The Sounders yesterday "won their first MLS Cup, defeating Toronto FC after 120 minutes, including 30 minutes of extra time, without a goal." The Sounders won 5-4 on penalty kicks in a game played in "frigid conditions" at BMO Field, with "temperatures about 28 degrees" (Tacoma NEWS TRIBUNE, 12/11). The match drew a sellout crowd of 36,045. This was "not a classic, and it paled in comparison to the seven-goal thriller played at BMO Field last week between" Toronto FC and the Impact in the semifinals (SPORTSNET.ca, 12/10).
It was a "night of almost unbearable tension." It would be "easy to ridicule a scoreless tie in a championship game, but the delicious pressure that permeated the second half, and beyond, made it a spellbinding experience" (SEATTLE TIMES, 12/11). This final was "more unlovely than most" and a "disjointed affair." The Sounders' three shots and zero shots on goal were the "lowest ever in an MLS final." This was the "first MLS final in years on network television," and while drama "has value, MLS probably missed out on a chance to add new fans" (SI.com, 12/11).
