TORONTO, ONTARIO - Sounders FC (2-4-2, 8 points) snatched a 2-1 victory on the road over Toronto FC (2-5-1, 7 points) in a rematch of the past two MLS Cup Finals. Under the lights at BMO Field, it was goals on either side of halftime from Will Bruin and Handwalla Bwana that sealed the three points for Seattle, good for the club's second win of 2018 and its first road victory of the campaign. In the all-time series between the two sides, Seattle moves to 8-4-2 against TFC, including postseason play.
Norwegian international Magnus Wolff Eikrem initiated the attack on Seattle's first goal of the evening, splitting two TFC defenders in midfield before playing an incisive pass to a streaking Bruin. The Sounders FC forward slammed home his shot at Alexander Bono's near post, good for his team-leading third strike of the campaign, vaulting Seattle into an early 1-0 lead in the 25th minute of play.
Toronto hit back just before the stroke of halftime, as playmaker Sebastian Giovinco served a lofted ball into the middle of Stefan Frei's six-yard-box, only for a scrum to ensue, with Canadian attacker Jonathan Osorio finding the loose ball. Osorio converted his header, leveling the score at one goal apiece heading into the intermission.
Brian Schmetzer's side continued to push for all three points out of the gate in the second half, and his side's efforts were rewarded in the 53rd minute, as rookie Homegrown Player Bwana registered his first professional goal for the Rave Green. Cristian Roldan was credited with a second assist on the play for beginning the attack, and it was Bruin that played a cutting through ball to spring Bwana through the central channel inside Toronto's eighteen-yard-box. The play was good for Bruin's second assist of the season.
Seattle's five-man backline - comprised of centerbacks Gustav Svensson, Chad Marshall and Tony Alfaro, in addition to fullbacks Waylon Francis and Jordan McCrary - shut down Toronto's potent attack for the remainder of the contest, as the Rave Green held on for the victory.
Seattle caps a hectic week with a cross-continent flight back to the Pacific Northwest, traveling to Portland for the club's first clash of the season against its oldest rival on Sunday, May 13 (1:00 p.m. PT / ESPN, ESPN Deportes, YouTube TV, 950 AM KJR, El Rey 1360 AM). Sunday's match is the 100th edition of the rivalry, the first of three matches against the Timbers in 2018.
MATCH NOTES
- Sounders FC earns its first road win of the season and is now 2-4-2 overall, currently sitting in 11th place in the Western Conference with eight points, but only three points outside of the sixth and final postseason position.
- Seattle improves to 8-4-2 against Toronto in MLS play, including a 4-1-1 record at BMO Field. Saturday's match marked the lone regular-season meeting of the campaign between the two sides.
- Forward Will Bruin scored his team-leading third goal of the season on an assist from Magnus Wolff Eikrem in the first half. The strike marked his 14th tally for Sounders FC since joining the club prior to the 2017 season. With 64 career MLS regular-season goals, Bruin is now seventh among active players, three shy of Dom Dwyer and David Villa.
- Handwalla Bwana's second-half winner marked the first career MLS goal for the rookie. The University of Washington product signed as a Homegrown Player prior to the 2018 season and has started four of his six regular-season appearances thus far, in addition to a start vs. Chivas Guadalajara on March 7 in Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League play.
- Offseason signing Magnus Wolff Eikrem recorded his first assist in MLS play on Bruin's goal. The Norwegian international previously scored in Seattle's 4-0 home win over Santa Tecla in Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League play.
- With the start today, Chad Marshall recorded his 377th career MLS regular-season appearance, one behind Steve Ralston for fifth in league history.
- Stefan Frei, who played at Toronto FC from 2009-2013, matched his season high with six saves on Wednesday, including a midair stop with his knee in second-half stoppage time. Frei has now faced his former team five times in regular-season play, recording a 2-2-1 record with 22 saves and a 1.00 goals against average.
- Fullback Waylon Francis made his second regular-season start of the season and first since March 31 after suffering a hamstring strain.
- Sounders FC deployed a 5-4-1 formation for the first time this season with three central defenders (Chad Marshall, Gustav Svensson and Tony Alfaro) playing alongside fullbacks Jordan McCrary and Waylon Francis.
- Sounders FC completes its stretch of three matches in nine days on Sunday with a nationally-televised matchup with Portland (1:00 p.m. PT / ESPN, ESPN Deportes, YouTube TV, 950 KJR AM, El Rey 1360 AM), marking the 100th all-time meeting between Seattle and Portland dating back to 1975.
MATCH SUMMARY
Seattle Sounders FC 2 - Toronto FC 1
Wednesday, May 9, 2018
Venue:
BMO Field
Referee:
Ted Unkel
Assistants:
Adam Garner, Richard Gamache
Fourth Official:
Armando Villarreal
VAR:
Chris Penso
Attendance:
26,089
Weather:
Clear and 61 degrees
SCORING SUMMARY
SEA
-
Will Bruin (Magnus Wolff Eikrem) 25'
TOR
-
Jonathan Osorio (Sebastian Giovinco, Victor Vazquez) 40'
SEA
-
Handwalla Bwana (Will Bruin, Cristian Roldan) 54'
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
SEA -
Tony Alfaro (caution) 44'
SEA
-
Will Bruin (caution) 55'
TOR
-
Michael Bradley (caution) 81'
SEA
-
Jordy Delem (caution) 88'
TOR
-
Sebastian Giovinco (caution) 90'
LINEUPS & STATS
Seattle Sounders FC - Stefan Frei; Jordan McCrary, Gustav Svensson, Chad Marshall, Tony Alfaro, Waylon Francis; Magnus Wolff Eikrem (Kelvin Leerdam 71'), Cristian Roldan - captain, Jordy Delem, Handwalla Bwana (Alex Roldan 63'); Will Bruin (Henry Wingo 74')
Substitutes not used: Bryan Meredith, Kim Kee-hee, Nouhou, Lamar Neagle
Total shots:
9 (Bwana, 4)
Shots on goal:
3 (Bruin, 2)
Fouls:
12 (Three players, 2)
Offside:
4 (Four players, 1)
Corner-kicks:
2 (Wolff Eikrem/Leerdam, 1)
Saves:
6 (Frei, 6)
Toronto FC - Alexander Bono; Auro, Gregory van der Wiel, Michael Bradley - captain, Ashtone Morgan; Marco Delgado (Tosaint Ricketts 70'), Jay Chapman (Jordan Hamilton 59'), Ager Aketxe, Victor Vazquez (Ryan Telfer HT), Jonathan Osorio; Sebastian Giovinco
Substitutes not used: Clint Irwin, Jason Hernandez, Liam Fraser, Mariano Mino
Total shots:
24 (Giovinco, 10)
Shots on goal:
7 (Chapman/Giovinco, 2)
Fouls:
4 (Four players, 1)
Offside:
0
Corner-kicks:
4 (Aketxe/Giovinco, 2)
Saves:
1 (Bono, 1)
