Another Canadian title for Toronto FC this year brings muted celebration
- by Paul Kennedy @pkedit, Aug 16, 2018
Three days after being ejected in the 11th minute of TFC's match it lost to New York City FC, 3-2, Altidore scored three goals in a 14-minute stretch over two halves to stake the Reds to a 4-0 lead against Vancouver.
Goals from Kei Kamara and Brek Shea reduced Toronto's lead to two goals before Tosaint Ricketts put the series away in the 80th minute.
The win moved Toronto FC into the 2019 Concacaf Champions League as the Canadian representative. It finished second in the 2018 Concacaf Champions League.
"We enjoy this event and our guys take a lot of pride in it," said TFC coach Greg Vanney. "It’s also a way for us to get back into the Champions League for an opportunity to make another run at it."
Vanney attributed the Reds' muted celebration to fatigue after a hectic run -- four games in 12 days -- and the fact that the team has a quick turnaround with a game at San Jose on Saturday.
"Our guys know that they have to get on a flight tomorrow and go all the way to San Jose and play and part of that plays into it," he said. "I think everybody’s excited and looked forward to the celebration so I just think it’s more about where we’re at in the moment and what we have in front of us still to try and accomplish as a group."
Toronto FC is one of three teams tied with 23 points at the bottom of MLS's Eastern Conference.
Aug. 15 in Toronto
Toronto FC 5 Vancouver 2. Goals: Altidore 39, 49, 53, Giovinco 44, Ricketts 80; Kamara 63, Shea 77.
Toronto FC -- Irwin; Morrow, Zavaleta, Mavinga (Hagglund 63), Morgan; Bradley, Delgado, Chapman, Osorio (Ricketts 78); Giovinco (Telfer 67), Altidore.
Vancouver -- Marinovic; Nerwinski, Henry, Waston, de Jong; Techera (Mezquida 51), Teibert, Ghazal, Reyna, Davies (Shea 51); Kamara (Hurtado 63).
Att.: 14,994.
