By Luke Wileman
TorontoFc.ca
Toronto FC beat Montreal Impact 6-1 at Stade Saputo on Thursday night to win the first trophy in the club's short history and qualify as Canada's representative in the Preliminary Round of the CONCACAF Champions League. The Reds won the Nutrilite Canadian Championship on goal differential after scoring six for the first ever time. Dwayne De Rosario scored a hat-trick, Amado Guevara got two and Chad Barrett also scored as the Reds fought back after conceding an early goal.
Toronto went into the game knowing they had to win by four goals to pass Vancouver Whitecaps at the top of the standings and they had most of the early possession without threatening the Montreal goal. In the early stages Danny Dichio headed wide from a Sam Cronin cross and Amado Guevara also headed wide from a Jim Brennan delivery.
Toronto's task was made even tougher in the 24th minute. Defender Nick Garcia, playing in his first Canadian Championship match, tripped Peter Byers in the six yard box and referee Carol Anne Chenard awarded the Impact a penalty. Tony Donatelli rolled the penalty into the right corner to score from the spot.
The Reds were level just before the half hour mark with an opportunistic strike from Dwayne De Rosario. Impact goalkeeper Srdjan Djekanovic punched Guevara's corner straight to De Rosario who scored with an overhead kick from close range. Toronto could have taken the lead soon after as De Rosario turned provider for Dicho, but a bullet header went wide of the right post.
In the 38th minute Pablo Vitti had an overhead kick cleared off the line by Byers, but a minute later the Reds were in front when De Rosario scored his second of the game. Jim Brennan crossed from the left and found De Rosario 18 yards out. His shot deflected off Elkana Mayard to make it 2-1 five minutes before the break. Toronto almost added a third before the half ended but Dichio blazed over the bar from 15 yards out.
Just four minutes after half time, De Rosario had a hat-trick. Chad Barrett, on as a half time substitute for Pablo Vitti, split the Impact defence and sent De Rosario through on the goalkeeper. The three time MLS All-Star kept his cool to slide the ball home and make it 3-1. Just before the hour, Pierre Rudolph Mayard almost pulled Montreal back into it but Stefan Frei made a good save.
The goals kept coming for Toronto FC. Amado Guevara curled in a free kick in the 69th minute to give the Reds a 4-1 advantage and bring them to within one goal of a score line that would win them the tournament.
With Toronto throwing men forward, Montreal had a couple of opportunities to score on the counter, but with seven minutes to go, Barrett grabbed his second goal of the tournament heading in from Guevara's corner.
That would have been enough for Chris Cummins' side, but they weren't finished. As the game entered stoppage time, Guevara scored his second of the night and Toronto FC's sixth to wrap up the win and the trophy. The Honduran stepped to the side of the defender and curled into the bottom corner after an intelligent flick from Barrett.
The rain was pouring down as the final whistle blew, but the Toronto players celebrated the win in front of the Reds fans who had made the trip along the 401 to support their team.
Dwayne De Rosario was named the tournament MVP and Toronto FC now move on to play Puerto Rico Islanders in the Preliminary Round of the CONCACAF Champions League in late July.
Line-ups:
Toronto FC: Stefan Frei, Nana Attakora (Fuad Ibrahim 80), Adrian Serioux (Marco Velez 64), Nick Garcia, Jim Brennan, Sam Cronin, Carl Robinson, Amado Guveara, Pablo Vitti (Chad Barrett 45), Danny Dichio, Dwayne De Rosario
Montreal Impact: Srdjan Djekanovic, Stephen deRoux, Simon Gatti, Elkana Mayard, Kevin Sakuda, Leonardo Di Lorenzo, Tony Donatelli (Felix Brilliant 65), Joey Gjertsen, David Testo (Stefano Pesoli 50), Peter Byers, Pierre-Rudolph Mayard (Rocco Placentino 71)
Scoring summary:
TFC 0 Montreal 1, Donatelli 24'
TFC 1 Montreal 1 De Rosario 29'
TFC 2 Montreal 1 De Rosario 39'
TFC 3 Montreal 1 De Rosario 49'
TFC 4 Montreal 1 Guevara 69'
TFC 5 Montreal 1 Barrett 83'
TFC 6 Montreal 1 Guevara 90'
Discipline summary:
TFC Nick Garcia 42' Yellow Card
Montreal David Testo 47' Yellow Card
TFC Robinson 63' Yellow Card
Montreal Rocco Placentino 71' Yellow Card
