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Result of the Wednesday May 13, 2015 Canadian Championship Semi-Final (second leg) game between Toronto FC and Montreal Impact played at BMO Field in Toronto at 7:30pm.

Toronto FC (all red, white names and numbers)

............1 Chris Konopka
2 Justin Morrow...24 Damien Perquis...15 Eriq Zavaleta...5 Ashtone Morgan
8 Benoit Cheyrou...26 Collen Warner...4 Michael Bradley (cpt)...21 Jonathan Osorio
...........17 Jozy Altidore...10 Sebastian Giovinco

Subs:...40 Quillan Roberts (gk)...3 Warren Creavalle (mid)...6 Nick Hagglund (def)...14 Jay Chapman (mid)...19 Daniel Lovitz (mid)
22 Jordan Hamilton (fwd)...27 Luke Moore (fwd)
team officials:...head coach Greg Vanney

Montreal Impact (all blue, white names and numbers)

.............22 Eric Kronberg
3 Eric Miller...55 Wandrille Lefevre...23 Laurent Ciman...51 Maxim Tissot
29 Eric Alexander...8 Patrice Bernier (cpt)...16 Calum Mallace...11 Dilly Duka
..........7 Dominic Oduro...13 Kenny Cooper

Subs:...1 Evan Bush (gk)...5 Bakary Soumare (def)...10 Ignacio Piatti (mid)...14 Nigel Reo-Coker (mid)...15 Andres Romero (mid)
...33 Marco Donadel (mid)...99 Jack McInerney (fwd)
team officials:...head coach Frank Klopas

Game officials:...referee Mathieu Bourdeau...referee's assistants Marco Arruda and Richard Gamache...fourth official David Barrie
...(yellow shirts, black shorts and socks)

1st Half:...game starts 7:50pm...TFC defend north end on this cool evening with the setting sun in the north west.
1 min...TFC Morgan low cross from 25 yards near left end line has Imp Ciman clear ball at 6 yards on left side of box.
2 min...TFC Giovinco 35 yard freekick from left is low and wide left of net.
3 min...Imp Ciman low 40 yard freekick from left bounces into box and deflect off kneeling goalie's chest near left post. Big rebound bounces to left and Imp player and TFC defender deflect ball over end line for goalkick.
5 min...TFC Giovinco cornerkick from right has Imp Ciman jump to kick away on right edge of box. TFC Giovinco cross from 25 yards on right is over goalie jumping at 7 yards on left and other players miss too and ball bounces wide left for goalkick.
7 min...TFC Altidore give and go with TFC Warner who bounces ball over end line on right trying to elude sliding Imp Ciman.
10 min...Imp Cooper is tapped back pass from Imp Duka at 8 yards and his 15 yard shot from left has goalie fly to push ball wide right. Imp Oduro crosses from 18 yards along right end line and TFC Cheyrou head ball away from 10 yards in middle.
12 min...TFC Giovinco cornerkick from left is short and TFC Giovinco crosses into middle of box unplayed and Imp Duka clears with kick upfield from 12 yards in box.
15 min...Imp YELLOW card...Oduro earns it for tripping TFC Morgan at Imp 35 yard line.
16 min...TFC Giovinco 35 yard freekick down middle deflects off player in wall and deflects high and wide left.
16 min...TFC Giovinco cornerkick from left is whistled down in box and Imp player heads ball away.
17 min...TFC Morrow rush to right end line and rolls cross to center of box just behind charging TFC Bradley at 8 yards and Imp Mallace clears ball.
18 min...TFC Osorio wins cornerkick on left on deflection as Imp Miller pokes ball away at 20 yards on left edge of box.
18 min...TFC Giovinco cornerkick from left has goalie at 6 yards use two fist to punch ball clear.
20 min...Imp Tissot cross from 40 yards on left has Imp Cooper on left twist 15 yard header wide left of net.
20 min...Imp Mallace chips 30 yard shot between players wide left of net.
21 min...TFC Jozy Altidore GOAL...TFC Sebastian Giovinco rolls ball forward from 28 yards on left between defenders and Altidore slides and shoots 12 yarder into right side of goal over sliding goalie Eric Kronberg at 6 yards.
23 min...Imp Kenny Cooper GOAL...Imp Maxim Tissot cornerkick from left has charging Imp Eric Miller flicks header across box from 8 yards on left and Imp Calum Mallace chests ball up and shoot forward from right at 18 yards. Cooper at 5 yards in middle standing sideways lifts leg and steers ball into center of net.
24 min...Imp Cooper is injured at TFC 30 yard lines getting away shot down middle as TFC Cheyrou slid in to knock him over.
27 min...TFC Giovinco pass forward on right to TFC Warner who rolls cross to center of box behind TFC Bradley at 8 yards and defender clears.
28 min...Imp Cooper collapses at TFC 40 yard line.
The sun is now below the stadium horizon.
30 min...TFC Morgan is checked off ball on left edge of box. TFC Cheyrou sky balls a shot from 28 yards on left that's caught by goalie stepping forward to 6 yards.
31 min...Imp sub...McInerney replaces injured Cooper who was limping around while still playing.
33 min...Imp Tissot 35 yard freekick from left sideline squeezes through players into box but defender clears.
36 min...TFC Giovinco is injured at Imp 30 yards when he's checked from behind.
38 min...TFC Morrow long run up right wing and wins cornerkick when cross deflects off Imp Ciman.
38 min...TFC Giovinco cornerkick from right has ball popped up by diving header of TFC Zavaleta at 10 yards. Goalie punches ball away in crowd of players at 6 yards.
39 min...TFC Giovinco cornerkick from right has Imp McInerney head ball away and TFC Warner at 25 yards on right rolls ball forward to TFC Giovinco who pushes ball over right end line.
42 min...Imp McInerney at center line rolls pass upfield to left for charging Imp Duka at 35 yards who dribbles forward and shoots low 15 yard shot that hits sliding TFC Perquis and deflects into left webbing of net.
43 min...Imp Tissot cornerkick from left has charging Imp Ciman get foot to ball at 6 yards but deflects it wide right for goalkick.
44 min...Imp Duka cross from 25 yards on left is through box unplayed.
45 min...TFC Giovinco is bumped over by Imp Miller on end line but can't draw Penalty kick.
46 min...Imp Alexander at 25 yards in middle has deflected ball off TFC player bounce to Imp Duka at 8 yards whose cross attempt on left deflects off sliding TFC Morrow wide left for cornerkick.
47 min...Imp Tissot cornerkick from left has Imp Miller on near post at 8 yards flick header wide left over of net.
47 min...half ends 8:37pm.

