Two things are clear following Toronto FC’s 1-0 win over Montreal in the Voyageurs Cup midweek:
- The Reds are actually in the tournament driver’s seat, for seriously the first time ever.
- There is going to be a clean conclusion to this tournament.
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Only Toronto and Vancouver are still in contention, and with the ways the early results have fallen, it is mathematically impossible for the Redcoats and Whitecaps to end up tied on points.
TFC’s on six points with two games to play – both against the ‘Caps. Vancouver has one point, with a visit to Montreal and a home-and-home with Toronto.
Vancouver could, theoretically, end up on six points with a win and a couple of draws. But at least one of those draws would have to be against Toronto, and that same result would put the Reds a point ahead.
The Whitecaps can, of course, win the whole thing with a couple of victories. But there’s no way the standings are tied when the round-robin concludes. That means we’re spared a copy of last year’s bizarre ending, when Toronto needed – and got! – six goals on the road in the final match to claim the cup.
Certainly, the attending anguish that arose from that result has coloured this year’s competition. Everyone came out with a chip on their shoulders, but Montreal’s poor, self-eliminating play took a lot of starch out. It’s more than merely possible now that the tournament’s final match or two won’t mean anything except a night out at the park and one more tussle with an in-country foe.
It really comes down to TFC-Vancouver now, which is cool because the ‘Caps have thrown big monkey wrenches into Toronto’s cup-claiming plans for two summers on the trot.
But we can all stop counting goals now. A plus-17 goal difference won’t win anything for anybody. From here on, it’s all about who gets the heck out there and bags the points.
And – for this year, at least – I’m finding that a welcome relief.
Onward!