Let there be no doubt: Stefan Frei has Jozy Altidore’s number.
Five months after making “The Save” to deny Altidore and help the Seattle Sounders win MLS Cup, Frei again turned away the Toronto FC striker in spectacular fashion over the weekend.
With Toronto leading 1-0 in the 40th minute of Saturday’s match at CenturyLink Field, Altidore rocketed a 20-yard half-volley that looked ticketed for the top-right corner. Frei had other ideas, however, quickly reaching out with the same left hand that stopped Altidore in MLS Cup to tip the blast over the bar.
It wasn’t enough to prevent TFC from beating Seattle 1-0 on the back of Altidore's early penalty, but the denial did net Frei MLS Save of the Week honors for Week 10 of the MLS season.
Frei took home 50 percent of the Save of the Week vote, comfortably beating runner-up Luis Robles, who received 18 percent of the final tally. Philadelphia’s Andre Blake, Real Salt Lake’s Matt Van Oekel and LA’s Brian Rowe rounded out the voting with 15 percent, 12 percent and six percent, respectively.
Frei and Seattle will return to action on Saturday, when they’ll take on Bastian Schweinsteiger, Dax McCarty and the Chicago Fire in a nationally-televised match at Toyota Park (9 pm ET | ESPN2 in the US, MLS LIVE in Canada).
Watch Frei’s excellent stop and the other nominees from Week 10 here.
