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VANCOUVER, B.C. - Toronto FC have won the 2018 Voyageurs Cup after a convincing 7-4 total aggregate win over Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Toronto FC thrashed Vancouver with a 5-2 second leg victory at home in front of 14,994 fans at BMO Field.
Toronto FC have now won three consecutive Canadian Championships, and seven overall. Toronto FC will represent Canada in the 2019 CONCACAF Champions League.
"Thank you to the CSA for hosting this event." Toronto FC Coach Greg Vanney said in his opening statement. "We enjoy this event and our guys take a lot of pride in it. It’s also a way for us to get back into the Champions League for an opportunity to make another run at it. A big night for many reasons, we appreciate it. Also, congratulations to Vancouver, a very good team that has a lot to play for the rest of the season. We just happen to get on top of the game tonight and it happened to go our way so the best to them the rest of our way."
It was the Jozy Altidore show as he was in fantastic form with a hat trick. Sebastian Giovinco added 1 goal and 2 assists. Marky Delgado was terrific with a pair of assists to his name. Tosaint Ricketts also scored for Toronto FC. Kei Kamara and Brek Shea scored for Whitecaps FC, but it was far too little, and far too late.
In his 200th appearance for Toronto FC, Jonathan Osorio was named MVP of the Canadian Championship. He spoke about winning three championships in a row.
"I want to say again, like coach said, thanks to the CSA for this tournament. As a Canadian it’s really important for me and this club to participate in this every year. To win it for the third time in a row means a lot. Like Coach said, it’s a birthing into the Champions League and another shot to make a run to which we did. I think it’s great. I wish Vancouver the best in the rest of their season, like Coach said, they have everything to play for, they are more than capable of finishing off strong so congratulations to them."
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Vancouver Whitecaps FC Coach Carl Robinson spoke about the difficulty his team faced.
"The first goal! I thought we had our chance with Alphonso, and Yordy, back post header. Going into the tie we knew it was going to be difficult, they are a good team. Forget about the results in league play on the day when their big players turn up, we know it is going to be difficult as we seen in BC place last Wednesday. We tried to get the first goal, went pretty aggressively in the first thirty minutes but little details in our defending down the left side, three versus three and a set up for Jozy and when that goes in the dynamic of the game changes."
Moments of the Match
IIt was quite a chippy and physical opening forty-five. Russell Teibert collided with Sebastian Giovinco early on, after a clattering off knees sent the Italian international to the ground like he had been shot.
Moments later Marcel de Jong, and Jozy Altidore crashed into each other. The incidental contact was very reminiscent of a Vancouver Canucks and Toronto Maple Leafs game. Credit to referee Drew Fischer, he kept his cards in his back pocket all night, and let both teams play. The energy was ramped up, and both teams clearly came to play, early on.
Vancouver needed to score, but it was the home side that struck first. Marky Delgado was a late addition to Toronto's lineup as he replaced Victor Vasquez after warm ups. The move paid off as Delgado found Altidore just in behind the Caps back-line. Altidore turned and slotted the ball through the legs of Marinovic in the 39' minute.
The opening tally was just the momentum Toronto FC needed. They quickly doubled their lead in the 43' minute. A hustling Delgado chased down a ball, and found a streaking Osorio. The Canadian international sent a beautiful cross into the Vancouver box, and an unmarked Giovinco smashed home a header to make it 2-0.
The interval proved to make no difference for Whitecaps FC. Toronto FC kept coming and Vancouver had no answer for the defending champions. Altidore scored his second of the night in the 49' minute. Giovinco played a ball cross goal that Altidore was able to deflect past Marinvoic with no-show of urgency or defending from Vancouver.
The U.S. international showed no signs of letting up as he scored his third goal of the match in the 53' minute. Again, Giovinco sent in a terrific ball off a corner kick. Altidore was made an unmarked run and was in perfect position to head home the ball.
Vancouver broke through in the 63' minute. Nicolas Mezquida was able to send a brilliant through ball to Kei Kamara. The Caps leading scoring broke past the Toronto FC back-line and scored. Credit to Whitecaps FC they didn't throw in the towel and give up.
Brek Shea was able to get another goal back for Whitecaps FC in the 77' minute. Erik Hurtado sent a ball into the Toronto FC box. A moment of confusion and no clearance from Toronto's defenders allowed Shea to tap in an easy tally to make it 6-4 on aggregate.
Toronto FC had an answer for Whitecaps FC and how fitting that it was a Canadian international who scored the last goal in the Canadian Championship final. Micheal Bradley had a free kick that found an unmarked Tosaint Ricketts. He was able to rise up without being challenged. His header made it 5-2 and 7-4 on aggregate for Toronto FC.
Everything that could go wrong for Whitecaps FC, did. While they did keep eleven players on the pitch. The back-line was complete shambles. Stefan Marinovic got no help defensively. He was left on his own, and Toronto FC took full advantage. Altidore, Giovinco, Delgado, Osorio, Bradley, and Ricketts stepped up, and Vancouver did not.
"Obviously they’ve got quality on top." Vancouver Skipper Kendall Waston said. "We didn’t go with 100% and if you play a little bit at say 90% the other team is going to crush you. They scored two great goals in the first half and after that they tried to manage the game. In the second half we had a lapse of concentration and those goals came in."
Man of the Match
It hasn't quite been a banner season for Jozy Altidore and Toronto FC, but when trophies are on the line, big names like an Altidore come to play. Altidore was a man on a mission. He was composed, a marksman, and a dangerous threat whenever he got the ball. Altidore was in the zone, and he made all the difference. Whitecaps FC were out to lunch and Altidore was switched on and helped Toronto FC win the Voyaguers Cup.
Vancouver Whitecaps FC Starting XI: Stefan Marinovic; Marcel de Jong, Doneil Henry, Kendall Waston(C), Jake Nerwinski; Alphonso Davies, 52 (Brek Shea), Russell Teibert, Aly Ghazal, Cristian Techera, 52 (Nicolas Mezquida); Yordy Reyna, Kei Kamara, 63 (Erik Hurtado)
Toronto FC Starting XI: Clint Irwin; Ashtone Morgan, Chris Mavinga, 63 (Nick Hagglund), Eriq Zavaleta, Justin Morrow; Jonathan Osorio, Michael Bradley(C), Jay Chapman, Marky Delgado; Jozy Altidore, 78 (Tosaint Ricketts), Sebastian Giovinco, 67 (Ryan Telfer). 4-4-2
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