Giovinco sees bright side after spot of trouble
Reds focus on road point over penalty gone wrong in season-opening test
Sebastian Giovinco stepped up to the penalty spot against Real Salt Lake on Saturday and, at the last second, changed his mind.
In the decisive moment of Toronto FC’s season opener, the prolific striker hit the ball low and to the left — his preferred shot from 12 yards out. Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando made the save.
It was the ninth regular-season penalty Giovinco has taken as a Red, and the ninth time he went left. But it was the first one saved by the ’keeper.
Fielding questions about the play for the first time Wednesday, Giovinco said the late switch may have cost him his first goal of the season. He added, however, that he hasn’t lost sleep over it because the club still managed to pick up a road point against a team known for its dominance at home, on a tricky field in bad weather.
“I feel good, because it’s not simple to go in Salt Lake and win,” said Giovinco. “Part of the game, we controlled the game. If we don’t miss the penalty we win, so I think it’s a good point.
“This is part of the soccer,” added the 2015 Major League Soccer MVP. “If you want to shoot the penalty, you have to know sometimes you can miss. I’m good.”
After Saturday’s game, TFC coach Greg Vanney said he would never tell a player where to shoot. He said he was unaware of Giovinco’s aborted game plan, but wasn’t surprised.
“I would think that at this point he is kind of thinking, ‘Should I be switching things up, mixing it up?’ Maybe his tendency is to want to go (left) and he went back there. My guess is that he’ll be thinking about it again next time.”
The Reds return to action Saturday in Philadelphia. The coach says it up to the players on the field to decide who takes kicks from the spot. Giovinco and Jozy Altidore are the logical choices.
“For me, always, penalty kicks are about who’s feeling confident in the moment that they’re going to put it in the back of the net,” Vanney said. “There are more than enough capable guys, so I don’t feel like I have to be specific and designate.”
Newly minted Red Victor Vazquez — who impressed during his debut in Toronto’s midfield against Real Salt Lake, and drew praise from Giovinco afterwards — could also be an option.
“I’m sure he’s probably taken a penalty in his time, or two, along the way,” said Vanney, “so there might be a wrestling match at some point for the penalty kick.”