SEATTLE, WASH. - Seattle Sounders FC (2-3-4, 10 points) fell 1-0 to Toronto FC (5-1-4, 19 points) Saturday afternoon on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field in a rematch of last year's MLS Cup Final. A first-half penalty kick was the difference, as the Rave Green lost at home for the first time under Head Coach Brian Schmetzer. After consecutive home fixtures, Seattle now hits the road for two-match road trip beginning next Saturday at the Chicago Fire (6:00 p.m. PT / ESPN, ESPN Deportes, KIRO Radio 97.3 FM, El Rey 1360 AM).
Seattle appeared to have struck first in the fifth minute when a Jordan Morris header from a direct free-kick bounced past Clint Irwin and into the net, but the assistant referee had his flag up for an offside call.
Toronto got on the board in the 23rd minute courtesy of an Altidore penalty kick. After initiating a give-and-go with Jay Chapman and receiving a pass inside the area, Seattle defender Román Torres was whistled for a foul on a challenge from behind. Altidore calmly converted the ensuing attempt to the lower right corner to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
This afternoon's match was the first meeting between the two sides since the 2016 MLS Cup Final on December 10. Held on a freezing evening at BMO Stadium in Toronto, the Rave Green prevailed via penalty kicks to earn their first MLS Cup in club history.
Sounders FC now hits the road for a two-match road trip beginning this Saturday against Chicago before the squad travels straight to a mid-week fixture against Sporting Kansas City on Wednesday, May 17.
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 0 - Toronto FC 1
Saturday, May 6, 2017
Venue:
CenturyLink Field
Referee:
Jair Marrufo
Assistants:
Frank Anderson, Adam Garner
Fourth Official:
Baboucarr Jallow
Attendance:
41,468
Weather:
54 degrees and sunny
SCORING SUMMARY
TOR -
Jozy Altidore (penalty) 23'
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
SEA -
Jordy Delem (caution) 13'
SEA
- Osvaldo Alonso (caution) 46'
TOR
- Chris Mavinga (caution) 70'
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC - Stefan Frei; Jordy Delem (Harry Shipp 57'), Gustav Svensson, Román Torres (Tony Alfaro 74'), Joevin Jones; Osvaldo Alonso - captain, Cristian Roldan, Nicolás Lodeiro, Clint Dempsey, Jordan Morris (Alvaro Fernandez 71'); Will Bruin
Substitutes not used: Tyler Miller, Brad Evans, Seyi Adekoya, Zach Mathers
Total shots:
12 (Dempsey, 4)
Shots on goal:
2 (Dempsey/Morris, 1)
Fouls:
10 (4 players, 2)
Offside:
1 (Svensson, 1)
Corner-kicks:
8 (Lodeiro, 8)
Saves:
4 (Frei, 4)
Toronto FC - Clint Irwin; Nick Hagglund, Chris Mavinga, Justin Morrow, Jason Hernandez; Raheem Edwards (Armando Cooper 63'), Michael Bradley - captain, Marco Delgado, Benoit Cheyrou, Jay Chapman (Jonathan Osorio 65'); Jozy Altidore (Tosaint Ricketts 80')
Substitutes not used: Alex Bono, Tsubasa Endoh, Jordan Hamilton, Oyvind Alseth
Total shots:
11 (Altidore, 4)
Shots on goal:
5 (Altidore, 2)
Fouls:
14 (Altidore, 4)
Offside:
0
Corner-kicks:
5 (Bradley, 5)
Saves:
2 (Irwin, 2)
MATCH NOTES
- Sounders is now 2-3-4 this season and sits in seventh place in the Western Conference. The match was the first meeting between the two sides since the 2016 MLS Cup last December.
- With today's loss, Sounders FC snaps its home unbeaten streak of 11 games (7-0-4) in regular-season action dating back to last season. Including postseason play, the streak was up to 14 contests after Seattle's three wins in the 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs.
- Seattle is now 7-3-2 all-time against the Reds in regular-season play, including a 4-2-1 mark at CenturyLink Field.
- Defender Brad Evans made his first appearance of 2017 in the 18-man lineup, but didn't see the field.
- Toronto FC forward Jozy Altidore recorded the match's only goal in the 23rd minute with a converted penalty kick. Altidore also netted his attempt from the spot during the penalty kick shootout in the 2016 MLS Cup.
- With an attendance of 41,468, Sounders FC extends its MLS home sellout streak to 150 matches.
