Jozy’s Day

Victor Vazquez scored the first post-season goal for TFC this year and he also scored the last. But the goals during this run that will be remembered were by the limping Altidore. It’s been a trying year for Altidore. His national team didn’t make the World Cup and he’s received abusive taunts in American stadiums since. He was sent off versus the New York Red Bulls. He was suspended and then got hurt versus Columbus. But all that was forgotten when he made one of his patented runs from out wide to get on the end of a ball played in the box. First a great touch with his right foot, and then a burst of speed past Joevin Jones, the quickest player on Seattle’s roster, followed by a composed finish past Stefan Frei, who was helpless as the ball nestled in the back of the Seattle goal for the first time this post-season. Frei won the one on one battle in 2016 but Jozy had the last laugh and now etches his name in the Toronto sports lore. Altidore scored two of TFC’s three goals in the team’s last four playoff games. The American striker has the most goals in the MLS Cup playoffs since 2015 with seven, two more than the five Dempsey and Giovinco each have. Altidore was a deserving 2017 MLS Cup MVP.