While Seattle Sounders FC reached the playoffs in the team's inaugural MLS season in 2009, the road to success has been slower for Toronto FC, which is still without a postseason appearance in its fourth season in the league.
The Canadian club will try to put an end to its slow start and avenge last year's home loss to Seattle as the teams meet in Toronto on Sunday afternoon.
The Sounders (2-1-2) are off to another strong start following their impressive debut season, but they will have a difficult task playing a second road game in four days following their 2-2 tie at FC Dallas on Thursday.
A trip to Toronto did not slow down Seattle last year. In their first MLS road game, the Sounders won 2-0 on April 4, 2009, finishing the season as one of three visiting teams to win at BMO Field.
The clubs played to a scoreless draw in their meeting in Seattle on Aug. 29.
"We saw last year what Seattle could do, especially away from home," Toronto midfielder Dwayne De Rosario said. "They embarrassed us at home. ... We didn't come out with the right frame of mind. We're looking to change that this year around."
De Rosario has scored all four of Toronto's goals this season, propelling the club to a 2-1 win in its home opener against Philadelphia on April 15.
Toronto (1-3-0) has lost all three of its road games, though, by a combined 9-2, and the team is coming off a 3-1 loss at Colorado last Sunday. First-year coach Preki said he's still experimenting with Toronto's revamped roster.
"This is almost like a preseason for us," Preki said. "We're trying to find the right balance, the right shape for us and the right personnel. We use these two or three games, and hopefully the next two or three games we will settle on the way we want to play."
The Sounders have been somewhat happier with their results during a three-game unbeaten streak that followed their only defeat, a 1-0 home loss to the New York Red Bulls on April 3.
Seattle has tied both of its road matches 2-2, but coach Sigi Schmid felt his team may have deserved even better Thursday. Goals by offensive standouts Steve Zakuani and Fredy Montero gave the Sounders a late lead, but Dallas tied it on a penalty kick Schmid called a "bad call" in stoppage time.
"This one sort of got taken away from us," Schmid told the Sounders' official website. "It was like Christmas and someone stole your present."
It's unclear if Seattle goalkeeper Kasey Keller will be in the lineup after leaving Thursday's match at halftime with blurred vision stemming from a collision. If he can't play, Terry Boss would make his first MLS start.
