The Columbus Crew won the first-ever Trillium Cup after a 1-1 draw with Toronto FC on Saturday at BMO Field.
The draw improved Columbus' record against Toronto to 1-0-2 on the season, thus clinching the Cup, awarded to the winner of the season series between the two clubs. The Crew also improved their all-time record against Toronto to 3-0-3; and the point ensured that they would leave the weekend still in possession of the top spot in the MLS table.
As for Toronto, the Reds needed the two extra points in their desperate search for the final playoff spot. TFC has now won just two of their last 15 MLS and Canadian Championship games.
The Crew welcomed Frankie Hejduk and Alejandro Moreno back from international duty, but were missing a key figure in MLS assists leader Guillermo Barros Schelotto, who was scratched with a hamstring strain. Brad Evans was also sidelined, thus opening a spot for Stefani Miglioranzi in the midfield while veteran Pat Noonan made his second start of the season moving up front in Schelotto's place.
A week after losing nine regulars to international duty, TFC had close to their full first-choice lineup available on Saturday. A whopping 10 changes were made from last week's Reds Starting XI, including the Toronto debut of Hunter Freeman, acquired in a deal with New York on Friday. Jim Brennan, Amado Guevara, Tyrone Marshall, Carl Robinson and Carlos Ruiz were all starting after playing at least 45 minutes each in World Cup qualifying matches last Wednesday.
Two of these internationals led the Reds to a goal just six minutes into the game. Guevara lined up for a direct free kick, but instead of shooting, passed to Robinson standing just outside of the penalty line. The Welsh midfielder unleashed a booming shot that hit the crossbar and slipped past a leaping Will Hesmer into the Columbus net. It was the first goal in almost a year for holding midfielder Robinson, who last scored on Sept. 29, 2007.
The Crew had a chance to tie six minutes later on a setpiece of their own. Marvell Wynne was called for a foul on Robbie Rogers in the goal area, leading to a penalty shot to be taken by Moreno. The shot, however, was a weak one that Moreno seemed to mishit, and Reds goalkeeper Greg Sutton was able to slide to his left to easily stop the attempt.
A minute later, Wynne redeemed himself for his near-costly foul with a strong defensive play. The Crew's Chad Marshall was streaking down the left side hoping to take a long pass downfield, but Wynne broke the play up with a brilliant sliding tackle and came up with the ball.
It was a spirited opening 45 minutes as both sides aggressively pushed the ball downfield, with the Reds creating a bit more pressure from their opportunities. Rohan Ricketts had a close chance in the 26th minute on a seemingly harmless shot from the left side that eluded everyone before being stopped by Hesmer's first save of the game. TFC was awarded another free kick in the 37th minute, but Guevara's shot ran out of power getting through the wall and was easily stopped.
Without their chief playmaker Schelotto, the Crew's attack bore little resemblance to the one that recorded four goals against second-place New England last Saturday. The Black-and-Gold showed some flair in ball control and movement in the TFC zone, but it didn't translate into any serious chances.
With passing plays not working, it took essentially a one-man effort from Pat Noonan to get the Crew on the scoreboard in the 40th minute. The forward carried the ball from the right side to the middle, and took advantage of one TFC defender falling and another out of position to sent a shot past a jumping Sutton.
It was the first goal in a Columbus jersey for Noonan, who played five years for New England and spent most of this season in the Norwegian Premier League before signing with the Crew on August 6.
Noonan's equalizer was a familiar bad omen for Toronto, who held early leads in each of their last two games, only to give up a tying goal before halftime and then eventually lose the games as well. TFC is 7-3-1 after scoring the first goal, but those three losses after getting the early lead are the most of any MLS team this season.
It was Toronto, however, who had the best chance of breaking the deadlock in the early minutes of the second half. Guevara carried the ball down the left back line and managed to keep possession long enough to put a centering pass into the goal mouth. The ball just barely missed the extended leg of a sliding Hunter Freeman and the Crew were able to clear before any damage was done.
The pace of play slowed as Columbus, with a point in their sights, began to play more a conservative, road-game style. Toronto, fighting hard to stay in the playoff race, took the opposite tack, substituting team scoring leader Danny Dichio into game for striker Chad Barrett in the 62nd minute.
The game also got a bit chippy, with cautions issued to Dichio and Columbus' Chad Marshall within a minute of each other. Marshall's booking was almost costly for the Black-and-Gold, as it led to a direct free kick from Guevara that barely went over the net.
On a rainy day at BMO Field, it seemed as if the players were having trouble controlling the ball on the increasingly slick turf. This, combined with the Crew's defense-first strategy, made scoring chances few and far between for the Reds. Perhaps their best chance came in the 82nd minute, when Ricketts passed to Dichio amidst a swarm of yellow jerseys, and Dichio then passed to Carlos Ruiz, who had room but couldn't get his shot past Hesmer.
Dichio had another chance in the 88th minute, a quick shot that was partially cloaked by a sliding Crew defender, but it was also stopped.
The Crew, in pursuit of their fifth straight win, didn't completely give up on attack. They had a close call in the 90th minute on a three-point pass play that left substitute striker Jason Garey in front of the net, but his shot went over the net.
Toronto FC hit the road for their next match on Saturday against the Kansas City Wizards. TFC have a win and a draw in two meetings with the Wizards so far this season. The Black-and-Gold head home for an Eastern Conference showdown with the New York Red Bulls on Thursday at Crew Stadium.
Mark Polishuk is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
