Toronto FC’s Giovinco wins MLS’s Golden Boot award

And it’s likely not the last award he’ll add this season — the Atomic Ant is a top contender for both the league’s MVP and Newcomer of the Year awards. He won the Golden Boot with 22 goals, and 16 assists.

Make more room in the trophy cabinet.

Toronto FC’s Sebastian Giovinco officially secured Major League Soccer’s Golden Bootaward Sunday night, another in a long line of accolades the Italian has already notched in his first season in the league.

His final tally for the year was 22 goals and 16 assists, a list he added to when he set up Jozy Altidore in Toronto’s 2-1 loss to Montreal.

He is the first player in Reds’ history to earn the honour.

And it’s likely not the last award he’ll add to his count this season — the Atomic Ant is a top contender for both the league’s MVP and Newcomer of the Year awards.

Giovinco all but locked up the league’s leading-scorer title last weekend during his team’s 2-0 loss to the Columbus Crew.

Rival Kei Kamara, who was neck-and-neck with the Reds striker on 22 goals going into that match, was automatically suspended for the last game of the season after receiving a fifth yellow card during his team’s win at BMO Field.

With Giovinco ahead on assists, the tiebreaker for the award, Kamara was out of contention.

The only vague threat remaining on the last weekend of the regular season was Los Angeles Galaxy star Robbie Keane, who needed a fruitful night with four goals to top the Italian.

Keane did manage to get one back on the Atomic Ant, scoring near the end of the first half in the Galaxy’s 2-1 loss to Sporting Kansas City.

But it wasn’t enough to eclipse Giovinco.

Still, it will be a bittersweet occasion for the Italian, who was not available in the locker room after Sunday’s loss.

A period of lapsed concentration cost Toronto home field advantage in the first round of the playoffs, a knockout round.

Giovinco started brightly against Montreal. Early on, he whipped a shot at Impact goalkeeper Evan Bush, attempting to curl it from the top of the box into the bottom right-hand corner. Bush just got his fingertips on the strike to knock it wide.

A few minutes later, midfielder Robbie Findley played Giovinco into the box but the striker was offside.

On Toronto’s next attack, Findley again whipped a ball in, this time on the six-yard line, but it was just out of reach for the Italian.

A great bit of skill by the Italian striker made room for himself to set up Altidore just before halftime.

Going into the break, it seemed like momentum was on Giovinco’s side and producing another highlight-reel moment wasn’t out of the question. But he faded in the second half.

With his squad absorbing much of pressure, the opportunities just didn’t come.

It’s not a half that at all reflected Giovinco’s season.

The Italian began his goal-scoring campaign this season against the Chicago Fire in April.

His most productive month in front of the goal came in July, when he tallied five goals in four games. He won the MLS goal of the week award just once, in mid-August for a free kick against Orlando City Soccer Club.

The only Toronto FC player to capture the Golden Boot, Giovinco scored off a penalty kick three times, and seven of his 22 goals were game-winners.

Stu Cowan: Drogba delivers two more blows to Toronto sports fans

It’s not easy being a Toronto sports fan these days.

Half an hour before Sunday’s Major League Soccer regular-season finale between Toronto FC and the Impact, a group of more than 200 Toronto fans were dancing, singing and pounding on drums in a corner section of Saputo Stadium. They had a big sign that read: “Home Is Wherever I’m With You.”

The Torontonians didn’t stop once the game started, drowning out the Montreal fans at times, and they were roaring after Jozy Altidore scored on a header just before halftime on a beautiful cross from Sebastian Giovinco to take a 1-0 lead into the locker room.

That’s when Impact coach Mauro Biello dropped a bomb of his own.

“Obviously, I wanted to install a little bit of life into the team,” Biello said about his halftime speech. “It comes with the job. Sometimes you have to share your emotions in different moments and I felt that it was a time to push the team in the right way and they responded well.”

Did they ever.

Didier Drogba (who else?) scored in the 54th minute on a cross from Ignacio Piatti and then scored again one minute later on a cross from Marco Donadel.

Just like that, memories of the Blue Jays’ playoff disappointment, the Maple Leafs’ 5-3 loss to the Canadiens on Saturday and the Argonauts’ 34-2 loss to the Alouettes on Friday must have come back for the Toronto fans, who were silenced in a Montreal minute.

