Wednesday May 31, 2017--Toronto FC vs Ottawa Fury FC (by Rocket Robin)

.......................... ...............

I've found that I don't have the time to do a game play by play with all the writeups I'm doing
covering other leagues. I will skip the details and maybe do that after the season is over.

Result and details of the Wednesday May 31, 2017 Canadian Championship Semi-Final 
second leg between Toronto FC and Ottawa Fury played at BMO Field at 7:00pm.

40 min...TFC (Ottawa own goal) GOAL...TFC Jordan Hamilton crosses from far right 
that has TFC Tsubasa Endoh send in a low cross from 10 yards on the far right. 
With TFC Justin Morrow waiting near the left post for a tap-in, OF Eddie Edward 
nudges the ball into his own net from 2 yards.

41 min...TFC Tsubasa Endoh GOAL...TFC Victor Vazquez rushes down left and crosses 
ball from 28 yards to charging Endoh who at 10 yards and even with the left post 
flicks a header into the right side of the net.

79 min...TFC Marky Delgado GOAL...TFC Sebastian Giovinco rolls ball forward and 
to left from 30 yards in middle and TFC Victor Vazquez just inside left side 
of OF box sends low cross along 7 yard line and Delgado one-times low shot forward 
into right side of net.

84 min...TFC Sebastian Giovinco GOAL...TFC Victor Vazquez in middle at 40 yard 
line passes forward to charging Giovinco at 25 yards who takes low shot down 
middle that sprawling goalie Callum Irving get a piece of but ball rolls into 
left side of net.

Final Score:.....Toronto FC......4......Ottawa Fury......0.....
(TFC wins series 5-2 on aggregate)

Attendance was not announced but reporter Neil Davidson wrote as 15175. That's 
more than 10000 less than the last game on Friday against MLS opponent 
Columbus Crew. The weather was mild and sunny. This was the second game 
in a row where the tickets were printed back in February with a 7:30pm start 
and were changed for television purposes to 7:00pm. It was a work night so the 
fans that did show up had a hard time getting here in time fighting the rush 
hour traffic. MLSE ownership even gave me a 'free' ticket up in the upper deck 
because I'm a TFC II season ticket holder. I suppose if I had a pair they 
would have given me two tickets. I only got it with four days to spare 
so couldn't talk a friend into going on such short notice.

Ottawa looked like they would need all night to score and had a few chances 
in the first thirty minutes but when they got behind and needed goals they 
couldn't muster anything.

Referee Geoff Gamble gave out no cards this game which was not rough at all. 
Without a few offside calls against both teams it would be easy to forget 
there were officials on the field.

TFC scoring two goals in two minutes not only flipped the game around but the 
entire series because two goals turned the overall score from them being 
behind 2-1 to being ahead 3-2 and now TFC didn't have to score but needed 
to make sure Fury didn't score an away goal. TFC scoring at 79 minutes really 
eased the pressure.

TFC and Ottawa were 'forced' to use three Canadians in their starting lineup 
by the rules of the Canadian Championship. TFC subbed two of them off before 
the second half started although one was because of injury. Fury left their 
three Canadian starters in the full 90 minutes.

The TFC lineup was depleted by midfielder/captain Michael Bradley and forward 
Jozy Altidore both being away with the US national team. Their third 
designated player, Sebastian Giovinco, started the game on the bench.

Putting Giovinco in the game at halftime meant he was always a threat in the 
second half and maybe his quad strain injury had been exaggerated. The injury 
seemed to have no effect holding him back and tonight was maybe just rusty 
as he blasted a freekick into the player wall as well as shooting wide but 
he did have a nice bender to the bottom corner which forced a diving save 
and of course his goal which the goalie couldn't handle. Some messages I've 
read say he'd play tonight on the soft grass and not in the weekend MLS game 
against New England on their hard astroturf. That surface ruined Danny Koevermans' 
career. It was Giovinco's first appearance since leaving during the 
Minnesota United game on May 13.

There was no Man of the Match winner (who is always a TFC player) announced 
at the game tonight. I suspect the sponsor wasn't included just like there 
was nothing to do at halftime with no pizza nor ice cream giveaway held. 
I would have given it to Tsubasa Endoh with his goal and assist which was 
credited as an Fury own goal. He didn't start well with off target shots and 
crosses but settled in nicely. Endoh played more with TFC in his rookie year 
in 2016 but this year is relegated to TFC II where he takes many of the 
freekicks and cornerkicks.

