Toronto FC players and staff (pictured) celebrate after prevailing over the Impact de Montreal in the 2017 Canadian Championship final to qualify for the 2018 Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League. (Photo courtesy of Canada Soccer)
TORONTO – Toronto FC earned a berth in the 2018 Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League with a dramatic 2-1 win over 10-man Impact de Montreal Impact in the second leg of the 2017 Canadian Championship final (agg: 3-2) before 26,559 fans at BMO Field on Tuesday night.
On the heels of a 1-1 draw in the first leg, Sebastian Giovinco scored twice for the host, which captured its second straight title in the competition and sixth overall.
Giovinco netted the game-winner in the fifth minute of stoppage time, when he slotted home from the edge of the six-yard off a feed from the left side of the box by Raheem Edwards. The goal came five minutes after Montreal’s Patrice Bernier was ejected.
The Impact went ahead 1-0 in the 36th minute through Ballou Tabla. The 18-year-old received Blerim Dzemaili’s short pass and took a pair of touches, before curling in a left-footed shot from 21-yards out.
In the 54th minute, Giovinco leveled at 1-1, snapping a 14-yard, left-footed effort inside the near-right post beyond diving goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau.
Giovinco won the 2017 George Gross Memorial Trophy as the competition’s most valuable player.
2017 Amway Canadian Championship – Final, Second Leg
June 27, 2016: BMO Stadium – Toronto, Canada (A: 26,559)
Toronto FC-Impact de Montreal 2-1 (0-1)
Sebastian Giovinco 54’, 90’+5 / Ballou Tabla 36’
Toronto FC wins 2017 Canadian Championship (agg: 3-2)
Toronto FC: Clint Irwin; Chris Mavinga, Drew Moor, Eriq Zavaleta, Raheem Edwards, Jonathan Osorio (Marco Delgado 46’), Michael Bradley, Victor Vazquez, Steven Beitashour, Tosaint Ricketts (Jozy Altidore 46’), Sebastian Giovinco. Head Coach: Greg Vanney
Impact de Montreal: Maxime Crepeau; Kyle Fisher, Victor Cabrera (Wandrille Lefevre 90’+1), Laurent Ciman, Hassoun Camara; Hernan Bernardello, Patrice Bernier, Ballou Tabla, Blerim Dzemaili, Ignacio Piatti (Dominic Oduro 79’), Matteo Mancosu. Head Coach: Mauro Biello
CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIP
List of Champions
2008: Impact de Montreal
2009: Toronto FC
2010: Toronto FC
2011: Toronto FC
2012: Toronto FC
2013: Impact de Montreal
2014: Impact de Montreal
2015: Vancouver Whitecaps FC
2016: Toronto FC
2017: Toronto FC
