Toronto FC gets revenge against Seattle to end long wait for MLS Cup glory

Not even the fantastic Stefan Frei could keep Toronto FC from fulfilling its mission.

A lightning-quick counter-attack in the second half of Saturday's MLS Cup final inspired the goal that finally broke the Seattle Sounders' resistance, inciting feral celebrations among the thousands of nervous, shivering, and long-suffering TFC supporters at BMO Field.

Jozy Altidore - who battled an ankle injury just to play in this match - beat the previously impenetrable Frei to lead Toronto to a 2-0 victory and the first MLS Cup in franchise history. Victor Vazquez added an insurance marker in stoppage time to secure TFC's triumph.

It capped off a historic season in which Toronto finished with a league-record 69 points, the Supporters' Shield, and the Canadian Championship.

Twelve years after its inception, Toronto also became the first Canadian team to take the MLS crown and the only one in league history to claim a domestic treble.

At first, it seemed the MLS Cup final would play out just as it did last year. The Sounders won the 2016 title thanks to Frei's heroics, and the Swiss-born goalkeeper was equal to every one of TFC's efforts in the first half. Frei made saves of both the routine and extraordinary variety to keep the home side at bay.

The Sounders struggled to get anything going in the opposite third, even with a healthy Clint Dempsey in the lineup.

But in the second half, the Reds showed a killer instinct they didn't have last December, pouncing on a turnover in their end. Sebastian Giovinco released Altidore with a perfect pass, and the burly American striker - whose looping header was denied by Frei in extra time of last year's heart-stopper - redeemed himself on the ensuing breakaway.

Prior to the opener, Seattle's defence hadn't been breached in 607 minutes of action, a shutout streak dating back to Oct. 1. It had been hoping to become the fourth team in league history to win back-to-back championships. But the Sounders couldn't produce enough offence to score a goal. Toronto outshot Seattle 22-7.

Despite switching from a back-three to a conventional four-man defence, TFC was sharp in its own end as well. Michael Bradley dropped into deeper positions to alleviate pressure, and intervened at crucial moments. No one on the pitch completed more than Bradley's six tackles and four interceptions, and his six clearances kept TFC clean at the back.

Bradley, Giovinco, and Altidore all arrived in Toronto with the singular goal of turning around a failing franchise that struggled to stay out of last place.

On Saturday, they achieved that objective.