Clint Irwin earned the shutout with not much to do. He looked shaky very early 
in the game but later just had to catch a few crosses.

The Ricketts injury will be a problem if it's serious because not only is he 
important for TFC but the Canadian National team needs him as they have little 
offensive punch. Canada (rank #108) plays Curacao (#70) in Montreal later 
this month.

Fury have some big players like defender Onua Obasi and midfielder Lance Rozeboom 
who dwalfed Giovinco in size. Up front they were shorter and taller players 
that could head the ball might have gotten more chances on goal as almost 
everything in the TFC box was poked away by a defender.

Next year the Canadian Championship opens up to more teams (for 2018 it will 
be months before the CanPL teams get started) but I can't see any situation 
except giving the MLS teams byes until the semi-finals or there will be massive 
blowouts. I'm sure MLSE will point out the poor attendance as another reason 
MLS teams should be kept out until the end.

Now TFC moves on to play Montreal in a two game series to choose the 2017 
Canadian Championship. If TFC 'lose' they will be in a one game playoff 
against Montreal held here in Toronto to decide who will advance to the 
CONCACAF championship as TFC won in 2016 then didn't get to play as the 
organizers decided to give MLS teams a bye into the knockout rounds 
next February.

Ottawa will be back in Toronto to play TFC II in USL action 
on Saturday July 8 at 7:30pm at Ontario Soccer Centre in Vaughan.

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca
twitter @RocketRobin01

stats from MLSsoccer.com
Match Information

Goals and Assists
41' TOR  Eddie Edward (OG) 
42' TOR  Tsubasa Endoh         Assisted By: Víctor Vázquez, Jordan Hamilton 
80' TOR  Marco Delgado         Assisted By: Justin Morrow, Sebastian Giovinco 
85' TOR  Sebastian Giovinco    Assisted By: Víctor Vázquez 

Disciplinary    
None

Lineup

Toronto FC 
87 F Tosaint Ricketts     (34')
22 F Jordan Hamilton      (HT)
 1 G Clint Irwin 
15 D Eriq Zavaleta 
 3 D Drew Moor 
23 D Chris Mavinga 
 9 M Tsubasa Endoh        (77')
21 M Jonathan Osorio 
 8 M Benoit Cheyrou 
 7 M Víctor Vázquez 
 2 M Justin Morrow 

Bench
25 G Alexander Bono 
 5 D Ashtone Morgan 
14 M Jay Chapman 
18 M Marco Delgado         (77')
10 F Sebastian Giovinco    (HT)
33 F Steven Beitashour     (34')
19 F Ben Spencer 

Manager  Greg Vanney  

Ottawa Fury FC 
18 F Tucker Hume 
 1 G Callum Irving 
 3 D Eddie Edward 
 6 D Shane McEleney 
 4 D Ramón Del Campo 
12 D Andrae Campbell 
22 M Jamar Dixon           (74') 
14 M Onua Obasi 
25 M Lance Rozeboom 
 7 M Ryan Williams         (69')
11 M Sito Seoane           (69') 

Bench
23 G Andrew MacRae 
59 D Aron Mkungilwa 
 5 D Kyle Venter 
 2 D Jonathan Barden 
10 M Gerardo Bruna         (69')
24 M Jimmy Shammar Sanon   (74')
28 M Sergio Manesio        (69')

Manager Paul Dalglish 

Match officials:
not listed
 
Match Information
Canada Chmp at BMO Field
Toronto, ON 
 
Team Statistics
TOR                        OTT
 17 Shots                   10 
  4 Shots on Target          2 
 11 Shots off Target         5 
  2 Blocked Shots            3 
  3 Corners                  3 
 10 Crosses                 13 
  2 Offsides                 3 
  5 Fouls                    9 
  0 Yellow Cards             0 
  0 Red Cards                0 
619 Total Passes           290 
 84 % Passing Accuracy      69 % 
 67.9 % Possession          32.1 % 
 45 Duels Won               43 
 10 Tackles Won             12 
  2 Saves                    1 
  8 Clearances              13

Toronto FC starters