Picking the goals of the year for each of Canada’s major pro teams is always a daunting, but rewarding, experience. There are worse ways to spend a morning than reviewing goals!
It’s also a bit hopeless as you know that no matter how hard you try someone is going to disagree with your choice. Actually, that’s half the fun. We encourage you to disagree, preferably with video evidence to back it up.
Goal of the year factors in both artistic beauty and importance – although a “pretty” goal will always trump an ugly goal, no matter the importance.
This year’s picks below the jump
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FC Edmonton – Shaun Saiko
The club’s first ever goal was always going to be in the conversation, but it became a non-debate once Shaun Saiko struck this bending beauty from 27-yards. It was a hell of a way to enter the league.
Montreal Impact - Ali Gerba
The Impact had a terrible year. The goal we picked came during one of the few highlights of the season. With a packed house there to watch Thierry Henry, it was Ali Gerba’s glancing header that stole the show and gave the Impact the 1-0 win (and hopefully a few more fans).
Vancouver Whitecaps - Eric Hassli
That this goal wasn’t the MLS goal of the year is absurd. You don’t even need us to tell you what the Caps goal of the year was (I suspect this still might be Vancouver’s best goal 50 years from now)
Toronto FC - Joao Plata
The Reds goal of the year was the most difficult to pick – Alan Gordon’s injury equalizer against the Galaxy, Javier Martina’s chip in the home opener and Danny Koevermans game clincher against Columbus (ending five years of frustration against the Massive! Pain in the ass from Ohio) all received consideration.
However, in the end we went with Joao Plata’s clincher in the CCL against Dallas. The importance of the moment, Plata’s confidence on the ball and the clinical finish made it too hard to ignore (goal at 4:43).
Don’t agree? Let us know in the comments and hunt down the video on Youtube!