How’s the view from up there, Toronto FC?

TFC extended their season-high unbeaten run to seven consecutive games on Wednesday night with a 2-1 road win over Orlando City thanks to goals from Tosaint Ricketts and Jozy Altidore.

It wasn’t particularly pretty from the Reds on this night, especially for most of the second half as they wilted in the Florida humidity and defended with desperation at times. But TFC showed great grit in grinding it out, and earning the victory via Altidore’s late goal after it looked as though they were headed to a frustrating stalemate.

Coming at the end of a tough three-game road trip, and with this being TFC’s second match in five days, these are three very valuable points—this in a league where only one team boasts a winning record away from home this year.

The win moved Toronto, now with a 12-7-7 record and 43 points, past New York City FC for first place in the Eastern Conference, a position they’ve never held this late in the regular season since entering Major League Soccer in 2007 as an expansion franchise. Undefeated in seven consecutive games (six wins and a draw), the Reds are also just two points back of FC Dallas for first place overall in MLS.

The last time Toronto was perched atop the East this late in the campaign was in July, 2009. It seems like ages ago, doesn’t it, when you consider everything this club has been through since then? How times have changed.

The summer has historically been when TFC’s season falls apart. Not this year. Toronto has improved with each game over the past two months, and is hitting its top form as we get down to the business end of the regular season.

Yes, it’s only August, so nothing has been decided, and there’s still plenty to play for with eight games remaining on the schedule. But there’s no denying that Toronto is the hottest team in the league at the moment. Barring a major collapse, the Reds look like a lock to clinch a playoff berth, and if they keep playing like this, they’ll enter the post-season as one of the favourites to win the MLS Cup.

Coach Greg Vanney went with a 3-5-2 formation against Orlando. In total, Vanney made five lineup changes from Saturday’s win in Philadelphia, with a trio of key starters on the bench: defender Justin Morrow, midfielder Will Johnson and Altidore. Defender Steven Beitashour did not dress, while midfielder Daniel Lovitz started and saw his first action since June after being sidelined with a knee injury.

TFC goalkeeper Alex Bono bailed out teammate Marky Delgado in the fourth minute when the midfielder’s errant back pass sent Orlando forward Cyle Larin on a clear breakaway. Bono stood his ground and made a solid save to deny the Canadian international.

Toronto opened the scoring three minutes later. Noticing that Orlando’s defence momentarily switched off, Sebastian Giovinco took a quick throw-in that sent Ricketts on goal. The Edmonton native finished off the chance by firing his shot past ex-TFC goalkeeper Joe Bendik and inside the near post. It was Ricketts’ second goal for the Reds since joining the team last month.

Larin made amends for his earlier miss in the 56th minute when he out-jumped Toronto defender Josh Williams inside the box to head a cross played from the flank off the post and in.

Altidore came in for Ricketts and could have restored Toronto’s advantage in the 65th minute, but Bendik came up huge to swat away the American forward’s header from in close off a cross from Nick Hagglund.

Alitore ended up getting the better of the Orlando goalkeeper, though. In the 86th minute, Giovinco played a defence-splitting pass for Altidore, who timed his run to perfection and then rounded the onrushing Bendik before scoring into an empty net. The American has now scored in four consecutive games, and has five goals in his last six matches.

Toronto leads the all-time series against Orlando with four wins in five matches. These sides will meet for the third and final time this year on Sept. 28 at BMO Field.

TFC returns to action on Saturday when it hosts the Montreal Impact.

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