Impact ends TFC’S Canadian title reign
Toronto FC players had been talking all week about how the team always seemed to rise to the occasion in big games.
But the only thing that was rising on Wednesday night was the frustration level of the TFC players and their 21,365 fans at BMO Field as the Montreal Impact defeated the Reds 3-1 in a shootout to win the Canadian Championship and earn a place in next year’s CONCACAF Champions League. It was the first time the Impact players lifted the Voyageurs Cup since 2014. TFC had won the title the last three years and seven times in total.
After controlling the play for most of the game and putting together chance after chance, the Reds finally broke through when Tsubasa Endoh scored on a rebound in the 70th minute to give TFC a 1-0 lead (and tie the Championship 1-1 on aggregate) — ultimately forcing a penalty shootout to decide the tournament. It was Endoh’s third goal in as many games. The assist went to Jonathan Osorio, who was dynamite in the second half for the Reds.
The Impact won it easily in the shootout. Taking the second shot for Toronto, Jozy Altidore, who has scored so many huge goals for the Reds over the years, hit the crossbar. Altidore scored the winning goal in last year’s Canadian Championship final against the Vancouver Whitecaps. Toronto’s third shooter, Patrick Mullins, tried a quick shot into the top right corner, but Montreal goalkeeper Clement Diop was up to the task with a big save. The game was decided when Brampton midfielder Osorio, taking the fourth shot for the home side, rattled his shot off the post.
The first three Montreal shooters didn’t miss, with Bojan, Daniel Lovitz and Rudy Camacho beating Toronto keeper Alex Bono.
The Impact won the first leg of the event 1-0 on Sept. 18 at Saputo Stadium on a goal by Ignacio Piatti. Each side scored one goal at home in the home and away tournament.
Toronto dominated the match, save for a couple of Montreal flurries early and late — holding possession 6535 per cent and outshooting the visitors from Quebec 1513. Alejandro Pozuelo lived up to his Maestro nickname, creating six scoring chances, while Altidore had six shots. Impact star Piatti had four shots and hit the crossbar in the dying minutes. The two rivals had met three times previously in the Canadian Championship final, with Montreal winning in 2008 and 2014 and TFC prevailing in 2017.
The two sides fought to a 0- 0 draw in the first half, which played into Montreal hands, though TFC definitely held the advantage in play, holding a 73-27 per cent in possession, while outshooting the visitors 9-4.
Around the 13th minute, TFC really began turning on the heat. In the 15th minute, Pozuelo won a free kick just outside the box. Altidore took it and fired the ball high.
Toronto had another good chance early when Endoh, on the left wing, crossed the perfect ball to Altidore in the box in the 22nd minute and the American spun around and right-footed it over the goal. Omar Gonzalez then headed a ball from a Pozuelo corner just over the goal.
Bono made a great diving save in the 26th minute on a hard shot by Piatti from distance. Shortly after, Richie Laryea danced past a couple of Impact defenders but couldn’t get a shot off in the penalty area. Laryea, a Toronto native, was a force on the right side throughout the game, getting open for passes and just missing on a number of occasions on crosses and shots. In added time in the first half, Pozuelo found a seam and made a brilliant pass to Altidore just to left side of Montreal keeper Clement Diop and Altidore right-footed it just wide.
To start the second half, TFC coach Greg Vanney replaced Canadian fullback Ashtone Morgan with Justin Morrow.
The Reds came within inches of scoring the 51st minute when Laryea fed a great pass to fellow Canadian Osorio just in front of the box and Osorio hammered it off the right post.
In the 84th minute, Toronto centre back Chris Mavinga was given a red card and banished from the game after bringing down Impact forward Lassi Lappalainen, who had a breakaway, just outside the box. On the free kick, Bojan missed the top left corner.
Piatti almost won the tournament in the 90th minute when he right- footed a shot off the cross bar.