The Seattle Sounders claimed their first Major League Soccer Cup by beating Toronto FC 5-4 on penalties after their title game ended 0-0 after extra-time.

After Toronto’s Justin Morrow hit the crossbar, Seattle defender Roman Torres coolly hammered home the decider as the Sounders finally celebrated victory following seven seasons of near misses.

With zero shots on goal after 120 minutes it looked as if the Sounders would come up short yet again but found the target when it mattered most.

In the shoot-out Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei denied Morrow and Michael Bradley to hand his team the title.

Zidane hails Real’s fighting spirit

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane paid tribute to his players’ spirit after they battled back to beat Deportivo La Coruna 3-2 on Saturday and set a club record 35 games unbeaten in all competitions.

“We played a brilliant game and I’m so happy for the players,” said Zidane. “We suffered a lot but they believed until the end.

“The players work hard and give so much and they are always convinced things will go their way in the end. When you are behind it’s not easy but we kept calm until the end and the substitutes contributed a lot too.”

Lewandowski offered new Bayern deal

Robert Lewandowski has been made a substantial offer to extend his contract with Bayern Munich, according to the club’s president Uli Hoeness.

The Pole’s current deal runs until 2019, but Hoeness says Bayern are keen to improve his terms and tie him down for longer.

“It’s just up to him now - he’s got an offer,” Hoeness said. “And it is not like Bayern don’t want to keep him.

“I know some of the figures and certainly if you didn’t want (to extend his (contract), it would look different to this.”

Simeone stands by misfiring Griezmann

Diego Simeone has backed Antoine Griezmann to end his LaLiga scoring drought ahead of Atletico Madrid’s visit to Villarreal tonight.

Griezmann has not scored in the league since Atletico won 2-0 at Valencia on October 2.

The France striker – who netted 39 goals for club and country last season – has since gone seven league games without a goal.

Asked if Griezmann’s drought is affecting him psychologically, Atletico boss Simeone replied: “I don’t think so.

“Players are used to going through different phases.

“But he’s working hard and he always does something important for the team.

“He has to keep working so that he can see where he needs to improve, and in that way the important goals will come.”

Okaka perfect for EPL – Mazzarri

Watford boss Walter Mazzarri feels there is plenty more to come from two-goal hero Stefano Okaka.

The Italian striker scored his first goals for the Hornets as his brace helped sink Everton 3-2 at Vicarage Road.

Mazzarri said: “It’s true he was sharper against Everton but it also shows, which I’ve always been saying, that with many injuries unfortunately this is what happens.

“It takes time for a player when he comes back to recover and to be 100 per cent ready.

“We have already seen the difference between last week and this week with Okaka. He is a very important player and this also shows how important it is when you don’t have these players available. I think he is perfect for the Premier League.”

Hodgson scarred by England spell

Roy Hodgson has been left “scarred” by how his England reign ended but insists he will not let it haunt him as he seeks a return to football management.

The 69-year-old stepped down as national team boss following the humiliating Euro 2016 exit at the hands of Iceland, and feels the events of the summer may never completely leave him.

“I don’t know whether you ever get over things that cause you pain,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“Perhaps you shouldn’t relate this to deaths in families because it’s a football match. But when something matters a lot to you then unfortunately, where grieving is involved, do you ever really get over it? I don’t know. I think there’s always going to be that scar.”

Draxler must leave Wolfsburg, says Allofs

Wolfsburg director of sport Klaus Allofs says his club will listen to offers for Julian Draxler, although the Germany midfielder has not been transfer-listed.

Draxler was dropped from the squad for the Wolves’ 5-0 defeat at Bayern Munich on Saturday after he once again expressed his desire to leave the club.

“All that has changed is our basic stance compared to the summer, when we said that we did not want to sell him,” he said.

“That has proven not to have been a good decision, you’ve got to accept that now. If we are to receive an offer then we will consider it and see whether we react to it.”

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