Sounders defeat Toronto FC 3-2 to move closer to playoff berth

Nkufo helps Sounders beat Toronto FC 3-2

SEATTLE — Blaise Nkufo and Steve Zakuani scored in the first half to lead the Seattle Sounders to a 3-2 win over Toronto FC on Saturday.

Seattle (12-9-6) improved to 4-1-1 in the past six games, bolstering its chances of making the playoffs for the second time in as many MLS seasons.

Nkufo scored his fifth goal in three games on a header off a free kick in the 26th minute, giving Seattle a 2-1 lead in front of a sellout crowd of 36,079.

Zakuani scored in the 21st minute to tie it at 1. Zakuani took a pass inside the box, beat goalkeeper Stefan Frei and kicked the ball into an open net.

Dwayne De Rosario and Chad Barrett scored for Toronto (8-12-7), which dropped to 1-6-2 in the past nine games.

De Rosario’s 13th goal gave Toronto the lead in the 16th minute. It also snapped Kasey Keller’s three-game shutout streak.

Sanna Nyassi scored his first MLS goal in the 59th minute to make it 3-1. Barrett responded in the 88th minute but that was it for Toronto.