Should next Saturday’s MLS Cup final between the Sounders and Toronto FC go into extra time – or, if the soccer gods are feeling especially cruel, a penalty-kick shootout — there will be a multitude of factors at play.
On paper, this looks close to a coin-flip matchup. Toronto had the better regular-season record and has the benefit of home-field advantage at BMO Field. Seattle has been the more balanced team during the postseason, with TFC’s defense having leaked like a sieve throughout the Eastern Conference finals.
Overtime is a distinct possibility based purely on facts and figures.