THE ‘GIOVINCO EFFECT’

Forget the Didier “Drogba Effect,” the phrase permeating Montreal streets — the Reds have a not-so-secret weapon of their own. How’s this for analysis? Toronto FC could win this match simply because it has the most dynamic player in Major League Soccer — the undoubted MVP. Let’s take a walk down memory lane. Remember that 4-4 draw at Yankee Stadium? That was Sebastian Giovinco’s doing. Remember that recent 2-1 win over the Red Bulls? That was Giovinco. Remember that shock win on the road at D.C. United? That was almost entirely because of Giovinco. See a pattern? There are only a handful of players in this league who are capable of winning a game on their own. Two of them will feature on Thursday at Saputo Stadium. The Atomic Ant has accomplished just about everything possible during his first season in MLS. If he single-handedly leads Toronto to playoff glory over the fiercely hated Impact, it will only add to the legendary status of one of the best single seasons the MLS has ever seen.

REMEMBERING THE GOOD

There’s no question Toronto FC was disappointed to lose Sunday’s regular-season finale at Saputo Stadium. It cost it a home playoff game. That said, the Reds were the better team through the first 45 minutes, taking a 1-0 lead into the halftime break amid squandering a number of clear-cut chances. That could be why Jozy Altidore told reporters post-game he felt “lucky” to open the playoffs back in Quebec on Thursday. We’ll see if that holds true. Truth be told, though, the Reds were extremely good heading into the break in Montreal. They were playing with attacking freedom while getting back and organizing things on defence. That organization in the first half saw them stymie Drogba and Ignacio Piatti, who ripped the Reds open in the late stages. The margin between winning and losing in this sport is so slim. Switch off for a minute and roles can reverse in an instant. Expect TFC bench boss Greg Vanney to scour the video in an effort to replicate the good aspects and clean up the bad before Thursday night’s playoff game.

THE DRESS REHEARSAL

It’s not as though the Montreal Impact is littered with attacking options. After Drogba and Piatti, there isn’t much else. The Reds are aware of Dominic Oduro’s speed. Opposite him, Johan Venegas isn’t a big concern. Looking back, most of the Impact’s success — not to mention both goals on Sunday — originated from the left side of the field, with crosses being finished off by the hottest striker in the league. So what’s the solution? First and foremost, the Reds need to ensure their wide midfielders — Robbie Findley, Marky Delgado or Jonathan Osorio — know to double down whenever the Impact is in possession in wide areas. During Sunday’s dress rehearsal, there were too many instances of Piatti running in space and attacking the right side of TFC’s defence. It’s not hard to take that aspect of the game away if there’s urgency and help defending. By taking away Montreal’s ability to operate in wide positions, you limit service into Drogba. And considering the Ivorian has scored nine of his 11 goals this season off crosses and set pieces, taking those options away will limit Montreal’s chances.

THE GENERAL

If we’re going to talk about Giovinco’s quality, if we’re going to talk about Didier Drogba being a monster inside the penalty area, it makes sense to talk about Michael Bradley’s game-breaking ability. Toronto FC’s captain might be the gamer of all gamers in North American soccer. He’s stood tallest in a plethora of big moments for the United States, including World Cups and other international fixtures. If you’ve followed Bradley the previous four-to-six years, you know he shows up when he’s needed most. He’s going to be accountable. He’s unflinching. No matter the scenario on Thursday — whether the Reds are trailing or leading at Saputo Stadium — look for Bradley to step up and lead by example. His urgency always seems to ratchet up a notch when everything is on the line, a kind of hyper-focus. When you look at both midfields, there’s no question Toronto FC is in better shape to handle the situation considering the experience and calming presence Benoit Cheyrou brings. You always get the sense that, along with Giovinco, Bradley will be there to will his team to victory. He’s been doing it his entire career.

HOLY TOLEDO!

Referee Baldomero Toledo has been put in charge of Thursday night’s first-round playoff game. Traditionally, Toledo — who will be refereeing his 208th MLS match — calls games extremely tight, producing around 25 foul whistles per game. Considering the abuse opposing teams like to dish out in an attempt to slow down Giovinco, having an official who’s quick to blow his whistle could allow Toronto’s Italian attacker to play with more freedom. And with how deadly Giovioco is on restarts, no-nonsense refereeing in and around the penalty area could benefit Toronto FC. Furthermore, Montreal centre-back Laurent Ciman — a top defender in the league — accumulated a total of 11 cards (eight yellow, three red) during 27 starts this season. Toledo is an official who isn’t afraid to go to his back pocket if the situation warrants it. For that reason, it’s also going to be key for TFC’s Ahmed Kantari to play with a little less truculence at the opposite end.

NO BANS FOR TFC FANS

An investigation into the actions of traveling Toronto FC supporters inside Montreal's Saputo Stadium Sunday night yielded no suspension or bans, the Toronto Sun confirmed Tuesday afternoon.

Major League Soccer had considered preventing TFC fans from organizing during Thursday night's first-round playoff game back in Quebec, but decided against issuing any punishments after supporters lit flares and smoke bombs - items banned from MLS stadiums - during TFC's 2-1 loss.

Around 500 TFC supporters - from five supporters' groups - banded together in the stands at Saputo Stadium Sunday. A large number of traveling supporters are expected at the venue Thursday night.

Phil Tobin, the president of Red Patch Boys, offered his group's bylaws to the Sun, which specifically say that "violence and violation of stadium, municipal, provincial or federal law is not condoned." It's unclear if any supplemental discipline will occur after these playoffs

Email: kurtis.larson@sunmedia.ca

Twitter: @KurtLarSUN