More MLS Cup pain for Toronto FC coach Greg Vanney, this time by penalty shootout

TORONTO — Greg Vanney described himself as numb. You could add haunted and a little dazed.

Vanney lost three MLS Cups, one in overtime and another after extra time, as a player for the Los Angeles Galaxy. On Saturday night as a coach, he watched another one slip away as his Toronto FC team was beaten 5-4 in a penalty shootout by the Seattle Sounders.

His MLS Cup final pain apparently knows no depths. 

“I know what it feels like to be in the locker-room and be one of those guys,” said the 42-year-old Vanney. 

“You start thinking about every play, every moment, everything that could have been a little bit different and it hurts,” he added. “These guys have worked through all of their energy and everything else, so I think it’s normal that they’re right in a position to break down.

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“For me, I still have a lot of pent-up energy that’s sort of in my system that I haven’t been able to get out yet. That’s a little bit, I think, what’s holding back the emotion that really will come out at some point because myself, my staff, everybody around the club put in an incredible amount of work into getting us to where we are and giving us the best chance to be successful this year.

“And I’m sure there’s a lot of people that will feel it as time passes.”

Star striker Sebastian Giovinco felt it, angrily hurling a glove to the ground as he was substituted in the 103rd minute — unable to continue. Captain Michael Bradley felt it, watching his penalty kick saved by MVP Stefan Frei. And fullback Justin Morrow certainly felt it, after his penalty kick banged off the underside of the crossbar and Sounders defender Roman Torres stepped up to end the drama before a record BMO Field crowd of 36,045 on a bone-chilling night.

Toronto outshot Seattle 19-3 (7-0 in shots on target) and had at least five good scoring chances. But the home side was unable to convert, with Frei making several highlight-reel stops including a marvellous leap to claw away a Jozy Altidore header in the 108th minute with his left hand.

“We tried to stay positive. The ball was not going in today,” midfielder Jonathan Osorio said in a stunned Toronto locker-room. 

“It’s a night where if you’re can get the first goal, you’re getting the second and the third as well,” said a drained Bradley. “We couldn’t unlock the game with a play and obviously it allows a team like that to stick around.

“You give full credit to them for what they put into it and the way that they were so committed to keeping things tight. When you get to finals, the margins are so small.”

The Sounders’ strategy was to blunt a Toronto offence that had scored a record 17 goals in its previous five playoff games. And then see what happens.

Frei made it work. It must have been sweet given he spent five years with Toronto, losing his starter’s job essentially to injury before cast aside in a deal that netted TFC a draft choice.

Seattle’s centre-back pairing of Torres and Chad Marshall was immense on the night. And captain Osvaldo Alonso, one of the best defensive midfielders in Major League Soccer, played disruptor in front of them.

Alonso’s performance came with a few warts. But it was all the more impressive considering he took four pain-killing injections to his knee before the game and four more at halftime, according to ESPN.

The final capped a fairytale second half of the season for the Sounders, who followed the lead of 2015 champion Portland by coming out of nowhere to hoist the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy. Including Saturday night, Seattle went 13-3-4 since assistant coach Brian Schmetzer replaced Sigi Schmid as head coach on July 26.

On the Toronto side of the balance, Bradley was a one-man wrecking crew in front of the Toronto backline and set up numerous attacks with his pinpoint passing. He deserved a better fate than a saved penalty kick.

So did Vanney, a conscientious coach who has spent almost every waking minute since taking over the team in August 2014 in formulating a plan to turn the franchise around.

He came within one kick or save of doing so.

“Greg was such a good coach this year,” said veteran Toronto centre back Drew Moor, who started his career playing alongside Vanney at FC Dallas. “I’ve known Greg for a long time. He’s the same guy, on the field, off the field, in the locker-room, at a restaurant, wherever you go. He’s a good human being.

“He wanted this as much as anybody did — for us. He didn’t want it for himself, he wanted it for us. He deserves to be the head coach of this organization and I hope that we can come back just as strong next season and win him a championship as a coach.”

Giovinco was somewhat muted on the night by his high standards. And one wonders whether an earlier introduction of impact sub Tosaint Ricketts — who came on for Giovinco with 17 minutes remaining in extra time — might have made a difference.

Or maybe it was just Seattle’s night.

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Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press