Toronto FC - Nutrilite Canadian Champions 2009

18th June 2009

TFC Score 6 goals to win the Nutrilite Canadian Championship 2009

Toronto FC pulled off the miracle in Montreal on Thursday, defeating the Montreal Impact 6-1 to take the 2009 Nutrilite Canadian Championship. TFC came into the game needing a win by four or more goals to replace the Vancouver Whitecaps atop the final standings, and after a Tony Donatelli penalty kick gave the Impact a 1-0 lead in the first half it looked all but over for Toronto, as the team now needed to score five to take the title. But the Reds, who had never scored five goals or more coming into Thursday's encounter, reeled off six straight to take the national championship on goal-differential over Vancouver.

Chad Barrett scored the championship-winning goal in the 81st minute, knocking a header into the Impact net on a TFC corner kick. But the man of the match had to be Reds midfielder Dwayne De Rosario. He started the comeback with a natural hat trick, scoring the first three TFC goals. Amado Guevara had two goals of his own in the win. But the Reds, who had never scored five goals or more coming into Thursday's encounter, reeled off six straight to take the national championship on goal-differential over Vancouver.

Chad Barrett scored the championship-winning goal in the 81st minute, knocking a header into the Impact net on a TFC corner kick. But the man of the match had to be Reds midfielder Dwayne De Rosario. He started the comeback with a natural hat trick, scoring the first three TFC goals. Amado Guevara had two goals of his own in the win. De Rosario jumped into the adoring arms of hundreds of Toronto FC supporters after the final whistle as TFC was handed the Voyageurs Cup.

The Whitecaps had the dubious privilege of watching their title hopes fade away in person, as they were in attendance at Saputo Stadium in Montreal for a tilt against the Impact scheduled for Saturday (CBC, CBCSports.ca, 1:30 p.m. ET). Montreal was resting a few of its starters for the contest, as it was already eliminated from Canadian championship contention and is now focusing on league play. By winning the Canadian championship, Toronto FC will now play in the 2009-10 CONCACAF Champions League. TFC will face the Puerto Rico Islanders in a two-leg playoff on July 28 and Aug. 4, with the winner moving on to the group phase of the competition.

TFC presses advantage

As expected, the Reds pressed the advantage from the opening kickoff, but couldn't find their way in the attacking half as the makeshift Impact defence stood tall. Danny Dichio had two chances to open TFC's account in the first 15 minutes, but couldn't connect on a bicycle kick in the Impact box six minutes in, and missed a header from a Sam Cronin cross nine minutes later. Toronto didn't even have a shot on Montreal goalkeeper Srdjan Djekanovic until the 22nd minute, a squib kick that he handled easily. And then it looked like the final blow was dealt to TFC's title hopes.

The Impact's strong play in the Reds' box forced a foul out of Nick Garcia, who clearly tripped Peter Byers near the six-yard box in the 23rd minute. Montreal's Donatelli coolly placed it in the right corner past TFC keeper Stefan Frei. But Dwayne De Rosario gave TFC a glimmer of hope just six minutes later, scoring on a spectacular overhead kick in the 29th minute after Djekanovic couldn't punch a corner kick out of the Montreal box. After that, the Impact were back on their heels. Dichio had another chance to score, just missing on a diving header in the 33rd minute. It was 2-1 Toronto in the 38th, as De Rosario powered a shot through Djekanovic for his second of the game.

Barrett makes it five

The Reds needed a goal early in the second half to keep the momentum, and they got one as De Rosario delivered again. He notched his hat trick goal only three minutes into the second half, as Toronto took advantage of a botched Impact offside trap that sent the TFC midfielder in alone against Djekanovic. Montreal showed it was dangerous on the counter as the Reds threw everyone forward to grab the final two goals late in the game.

The Impact's lone forward up front, Pierre-Rudolph Mayard, had two good chances to score after TFC's third goal, but Frei came up big to keep the Reds' hopes alive. And then Amado Guevara put Toronto one goal away from the championship. The Honduran scored a beauty on one of his patented free kicks right on the 68th minute to put Toronto within one of the championship. After Barrett completed the TFC comeback in the 81st minute, Guevara added an insurance goal in the 90th to make it 6-1.