Toronto FC furthered its record as the most successful club in the history of the 10-year Canadian Championship by winning the competition for a sixth time and confirming their place in the 2018 CONCACAF Champions League. The win was achieved in dramatic fashion with the inspirational Sebastian Giovinco scoring the match-winner in the 95th minute.
An announced crowd of 26,539 was on hand for the second leg at Toronto’s BMO Field with the final finely poised after a 1-1 draw in the first leg at Montreal’s Stade Saputo.
Eighteen-year-old Canadian youth international Ballou Tabla gave Montreal the early lead in the 36th minute with this unstoppable drive from 20 yards out.
#IMFC | 0-1 at HT thanks to @balloutabla! #TORvMTL #CanChamp pic.twitter.com/ZzeDeFtxkT
— Section 126 (@Section_126) June 28, 2017
But in the 53rd, Michael Bradley picked out Giovinco with a cross-field raker, and the Italian cut inside the Montreal defense before leveling the score.
Who else but Seba?
— Toronto FC (@torontofc) June 28, 2017
With the scores level at 2-2 on aggregate, the final looked destined for extra time. But an 89th minute red card to Montreal’s Patrice Bernier gave Toronto the impetus to search for a winner in normal time, and Giovinco provided it with BMO Field then achieving lift-off.
The winner. #TFCLive | #TORvMTL | #CanChamp pic.twitter.com/mEIQEBKkBv
— Toronto FC (@torontofc) June 28, 2017
The title also booked Toronto’s place in the restructured 2018 CONCACAF Champions League. The new format will be without a group stage, and the number of participating teams has been reduced from 24 to 16.
Who's got time for goggles anyway? Enjoy the burn #TFCLive | #TORvMTL | #CanChamp pic.twitter.com/oa4QCpmUyG
— Toronto FC (@torontofc) June 28, 2017
Along with Toronto, participating teams include Club America, Chivas, Tigres, Tijuana, Seattle, Dallas, New York Red Bulls and Costa Rican powers Saprissa and Herediano. Hot damn.
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