TFC wins 2020 Canadian title

Toronto FC won its first trophy since 2018 by defeating Forge FC in dramatic fashion for the 2020 Canadian Championship title on Saturday at Tim Hortons Field — a game that was delayed two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In front of 13,715 spectators on a perfect late spring evening, TFC won the 2020 Voyageurs Cup on penalty kicks after the two sides battled to a 1-1 draw at the end of regulation time on goals by Alejandro Pozuelo for TFC and Tristan Borges for Forge.

“That's the cruelty of this beautiful game,” said Forge coach Bobby Smyrniotis.

“That's why we love it and that's why for a lot of people who were sitting in the stands today walk away from here being quite entertained and it's a great night for Canadian soccer, though obviously not what Forge wanted.

“Coming here against Forge it's always going to be hard,” added TFC coach Bob Bradley.

“They're a good team, they're experienced.

“As has been the case for us throughout the year, there's moments where our football's OK, there's other moments where we lose control.

“We're still trying to become a more consistent team that can sustain some of the good football longer. But while we're working on that, we've got to have a mentality to stick together and find ways (to win).”

Both teams converted four times in the first five penalty kicks. Kosi Thompson took the sixth kick for Toronto and converted, his right-footed shot going into the bottom right corner behind Forge 'keeper Triston Henry. Kwasi Poku took Forge's sixth penalty kick and left-footed it off the crossbar, giving Toronto the title.

Quentin Westberg stood tall for the Reds in the match, making a number of huge saves in regular time and a stop on former TFC player Kyle Bekker in the penalty kick round.