Now it was the Impact fans who were rocking the sold-out stadium, singing: “Allez Montréal.”

The Toronto fans let off another smoke bomb late in the game, but it might have been only to hide their tears as the final score read 2-1.

With a victory, Toronto FC would have had a chance to advance directly to the Eastern Conference semifinals. Instead, they will now travel back to Montreal for a one-game knockout round match Thursday night at Saputo Stadium.

With the win, the Impact finished in third place in the conference with a 15-13-6 record, while Toronto fell to sixth at 15-15-4. The New York Red Bulls and Columbus finished first and second, respectively, advancing directly to the conference semifinals, while D.C. United and New England will meet in the other knockout-round game.

The Impact advances to the postseason for the second time in the franchise’s four-year history in MLS, while this marks the first time Toronto has ever qualified for the playoffs since joining MLS in 2007. It’s not 1967 (hello, Leafs fans) … but still.

Sunday wasn’t a good day for soccer players to be running around in shorts, with lots of fans at Saputo Stadium wearing winter jackets, scarves and tuques. But when it was over, Drogba took off his shirt while celebrating with fans behind the Montreal net.

“I think they deserve this moment,” Drogba said.

“They’ve been supporting us all this season, even when we had difficult moments,” added Drogba, who scored 11 goals (matching his jersey number) in 11 games with the Impact. “And it’s nice to see them cheering with us in a moment like this one. It’s an interaction … I think they came here to see some good football, some goals. Today, there was a lot of top goals and some good football. So they are happy, and if they are happy, we are happy.”

Impact fans got a scare in the 82nd minute when Drogba was kicked in the right leg by Toronto’s Ahmed Kantari. Drogba was taken off the field for a few minutes and worked on by the training staff before returning with a noticeable limp. When asked how his leg was after the game, Drogba said: “Sore. It was a bad tackle, but the refereee did not see it so the game carries on.”

Why did he want to go back on the field?

“Because I want to win,” he said. “It’s simple.”

Drogba will have three full days now to have treatment on the leg before the playoff game and said: “I hope I’m going to be OK.”

So does an entire city, including Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre, who was ringing the big bell at Saputo Stadium after each Impact goal.

While Drogba was the hero, his two goals might not have been enough if it wasn’t for goalkeeper Evan Bush, who made three highlight-reel saves in the first half, including two on Giovinco. The 5-foot-4, 135-pound Italian dynamo finished the regular season as MLS’s leading goal-scorer with 22, including seven game-winners. His $7.1-million salary is $100,000 more than what Dion Phaneuf, the highest-paid Maple Leaf, earns.

“He’s a fantastic player,” Bush said. “You have to watch where he is at all times, and on the first goal we gave him a bit too much respect and he pieced out a guy in the box, and that’s what he does if you give him too much respect.”

When asked if he had a favourite save during the game, Bush said: “Not really. They all count the same.”

Bush had a cold beer sitting beside him in the locker room, which must have tasted real good after the victory.

“It always tastes good,” the goalkeeper said with a smile.

Not necessarily if you’re a Toronto sports fan.

Toronto FC Can't Allow Loss to Montreal Impact to Define Their Season

If Toronto FC want 2015 to be defined as successful, they have to make fans forget their sixth-place finish in the regular season with playoff success.

For the first time in franchise history, the end of the regular season does not mean Toronto FC have played their last game of the year. However, there is little to celebrate about the way it concluded.

Yesterday's 2-1 loss to the Montreal Impact was disappointing for a variety of reasons, but mainly because the team is better than this.

When Jozy Altidore scored the game's opening goal on a cross from Sebastian Giovincoit seemed like the match was going to be the most significant return on Toronto's FC January player investment yet.

For the first 45 minutes, Toronto FC were dominant against an Impact team who appeared to be a road team in their own building, and had little response for Toronto's passing and pressure.

When that response came, however, it was resounding. After TFC had been on Didier Drogba's heels all game, he used the back of them to score two spectacular goals. It was enough to make sure the sound of a newly installed Stade Saputo goal bell will be in the nightmares of Toronto supporters.

When they wake up they will find that their team is still far from home, with a return looking more and more improbable.

All of the sudden a team that was roaring into the playoffs got their back foot caught on the final hurdle and fell hard. What was a third place finish after halftime quickly dissolved into a sixth and final playoff spot.

