One year ago, MLS fans were treated to an incredibly dramatic MLS Cup Final between Toronto FC and the Seattle Sounders that ultimately saw the Sounders win on penalties despite failing to register a shot on target in regulation. This year, those two teams meet again — and they’re both better teams than they were a year ago.
Toronto FC vs. Seattle Sounders 2017 live stream: Time, TV channel, and how to watch MLS Cup Final online
The MLS Cup final for 2017 is a rematch of last year’s, and should be an even better match this time around.
Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports
Last year, the Sounders didn’t have Clint Dempsey available, and they didn’t have the same squad depth that they have now. These days, Dempsey is back, Nicolas Lodeiro is in better form, their attack is deeper, their midfield is more skilled thanks to the huge strides forward Cristian Roldan has taken this season, and their defense is better than ever, and one of the best in MLS this season. It took them a long time to get rolling this season, but once they did they were incredibly tough to stop, and in the playoffs their opponents could hardly even slow the Sounders down.
But the Sounders weren’t actually the best regular-season team in MLS this season, as Toronto FC lifted the Supporters Shielding after winning a very impressive 69 points in the regular season, 12 points clear of the next closest team in MLS, and 16 points more than the Sounders won. They did it with a high-flying attack lead by Sebastian Giovinco, Jozy Altidore, and Victor Vazquez, who all spent much of the season in terrifyingly good form. They did it with a smothering defense, with Chris Mavinga, Justin Morrow, and ex-Sounder Eriq Zavaleta choking out scoring chances, and young American goalkeeper Alexander Bono cleaning up most of the shots that came his way.
Last season, we got a back-and-forth slugfest of a match that was a fun tactical chessmatch to watch unfold. This year, it promises to be a higher-paced affair that’s a bit more open and free-flowing, and it should be even more fun to watch than it was a year ago. Hang on, because this match could be a wild ride.
How to watch the MLS Cup Final online
You can catch the game in English on WatchESPN in the U.S., and in Spanish on Univision NOW. In Canada, the game is on TSN Go.
Match Date/Time: Saturday, 4 p.m. ET
Venue: BMO Field, Toronto, Canada
TV: ESPN (U.S. - English). UniMas, Univision Deportes (U.S. - Spanish), TSN1, 4, 5, TVA Sports (Canada)
Make friends: Check out Waking The Red for more Toronto FC coverage, and to learn more about the Seattle Sounders you can head over to Sounder At Heart.
Listings for more countries can be found at LiveSoccerTV.
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