The game in 100 words (or less more): For the first time in franchise history, Toronto FC are champions of Major League Soccer. The best team in the regular season, the last team standing in the postseason. For more than an hour, Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Seattle, the side that broke TFC hearts a year ago, looked painfully familiar for Reds fans, as Stefan Frei, MVP of the 2016 final, turned in another man-of-the-match performance and appeared altogether unbeatable. The Swiss-turned-American goalkeeper made 10 saves before Altidore broke through for TFC, courtesy of some gorgeous build-up play flowing through fellow superstars Michael Bradley and Sebastian Giovinco. TFC thoroughly dominated from start to finish — again, just like last year’s final — to the tune of 22 shots to 7 (11-2 on target). If not for Frei’s early-game heroics, the score would have been 3-0 by halftime. The postseason title puts a tidy bow on top of an already historic season for TFC, who set a new regular-season points record — in a much tougher Eastern Conference, to boot — and leaves little to no doubt over which team was truly the best of 2017.
[ BRADLEY: “Dream became obsession” in pursuit of MLS Cup ]
Three Four Five Six moments that mattered
11' — Frei rushes out to deny Giovinco — Frei and Sebastian Giovinco will get the majority of the attention here (for the save and blown chance, respectively), but the 50-yard through ball from Victor Vazquez is the real story here. It almost doesn’t look real.
41' — Frei denies Vazquez at full-stretch — Frei’s made six saves in the first half — none of which were individually spectacular in difficulty,
41' - Stefan Frei is not human! Make that six saves in the first half.
— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) December 9, 2017
0-0 | #MLSCup pic.twitter.com/tFv8234pso
60' — Bradley fires from distance, Frei saves again — Michael Bradley, who was neck-and-neck with Frei for best player on the field, made solid contact on a volley from 25 yards out, but Frei was able to get his body behind the bouncing ball and record save no. 8.
Another big stop for the reigning MLS Cup MVP!
— Seattle Sounders FC (@SoundersFC) December 9, 2017
0-0 | #MLSCup pic.twitter.com/HMSXX3yktR
64' — Frei gets to Giovinco’s shot through traffic — Frei couldn’t have seen this ball through a sea of bodies more than a quarter-second before reacting and diving to his left-hand post.
Sounders defense has to be better, but Frei is on fire. pic.twitter.com/8pF0uMPVoA
— Sounder At Heart (@sounderatheart) December 9, 2017
67' - Finally, at long last, Frei is beaten — For the first time in 714 minutes of playoff soccer, Seattle are beaten. From back to front in five passes and 11 seconds, finished by Altidore, lifted over Frei and into the back of the net.
At long last.@JozyAltidore gives @torontofc the lead at #MLSCup. https://t.co/CSUcnC5EWV
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) December 9, 2017
90+4' — Vazquez slams home a rebound for 2-0 — Armando Cooper slammed the initial shot off the post, but Vazquez cleaned up the mess to send BMO Field into bedlam.
BEDLAM.
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) December 9, 2017
It's 2-0 @torontofc! #MLSCup
https://t.co/UVdaNcEA4M
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Man of the match: Michael Bradley
Goalscorers: Altidore (67'), Vazquez (90+4')
