TFC will play for Canadian crown
Tsubasa Endoh scored a goal and helped create another in a two-minute spurt late in the first half and Toronto FC went on to defeat the Ottawa Fury 4-0 Wednesday, advancing 5-2 on aggregate to the Canadian championship final.
Substitutes Marky Delgado and Sebastian Giovinco added insurance goals in the 80th and 85th minutes.
Ottawa, which plays in the secondtier USL, beat a weaker Toronto lineup 2-1 in the first leg last week at TD Place Stadium.
Five-time champion Toronto will play three-time winner Montreal for the Voyageurs Cup in the two-legged final June 21 and 27. The Impact dispatched the Vancouver Whitecaps 5-4 on aggregate after a 4-2 victory Tuesday at Saputo Stadium.
Wednesday’s game turned after Toronto striker Tosaint Ricketts was forced off in the 34th minute with hamstring tightness. Instead of bringing on a forward, coach Greg Vanney introduced wingback Steven Beitashour and pushed Endoh up the field.
It paid almost immediate dividends as the 23-year-old Japanese forward, released from defensive duties, began to attack before 15,175 on a pleasant evening at BMO Field.
His curling shot was just wide in the 38th minute. Then, after taking a nice pass from Jordan Hamilton and driving to the goal-line, Endoh raked the ball over to the other side of the goal towards teammate Justin Morrow. The ball deflected in off Ottawa defender Eddie Edward for an own goal in the 41st minute.
A minute later, Endoh made a fine run to goal, splitting the defence. Spanish playmaker Victor Vazquez spotted him and laid on a perfect cross for Endoh to head past Callum Irving.
Ottawa coach Paul Dalglish started with a 4-3-2-1 formation, providing plenty of bodies to blunt the Toronto attack. And for the first 30 minute, it was hard to tell which was the MLS team.
Normal service resumed late in the half thanks to Endoh.
Giovinco, out since May 13 with a quad strain, came in at the start of the second half. He made an instant impact, with his runs discombobulating the Ottawa defence.
Toronto was without captain Michael Bradley and striker Jozy Altidore, who are away with the U.S. national team. Toronto won the Canadian championship last year for the fifth time. As such, it thought it had secured entry to the CONCACAF Champions League.
But due to a change in tournament format, it will have to win this year’s Canadian championship or, if it doesn’t, defeat the winner in a onegame playoff to join the CONCACAF club competition.