Halftime entertainment: Except for giving away an Amway Fan of the Match prizepack to a father and son winner which looked to have been previously chosen, there was no halftime entertaiment. No Sheri Leavitt as MC nor TFC involvement.

2nd Halftime: starts 8:53pm. It's not quite dark but a lot colder. I swap my sunhat for my toque.
48 min...Imp Bernier at 35 yards in middle passes to Imp Tissot on left who blasts 28 yard shot well over net.
50 min...TFC Osorio receives chipped ball from TFC Altidore crossed in from 18 yards on right. Ball falls for him at 12 yards and he shoots up middle that has goalie bat down in center of net at 2 yards and rebound is cleared by Imp Bernier at 15 yards.
50 min...Imp McInerney long run on right but low cross into box from 20 yards is cleared by defender.
50 min...TFC Morrow crosses from 25 yards on right and ball bounces through box unplayed.
52 min...TFC Giovinco rush into left side of box but he's checked off ball by second defender.
54 min...TFC Morrow cross from right end line at 15 yards is through box. Imp Tissot is injured on play crashing into LED endboards head first. As he's off the field, play carries on while he's being treated.
55 min...TFC Giovinco cornerkick from left has nearest defender on left post concede another cornerkick by booting ball behind end line.
55 min...TFC Giovinco cornerkick from left has goalie in crowd of players punch ball away.
55 min...TFC Benoit Cheyrou GOAL...TFC Michael Bradley chips pass forward from 30 yards down middle that finds TFC Jozy Altidore running in on right side of box. His short cross from 10 yards is over sliding goalie and charging Cheyrou runs down middle and shoots in low 8 yarder.
57 min...TFC Sebastian Giovinco GOAL...TFC Jozy Altidore short forward pass as he slides at 40 yards finds Giovinco up middle and he bends inswinger low 15 yarder to right side of net around goalie at 8 yards.
58 min...Imp Tissot (who's finally returned to game) 35 yard freekick from right flies unplayed wide left of net.
60 min...Imp Miller cross from 35 yards on right has TFC Morrow chest ball back for goalie to catch.
60 min...Imp Oduro 25 yard shot from right is wide left of net.
61 min...TFC Altidore is injured at Imp 25 yard line.
......Imp YELLOW card...Bernier is given delayed card on play for his stepping on his leg.
63 min...TFC Giovinco 28 yard freekick down middle is blocked in player wall.
63 min...Imp sub...Romero replaces Duka.
67 min...Imp sub...Piatti replaces Mallace.
68 min...Imp Piatti 25 yard chip from left has Imp McInerney turn and has 10 yard shot deflection over to left end line but play was called offside.
70 min...Imp Piatti cornerkick from right is over players in box. TFC make quick breakout and TFC Giovinco wins freekick on check.
71 min...TFC Bradley spins and kicks low 18 yarder up middle that goalie smothers.
72 min...TFC YELLOW card...Giovinco earns it for not giving 10 yards on a freekick near the center line.
72 min...TFC Perquis makes key tackle on loose ball to prevent 2 on 1 into TFC box.
73 min...Imp Tissot cornerkick from left is through box and cleared. Imp Romero wins another cornerkick from 30 yards down middle on chip to right side of box. TFC Osorio is injured on right side of box.
75 min...Imp Piatti cornerkick from right is sent upfield, Imp Alexander passes ball back to Piatti who crosses from right and ball is caught by goalie in crowd of players.
76 min...Imp Tissot sliding check on TFC Altidore on left side of box to break up play.
77 min...TFC Giovinco rolls 15 yard shot from left wide right of post.
78 min...TFC Giovinco rush on left past Imp Tissot and passes to TFC Altidore who has shot blocked at 18 yards by sliding Imp Ciman. TFC Bradley is checked off ball on edge of box.
