TORONTO – Fighting the bitter cold at BMO Field, Roman Torres stood inside the penalty area on the south side of the stadium preparing to take a kick from the spot. He proceeded to fire the ball into the back of the net, and celebrated it with joy.
This was not his championship-clinching kick in last year’s MLS Cup final, but rather a recreation of it in practice to serve as motivation for Saturday's title defense (4 pm ET | ESPN, UniMás in US, TSN1/4/5, TVAS in Canada).
The Seattle Sounders will attempt to become the latest club to win back-to-back championships on Saturday when they visit Toronto FC in a rematch of last year’s title game. A Torres penalty in a shootout that went six rounds decided that tight affair, and the brawny Panamanian center back is hoping to once again help deliver the goods to Seattle any way he can in order to add to a stretch in his career that has been full of highs.
“I’m happy for everything that has happened these last 12 months with Panama and in my career,” said Torres, who has a tattoo on his lower left leg of him lifting last year’s MLS Cup trophy, on Friday. “I think these are the achievements you get when you work hard. I think when you sacrifice and give it your all and pray, I think God rewards you.
“[The last year] has been a huge accomplishment for me. I’m very happy Panama has got to the World Cup and that we won the Western Conference and are a step away from winning the MLS Cup.”
Torres has played a major role in those accomplishments with club and country. Not only has he done his defensive duties for the Sounders and Panama by shutting down attackers, but he has also come up with big plays in front of the opposition’s goal.
In addition to scoring the decisive spot kick in 2016 that gave Seattle their first MLS crown, he also netted a dramatic, last-gasp goal in October that sent Panama to their first World Cup. Torres’ clutch contributions have benefited his teams on some of the biggest stages, and they have also highlighted his ability to step up in crucial moments.
“He has shown that he is a guy who will do whatever it takes to help his team win,” said Seattle head coach Brian Schmetzer. "That’s why he’s a champion and that’s why he’s going to the World Cup.”
The latest in Torres’ string of career highs will come on Saturday if he can once again thwart Toronto FC’s talented attack. He would be a back-to-back MLS champion with the Sounders if he does, and he is more than eager to make that happen.
Friday’s recreated penalty kick was evidence of that.
“Repeating as champion is something that motivates me, that fills me with lots of pride,” said Torres. “Being able to win the MLS Cup again and achieving that objective would be another success.”