It was exactly the kind of crazy scenario this "decision day" streak of brilliance from the league was designed to create. Unfortunately, Toronto FC won't have as positive memories of the day as those who took in its action at home.

Right now, that is what will define the season, that all the promise and flashes of brilliance they showed culminated in them finishing in a spot that would not have qualified them for the playoffs 19 out of 20 other MLS seasons.

The only way they change that is by picking themselves up after this embarrassing fall and making sure they are ready to go against on Thursday.

Because even if they screwed up what could have been a seminal moment for the club yesterday, they still have a chance to do something special this week.

Beating the Montreal Impact in their first ever playoff game wouldn't fully atone for all the sins this franchise has committed over the past nine years.

But it would sure come close: sports have been a passion of this town for some time now, but beating Montreal at just about anything is even more ingrained into the Toronto physique.

At the very least yesterday's game proved that Toronto's first foray into the Major League Soccer playoffs will not be without entertainment.

Yesteday's match checked of a lot of boxes on the derby day checklist as the two teams battled from start to finish, with evidence of their distain for one another at every turn.

Off the field it was no different, with Impact fans unveiling a tongue in cheek sign that welcomed the Toronto Argonauts to their new home at BMO Field.

This will only intensify on Thursday when a proud Toronto FC side have licked their wounds and return to the Saputo Stadium pitch looking for revenge.

This time they will have no choice but to give a full 90 minute performance, otherwise the bell will toll on what will be seen as a disappointing season.

Whitecaps beat Dynamo 3-0, secure second place Western Conference

VANCOUVER - The Vancouver Whitecaps were facing a winner-take-all midweek playoff game on the road at halftime of Sunday's regular-season finale.

Locked in a 0-0 tie with the visiting Houston Dynamo thanks to a number of missed chances early, results elsewhere weren't going their way either on a final day of the regular season that could have seen the Whitecaps finish anywhere from second to sixth in the Western Conference.

A lot changed in just 45 minutes.

Kekuta Manneh, Kendall Waston and Robert Earnshaw scored in the second half as Vancouver clinched second place in Major League Soccer's Western Conference with a 3-0 victory over Houston.

The result, coupled with the Los Angeles Galaxy's 2-1 loss to Sporting Kansas City, means that the Whitecaps (16-13-5) will get a first-round bye before hosting a two-legged conference semifinal.

"I think we got what we deserved," said Vancouver head coach Carl Robinson. "I'm a big believer in this game that if you put the hard work in and do things right you get your rewards, and I thought we got our rewards today."

The Whitecaps are dealing with a number of injuries, including one to captain Pedro Morales, and will get a bit of a break before playing the first leg of their semifinal on the road Nov. 1. The rematch goes at B.C. Place Stadium seven days later in what will be the franchise's first home playoff game since joining MLS in 2011.

"Hopefully I can get a couple of guys fit and healthy," said Robinson. "We've never used the injuries as an excuse, and I never will."

Winless in five and just 2-5-2 since the middle of August, the Whitecaps finally got the goal the desperately needed in the 59th minute when Manneh fired a low strike from 25 yards out that snuck inside the post past Dynamo goalkeeper Joe Willis.

"We came out flying in the second half, finally took our chances," said Manneh. "It was great for me to score that goal and lift the team up."

Waston then put the game out of reach by heading a corner kick home in the 72nd minute, and Earnshaw added another in stoppage time on header of his own.

"There were a few words said at halftime," said Robinson. "I thought we needed to be a little bit more clinical and play with a higher tempo because after the first 15, 20 minutes Houston managed to get a foot in the game."

Vancouver, which made the playoffs in 2012 and again last year only to lose single elimination first-round matches on the road both times, could have made life a lot easier against Houston (11-14-9), which had already been eliminated from post-season contention.

Willis made a diving stop on a header from Whitecaps striker Octavio Rivero inside three minutes before stretching to stop Matias Laba's shot from distance moments later.

Vancouver's Cristian Techera then rattled Willis' crossbar with a thunderous strike that bounced down and stayed out in the 13th minute.

Despite not having anything to play for other than pride and jobs next season, the Dynamo looked confident moving forward and got their first opportunity on a free kick in the 21st off the boot of Giles Barnes that Whitecaps goalkeeper David Ousted stopped comfortably.

