Toronto FC, Seattle rarely trouble opposing 'keepers in cagey 1st half

Perhaps we should have expected this. It is a cup final, after all.

Toronto FC and Seattle combined to produce a chippy, disjointed opening half in Saturday's MLS Cup final, the home side accounting for the only three shots on target in a stanza more notable for its scrappy challenges than its attacking exuberance.

The best chance of the opening 45 minutes was an effort that didn't make it on target at all, as Jozy Altidore came within inches of finding the net within 120 seconds.

That chance gave way to a cagey encounter, with the respective midfield generals - Michael Bradley and Ozzie Alonso - shutting down spaces in front of the respective backlines and playing an instrumental role in making this a tense, goalless affair.