79 min...Imp McInerney is called offside on a chipped pass to 10 yard up middle.
80 min...TFC sub...Creavalle replaces Osorio.
.........TFC sub...Moore replaces Altidore.
83 min...Imp Dominic Oduro GOAL...Imp Eric Miller long cross from 35 yards on right sideline has Oduro leap and head 8 yarder from even with left post into right side of net past flying goalie Chris Konopka with TFC Damien Perquis on wrong side of Oduro.
85 min...Imp McInerney runs from left to center at 20 yards and cuts shot that goalie catches.
86 min...Imp Lefevre and TFC Giovinco are both injured on Lefevre's sliding tackle at Imp 15 yard sideline.
88 min...TFC sub...Hagglund replaces Morrow.
88 min...TFC Giovinco 30 yard freekick from left has Imp Lefevre get foot to it at 7 yards on left and ball deflects onto top of net.
88 min...TFC Giovinco cornerkick from left is low and the nearest man clears.
89 min...TFC Giovinco low cross from 25 yards on rush on left and Imp Ciman dives to head ball at 8 yards wide left of own net.
89 min...TFC Giovinco cornerkick from left has goalie punch ball away in crowd of players.
91 min...Imp Romero is checked off ball in TFC box without getting away shot.
91 min...TFC Warner eludes check but bends cross pass from 28 yards wide left of net.
92 min...Imp Oduro intercepts goalie clearance and his 25 yard shot is over net.
93 min...Imp McInerney rushes to loose ball on right with TFC Creavalle and chips cross from 15 yards but goalie catches.
94 min...TFC Perquis cross from 30 yards on right has TFC Hagglund scissor kick at 13 yards well over net.
94 min...Imp YELLOW card...goalie Eric Kronberg earns it for being too slow taking goalkick.
95 min...game ends 9:43pm.

Final Score:.....Toronto FC.......3..........Montreal Impact...........2........
The series was tied 3-3 on aggregate but Impact win on the away goal rule.

TFC was announced as winning the game by the stadium PA system but not that they had lost the series on the 'Away Goals Rule'. Impact scored two away goals tonight while TFC was shut out last week in Montreal. The game program did mention the rules but I think a lot of the young fans didn't know this fact. The stadium crew added to the confusion by setting off fireworks at the end of the game. I only noticed this game that fireworks go off whenever TFC scores in whichever end the opposition goal is in. TFC only scored one goal on Sunday against Houston.

Ex-TFC player Dominic Oduro scored the 'winning' goale with seven minutes to go. He's certainly not the first of TFC alumni to come back to haunt his former team.

TFC scored their two second half goals within 3 minutes while Impact defender Maxim Tissot lay just off the pitch injured after hitting his head on the LED endboards. Play continued as he was not in the field of play. Post game comments revealed that the Impact bench was uncertain about how badly Tissot was injured and whether he could continue.

I'd have expected TFC to have subbed players sooner than 80 minutes when they had the lead AND the players they would have brought on would be extra defenders to holod onto the lead like games they bragged about winning against Orlando and Philadelphia turning their slow start around.

MLS vet Kenny Cooper had been picked up by Impact within the last month to replace CONCACAF hero Cameron Porter who'd suffered a season ending injury. His goal meant that this game would NOT go into overtime.

I was glad I wore my parka as it got quite a bit colder after the sun set and then I had a 25 minute wait for the Harbourfront streetcar. That was only ten minutes than Sunday's MLS home opener which had 1/3 more fans in attendance.

