Championship (in dramatic fashion), the Supporter’s Shield (in far less dramatic fashion), and now MLS Cup.
Whether this team is the best ever in MLS is hard to say because of how rapidly the league has evolved from its infancy to the 22nd MLS Cup Final which Toronto FC just won. To think that just 10 years ago, TFC were getting started and only three years ago, their “bloody big deal” with Jermain Defoe blew up in their face. They finally made the playoffs in 2015, but were outclassed and outmanned against Montreal in 2015. Then, they broke through in 2016 to reach MLS Cup Final, but lacked the nerve and the touch against the Sounders and watched Seattle celebrate on their pitch.
For 66 or so minutes, it looked like history was going to repeat itself. Toronto FC was dominant in all aspects of the game and were taking it to the Sounders, but again couldn’t finish. Stefan Frei was in many respects more heroic than he was in his one remarkable save last year, because without some of his critical saves, the game would have been over well before it did end. The team in front of him was absolutely wretched. Their tactics were too negative and they seemed, largely based on what happened a year ago, somewhat complacent. Toronto FC played as if they needed this game, Seattle played as if they wanted to win.
Greg Vanney made a bold tactical switch away from his usual back five to a back four to take the game to the Sounders. His team was the one who came in with scruffy wins against the Red Bulls and Crew, and the Sounders were the team that were cruising, and the game played out much like that. Seattle didn’t have the intensity and determination that defined their run from basically August last year on under Brian Schmetzer. Toronto FC played as if their careers were defined by this game. Not just the unsung heroes like Marky Delgado, Jonathan Osorio, but the superstars: Bradley, Altidore and Giovinco. They were at their very best. Bradley was asked to carry the team in the new diamond formation, and he did just that. His performance allowed Toronto FC to dominate in the way that they did for 90 minutes. For all that hangs over his head after what happened in Couva, this is some certain redemption for him, and Jozy Altidore too.
Questions will be asked of Brian Schmetzer and his tactics, which he very rarely got wrong in big moments, for the change heading into the match and a lack of changes during it to change the course of the 90 minutes. Questions will be asked of Nicolas Lodeiro, who was so influential last year in the run to MLS Cup but who was invisible today. What of Clint Dempsey and Victor Rodriguez who didn’t have the same impacts their counterparts in red did? In the same way Toronto FC was lacking something last year, which they found in Victor Vazquez, Seattle was lacking that extra polish this year.
These two clubs have defined MLS 3.0 with their ability to spend on the biggest of stars, but also to identify the glue pieces that create champions. Atlanta United has the 71,000 fans, NYCFC has the city of New York, LAFC has expansion buzz, Seattle has the pedigree, but Toronto FC are now the new standard. Yes, they have more money to spend than just about anyone else in the league and they do spend it, but they have spent it wisely. For years, they threw money around like a child on a sugar high at a toy store. Now, they have a plan and they execute it. Seattle does too, and it worked last year to great effect. They have to adjust to win the Cup in 2018 back, as does everyone else. There is a new standard in the league, and it’s pretty clear who sets the pace now.
There’s only one frontier left for them to climb, and that would be winning CONCACAF Champions League. If they show what they showed in MLS Cup Final, there’s no reason to believe they can’t win that either, they’ve been that good.
Toronto FC played all season with expectations and their motivation from the lingering disappointment in MLS Cup Final last season, and on this day, they put all those demons to bed with as convincing a Cup Final performance as it gets.
They have set the standards for MLS as it charts a new future, and there’s no doubt everyone is now chasing the Six as the home of the best soccer in North America.
