TFC stars proving clutch as ever

Sebastian Giovinco, in red, of Toronto FC and teammate Jozy Altidore have been a dynamic duo for consistently producing offence. bined for three goals and three assists through four pressure-packed Champions League games.

The league’s most dangerous attacking tandem have been just as lethal in the playoffs, combining for 12 goals and nine assists since 2017.

Finally, Giovinco’s Canadian Championship brace ultimately delivered TFC its historic treble.

Toronto FC’s big names — including Michael Bradley and Victor Vazquez — continue to raise their level when the chips are down and the brightest lights are on.

This after all of the above were deemed “overpaid,” though I’m told it’s unlikely Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment top boss Larry Tanenbaum sees it the same way.

The return on investment has stunned everyone — including now-departed patriarch Tim Leiweke.

The question now is whether that return can grow exponentially after sensible viewers and prognosticators saw last month’s Champions League quarter-final as Toronto FC’s ceiling.

However, it’s not a stretch to say TFC enters its series against Club America with better attacking players. Frenchman Jeremy Menez is injured and Darwin Quintero recently moved to Minnesota United.

It’s another must-not-lose Cup fixture for a TFC side that’s 11-1-2 at BMO Field in all Cup competitions since 2016.

It doesn’t matter how clutch TFC’s top players have been. As we saw in Monterrey, TFC can’t afford to travel to Estadio Azteca for next week’s return leg in need of a win.

What’s different about this fixture, though, is the Reds have belief they can go on and win this series after navigating an intense quarterfinal with Tigres.

They know they have a player in Giovinco who has a recent track record of showing up in big games alongside Altidore, whose recent form reportedly put him on Club America’s transfer target list.

Clutch performances are impossible to ignore.

The Reds just need a few more.