Toronto FC suffered a 3-1 defeat against the Seattle Sounders in the 2019 MLS Cup at CenturyLink Field. Although they completed 84% of their passes and out-possessed their hosts 65%-35%, Seattle actually outshot the visitors by a 6-5 margin, and the Reds found it difficult to create high-quality scoring chances until Jozy Altidore entered the match in the 67th minute.
Greg Vanney’s side were able to progress to the MLS Cup without Altidore seeing a single minute of playoff action. From an attacking standpoint, Toronto FC’s postseason run cannot be attributed to complex passing patterns leading to incisive attacking movements in the final third, but rather miraculous long-range goals from unlikely sources in crucial moments.