Vancouver, which had to play a meaningless CONCACAF Champions League game in Honduras on Thursday, had another chance in the 29th minute, but Waston's header off a corner hit the turf and bounced into Willis' arms.

Houston then put a scare into the Whitecaps in the 37th when Barnes blasted a shot from 25 yards out that was stopped by a diving Ousted.

"We knew it would be difficult," said Robinson. "They've got good players on their team, but from the first whistle we went at them. I did think at halftime maybe we weren't going to score when their 'keeper made a couple of good saves, but if you keep working hard eventually it comes."

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TORONTO CROATIA WIN A SQUEAKER FOR CSL CHAMPIONSHIP….Milton score Second Division victory

Toronto Croatia defeated SC Waterloo 1-0 to win the CSL Championship at Warrior Stadium, Waterloo Sunday.

Midfielder Oscar Cordon struck the only goal of the game at 46 minutes, a low drive from 12 yards that left little opportunity for Waterloo goalkeeper Imad Hakura to make the save. The Toronto team also found the net 12 minutes into the game, but the goal was ruled offside.

It was a well-played defensive encounter with few scoring chances throughout. The championship victory was number 10 for Toronto Croatia since entering the league in 1956 and the third during the past five years, winning in 2011 and 2012.

“It was defensive for sure, but we wanted this one, maybe more than our opposition and that’s what made the difference,” said Velimir Crljen, coach of Toronto Croatia following the game.

Toronto Croatia finished second in the standings in the regular season, SC Waterloo end in fourth spot of 12 teams in the CSL First Division.

Toronto Croatia:

Josip Keran, Sven Arapovic, Andres Fresenga, Tomislav Zadro, Halburto Harris, Hayden Fitizwilliams, Shawn Brown, Jure Glavina, David Alva, Ainsley Deer, Pero Menalo, Darren Chambers, Ivan Cutura, Christian Maraldo, Anes Handanovic, Oscar Cordon, Amir Hosic, Faris Efendic. Head Coach: Vladimir Crljen, Assistant Coach: Milodrag Akamazdic, Assistant Coach: Tom Granic, Manager: Ivan Kulis.

SC Waterloo:

Imad Hakura, Thomas Sackor, Nemanja Simeunovic, Zachary Ellis-Hayden,Vladimir Zelenbaba, Terrell Christian, Mirza Colic, Mohammad-Ali Heydarpour, Ranko Golijanin, Ramon Bailey, Adis Hasecic, Aleksander Stojiljkovic, Slobodan Milanovic. Ryan Paumier, Branko Gavric, Dzenan Karic, Mladen Zeljkovic, Edward Syllie. Head Coach: Lazo Dzepina, Manager: Vojislav Brisevac.

CSL CHAMPIONSHIP – SUMMARY

Quarterfinals

Serbian White Eagles 1, London City 0

SC Waterloo 2, Toronto Atomic FC 0

York Region Shooters 4, Burlington SC 2

Toronto Croatia 4, Milton SC 0

Semifinals

SC Waterloo 3, Serbian White Eagles 2

Toronto Croatia 3, York Region Shooters 2

Final

Toronto Croatia 1, SC Waterloo 0

CSL SECOND DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP

In the first game of a double header, Milton SC reserves scored a 3-1 extra time victory over SC Waterloo reserves for the CSL Second Division Championship.

Forward Edward Syllie opened the scoring for Waterloo reserves at the 47th minute for 1-0 score at the break.

Danny Jirta tied the score1-1 at 88 minutes for Milton, a 1-1 tie at the end of regulation time.

Adnan Smajic put Milton into a 2-1 lead at 91 minutes and Lucky Maghori increased the lead to 3-1 at 16 minutes of extra time, and the score remained 3-1 to the final whistle.

CSL SECOND DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP – SUMMARY

Quarterfinals

Brantford Galaxy B 1, Burlington SC B 0

SC Waterloo B 5, Serbian White Eagles B 0

Milton SC B 6, Toronto Atomic FC B 0

York Region Shooters B 4, Niagara United B 4 EXTRA TIME

Niagara United B won on penalty kicks.

Semifinals

SC Waterloo B 5, Niagara United B 1

Milton SC B 3, Brantford Galaxy B 0

Final

Milton SC B 3, SC Waterloo B 1