Breaking the spell
and making it into the grand finale, that many considered it as one major accomplishment,
by many in MLS circles, after many years in league play for the Toronto FC
bunch.
Finally, justice
served its purpose for the TFC!
History in the making
for the Reds, after these being the first ever Canadian squad to make it into the
grand finale as well playing their conference of play against another squad
from north of the border in the Montreal Impact.
Labeled as the Mother
of all MLS Derbies, the one known as the 401, whenever these two squads play, it
is all about the high levels of excitement of a heated rivalry and these always
show off all the essence of an all-around finals.
Since this club inception
into Major league Soccer on the 2007 campaign as the first Canadian squad and
the thirteenth to begin, play in this campaign, finishing last in the Eastern
Conference.
After the previous
eight managers the Reds had, none of these delivered as the way second year man
and its lucky ninth Boss did it, with back-to-back trips to the Promised Land
of the postseason and in its second try to its grand finale.
The tables were turn
in favor of the TFC, after displaying a one of a kind postseason eliminating
their conference foes in a hardened and surging Philadelphia Union and later
playing as underdogs and overcome the heavily favorites NYCFC.
There was no stopping
the lads from Queen City, displaying a one of a kind and hungry football in
each match and series played, that led them to Major League Soccer final to be
played at home.
Coming as heavy
favorites and seeing how their Boss Vanney was using a very unorthodox
formation that worked wonders at the end for him and his crew that led them to
the unthinkable of playing a final seen as an impossible feat for this squad to
reach.
Still for the second
year Manager, impossible is not a word used in his dictionary but challenging be
considered seriously and use all of his might that he displayed with his initial
eleven that sent to the field and coming to the final as a heavy favorite.
After coming from
behind and never giving up on their Eastern Conference final against their cross-country
foes, these showed up a resilience and perseverance that at the end that led
them to an overtime and voila, their lads delivered.
Knowing who they had
in front of them a very resilient and persistent squad in the Seattle Sounders that
all campaign had its struggles, for Manager Vanney it was time to not let his
guard down for him and his Boys.
As the saying states that,
there is no such thing than an easy foe and the Rave Greens despite coming to
play at the colossus of 170 Princess Boulevard, BMO Field filled to its
capacity and painted red after its local Boys were to play the big one.
Still football can
have its tricks and ironies, after all the TFC had a premier of a campaign and
was always fighting in the top six squads to earn its spot in the always
coveted and contested league postseason.
When the day came the
local Toronto squad really played a gem of a match, with the tale of the tape
leaning towards this club favorable with 54.2 % of possession, with a total of
nineteen shoots in contrast of Seattle three.
As the locals really
keep the Sounders keepers on his toes after a barrage of volleys aimed at him
and this always making all sorts of efforts to keep his posts and box away from
the always-dangerous Reds strikers always being a menace.
The whole afternoon
was one frustrating and annoying one for the Toronto initial eleven that after
seven shoots on target and ten blocked, the defining score never arrived and
this match after going into overtime.
At times, the game
can be a bit unjust.
You know the rest as
the infamous penalty kicks came and seeing how a visiting Seattle Sounders overcome the odds and winning the final to the
shock of many of the TFC followers in attendance that could not believe what
they were seeing.
At the end Toronto
FC, did the ultimate of feats after staging a one of a kind campaign versus
their previous ones and seeing how they are becoming a squad not to be mess
with in future campaigns.
Very well writing their
own history in Major League Soccer, but not only being the first Canadian group
to play in the grand finale but to play its conference contest against another squad
form the same country.
Overall, a lot of
admiration is what this squad suddenly got after their one of a kind feat and
as they say, there is always a next time and the TFC will be a force not to be
messing with in future campaigns.
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Mc Costigan © Copyright All Rights Reserved
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