Seattle Beats Toronto to Win M.L.S. Cup

Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press, via Associated Press

SEATTLE — From the opening kickoff, the third installment of Seattle vs. Toronto in M.L.S. Cup had a familiar feel to it.

Once again, Toronto was the aggressor, controlling much of the possession, patiently knocking the ball around in Seattle’s half, waiting for an opening. Once again, Seattle was content to sit back and absorb the pressure, then charge forward in a furious counterattack whenever it got the ball. And once again, it seemed, the only thing missing was goals.

The formula worked for the Sounders in 2016, when they beat Toronto on penalty kicks after a scoreless draw, but backfired a year later when Toronto posted a 2-0…