Toronto FC vs. Seattle Sounders: MLS Cup Odds, Prediction

Payton Matthews
December 5, 2017

The Sounders are looking to become the first repeat champions since the L.A. Galaxy in 2011-12. That was also the last two-year period where the same two teams faced off for the MLS Cup. The Galaxy beat the Houston Dynamo 1-0 the first year and then 3-1 in ’12. A finals rematch in consecutive years has happened twice overall; both times, the team that won the first game also won the second.

MLS Cup: Seattle Sounders at Toronto FC

When: Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET
Where: BMO Field, Toronto
Moneylines: Toronto FC -178, Seattle +435, draw +311 (2.5 goals)

Point Spread and Betting Analysis

It’s the third MLS Cup held at BMO Field. In 2010, Colorado beat FC Dallas 2-1. Last year, Seattle and Toronto finished regulation in a 0-0 draw and the Sounders won in a penalty-kick shootout 5-4. After Reds defender Justin Morrow knocked his penalty shot off the crossbar, Sounders defender Roman Torres made the clinching penalty in the sixth round. It was the first MLS title for Seattle, which joined the league in 2009. It was the first MLS Cup to finish 120 minutes scoreless.

Toronto and Seattle met once this regular season, on May 6 in the Pacific Northwest, a 1-0 Reds win. Jozy Altidore had the lone goal in the 23^rd minute on a penalty shot to snap Seattle’s 14-game home unbeaten streak.

Seattle Sounders

Seattle finished the regular season with 53 points, good for the second seed in the Western Conference behind rival Portland. The Sounders beat Vancouver 2-0 on aggregate in the West semifinals and routed Houston 5-0 on aggregate in the West finals. Seattle’s star is goalkeeper Stefan Frei, who was magnificent in the 2016 MLS Cup in being named the game’s MVP. This season, Frei, who played for Toronto FC from 2009-13, had 13 clean sheets in 33 starts. He missed the first leg of the West finals vs. Houston due to injury but returned for the second. Seattle’s leading scorer in the regular season was Clint Dempsey, one of the best American soccer players ever, with 12 goals.

Toronto FC

The Reds are looking to become the first MLS team to win a domestic treble as the side already holds the Canadian Championship and Supporters’ Shield titles. A handful of teams have come up just short – last year, FC Dallas won the U.S. Open Cup and Supporters’ Shield but lost to Seattle in the West semifinals. Toronto FC comes off the best MLS regular season in league history as it set the record with 69 points and was just short of the goal differential mark of plus-41 as the Reds were plus-37. Toronto FC and the New York Red Bulls tied 2-2 in the East semifinals, but the Reds won on away goals. In the East finals, Toronto beat Columbus 1-0 on aggregate. Altidore was the hero with the game-winning goal in the 60th minute of the second leg, his seventh all-time goal in the playoffs. Altidore would leave shortly after due to injury (actually suffered before the goal), but Toronto FC coach Greg Vanney says he’s confident Altidore will be ready for Saturday.