Canadian soccer fans have reason to cheer, when Toronto FC goes head-to-head with the Montreal Impact in the first-ever All-Canadian MLS Eastern Conference final.
TSN Radio Host Kayla Grey told CTV News Your Morning, “Nobody expected this.”
“This is so big for Canadian soccer in terms of how much attention that this matchup is going to get,” she said on Monday.
Toronto FC beat out New York City FC Sunday night to secure their spot in the final.
Sebastian Giovinco scored a hat trick and Jozy Altidore and Jonathan Osorio each added a goal for a lopsided 5-0 win at Yankee Stadium.
Toronto completed a 7-0 aggregate semifinal victory that fans might consider one of the franchise's finest moments.
Armed with a 2-0 lead from the first leg, Toronto scored in the sixth, 20th and 30th minutes of Sunday night’s game. New York went into the dressing room at halftime needing six goals to win after a first half that saw Toronto roll like a runaway train.
Another Toronto goal in the 50th minute meant the New Yorkers needed seven points to win.
Giovinco added a goal in stoppage time to compete the rout as travelling Toronto fans chanted "MVP, MVP."
Meanwhile, Montreal won 2-1 over the conference- leading New York Red Bulls Sunday, making for an aggregate 3-1 win.
The Impact won the first leg of the home-and-home series, defeating the Red Bulls 1-0 at Saputo Stadium on Oct. 30.
During Sunday’s game, Impact were unable to create much of an offensive attack in the first half. Montreal was outshot 6-2 in the opening 45 minutes and trailed significantly in time of possession.
But Ignacio Piatti broke the 0-0 deadlock by elevating a shot over Luis Robles.
Red Bull’s Bradley Wright-Phillips tied up the match but Piatti's second goal eight minutes later decided the game.
"It looks like it's going to be a 401 Derby, Conference Final-style," said Montreal Impact’s Evan Bush.
In addition to their fierce regular-season rivalry, the two Canadian teams have some playoff history. Montreal spoiled Toronto's post-season debut last year, in a 3-0 win at Saputo Stadium.
The conference final does not start until Nov. 22 at Olympic Stadium because of a break for international games. The second leg is Nov. 30 at BMO Field, three days after the Grey Cup.
Grey voiced concern about both teams keeping up momentum with the amount of time until the final, but she thinks Toronto FC could take home the cup.
“Absolutely, I think they could win the whole thing,” she told CTV News, citing the great teamwork seen in Sunday night’s game.
With files from The Canadian Press
