The Seattle Sounders will take on Toronto FC in the 2016 MLS Cup Final on Saturday, Dec. 10 (5 p.m. PT; FOX, TSN, UniMas, KIRO Radio 97.3 FM, El Rey 1360AM) as the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference.
The Sounders knocked off No. 5 Sporting Kansas City, No. 1 and Supporters’ Shield-winners FC Dallas and the No. 2 Colorado Rapids en route to their first-ever Western Conference Championship.
Seattle becomes the sixth team in the league’s 21-year history to make the MLS Cup Final as a No. 4 seed, including five in the last 11 years. The previous five teams went 3-2.
The Rapids fell to No. 1 D.C. United in 1997, the Galaxy beat the No. 1 New England Revolution in 2005, the New York Red Bulls (representing the West) lost to the No. 1 Columbus Crew in 2008, Real Salt Lake (representing the East) defeated the No. 1 LA Galaxy in 2009 and the Galaxy took down the No. 5 Houston Dynamo in 2012.
This will be the first-ever MLS Cup Final between a No. 3 seed (Toronto FC) and a No. 4.
The Sounders entered the postseason with 48 points from 34 MLS matches, which would be the fewest regular-season points to win MLS Cup in the modern era. The Portland Timbers currently own that distinction with their 53 points last season.
The lowest seed to ever make the final is a No. 5, which happened three times: The San Jose Earthquakes won in 2001, the New England Revolution lost in 2002 and the aforementioned Houston Dynamo lost in 2012.
This MLS Cup Final will also feature two clubs making their first championship game appearance. First-time MLS Cup Final participants are 9-5 in league history.