Having TFC knocked out at the semi-final stage has happened before and eventually my credit card account is credited for them not making the final. This free's up a Wednesday night in August. This year's winner will make the CONCACAF Championship in 2016. 2015's league play will involve Vancouver Whitecaps who were awarded Canada's berth by having the most MLS points in the 2014 season. (Montreal Impact had actually won the 2014 Canada Cup last spring). The Impact just came to end of the their run for 2014-2015 within the last few weeks by losing the Final on aggregate to Club America of Mexico. This idea of not making the championship until the next year probably makes sense with the logic that the team can pre-sell the games as part of the ticket package for the next season. TFC in past seasons usually had a great gate against any Mexican team but had problems drawing more than 5000 against teams from El Salvador and Nicaragua.

So the Voyageurs Cup given to the winner of this competition will not make an appearance at BMO Field this year. I found a link to a web page of contributors to buying that trophy. I thought the link had disappeared years ago but now once again I can prove I was one of the donors. The link is at http://www.cs.utoronto.ca/~djt/voyageurscup/mcontributions.html

On my way out I received another fridge magnet from BMO Bank.

As it was not an MLS game, there was Man of the Match award which always goes tp a TFC player. Also there was no Shari Leavitt as the MC and no real halftime show.

Next TFC home game is on Saturday May 23rd against Portland Timbers at 5:00pm.

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca

stats from MLSsoccer.com
Match Information

Goals and Assists
22'   Jozy Altidore             Assisted By: Sebastian Giovinco 
25'   Kenny Cooper              Assisted By: Calum Mallace, Eric Miller 
56'   Benoit Cheyrou            Assisted By: Jozy Altidore, Michael Bradley 
58'   Sebastian Giovinco        Assisted By: Jozy Altidore 
84'   Dominic Oduro             Assisted By: Eric Miller, Jack McInerney 

Disciplinary
16'    MTL Dominic Oduro            Reason: Foul 
63'    MTL Patrice Bernier          Reason: Foul 
73'    TFC Sebastian Giovinco       Reason: Not Retreating 
90'+5' MTL Eric Kronberg            Reason: Time wasting 

Lineups

Toronto FC – 
Chris Konopka; 
Justin Morrow (Nick Hagglund 89’), Eriq Zavaleta, Damien Perquis, Ashtone Morgan; 
Collen Warner, Michael Bradley ©, Benoit Cheyrou, Sebastian Giovinco, Jonathan Osorio (Warren Creavalle 81’); 
Jozy Altidore (Luke Moore 82’)

Substitutes Not Used: Quillan Roberts, Jay Chapman, Daniel Lovitz, Jordan Hamilton

Montreal Impact – 
Eric Kronberg; Eric Miller, Wandrille Lefevre, Laurent Ciman, Maxim Tissot; 
Calum Mallace (Ignacio Piatti 68’), Patrice Bernier ©, Dominic Oduro, Eric Alexander, Dilly Duka (Andrés Romero 64’); 
Kenny Cooper (Jack McInerney 32’)

Substitutes Not Used: Evan Bush, Bakary Soumaré, Marco Donadel, Nigel Reo-Coker
 
Officials:
Referee: Mathieu BOURDEAU (CAN)
Assistant referee 1: Marco ARRUDA (CAN)
Assistant referee 2: Richard GAMACHE (CAN)
Fourth official: David BARRIE (CAN)

Stats:

TOR                            MTL
 13     Shots                   15 
  5     Shots on Target          5 
  3     Shots off Target         7 
  5     Blocked Shots            3 
 10     Corners                  6 
 22     Crosses                 18 
  2     Offsides                 3 
 11     Fouls                    7 
  1     Yellow Cards             3 
  0     Red Cards                0 
436     Total Passes           341 
 81 %   Passing Accuracy        77 % 
 56.2 % Possession              43.8 % 
 39     Duels Won               41 
 16     Tackles Won             13 
  3     Saves                    2 
 15     Clearances              30 


Toronto FC starters


Montreal Impact starters


Impact Kenny Cooper (13) and Eric Alexander (29) take opening kickoff.


TFC Sebastian Giovinco (10) takes freekick.


TFC Damien Perquis (24) rolls over pass in front of lots of empty seats.


TFC Ashtone Morgan (5) tries to dribble by Impact Dominic Oduro (7).


TFC Sebastian Giovinco (10) and Jozy Altidore (17) take second half kickoff.


TFC Jozy Altidore (17) is being chased by Impact Patrice Bernier (8) just outside Impact box.


TFC Sebastian Giovinco (10) freekick up middle.

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