Home win over Cruz Azul was highlight of 2010 club season

Toronto FC’s 2:1 home victory over two-time CONCACAF Champions League finalist Cruz Azul was the highlight of the 2010 club season in Canada. The big win over the visiting Mexican club came in the group phase of 2010-11 CONCACAF Champions League on 17 August at BMO Field in Toronto, ON.
It was the perfect start for the two-time Canadian champions, who picked up three full points in the opening match of the group phase. Martin Saric opened the scoring in the third minute before Mista doubled the lead in the 45th minute. Cruz Azul countered with a late goal in the 90th minute (Christin Gimenez), but it was too little too late the Mexican club.
It was not just a big victory, but it was also unquestionably Toronto FC’s best team performance of the 2010 campaign. Unfortunately, Toronto FC went on to finish third in the group phase and did not advance to the 2011 portion of the continental championship. MLS champion Real Salt Lake won the group with 13 points in six matches while Cruz Azul collected 10 points, Toronto FC collected eight points, and Arabe Unido won just three points. Toronto FC’s 0:1 loss to Arabe Unido in Panama was the difference in the Canadian club’s elimination.
Toronto FC qualified for 2010-11 CONCACAF Champions League after winning its second Nutrilite Canadian Championship. Toronto FC won the title on 2 June after closing out the three-team round-robin championship with eight points in four matches. Toronto FC finished first ahead of two-time runner-up Vancouver Whitecaps FC (four points) and one-time Canadian champion Impact Montréal (two points).
Canadian Dwayne De Rosario won his second George Gross Memorial Trophy as tournament MVP. The Toronto FC captain was Man of the Match in three consecutive matches.
In league play, Toronto FC did not qualify for the Major League Soccer playoffs while the Impact and Whitecaps both reached the semi-final stage of the USSF-2 playoffs. The Whitecaps will join MLS in 2011 while the Impact will join in 2012.
In November, the MLS champions were crowned at MLS Cup 2010 in Toronto. In front of a sold-out crowd at BMO Field, the Colorado Rapids won 2:1 after extra time over FC Dallas. Colorado was a first-time champion in the league’s 15th season.
In October over Thanksgiving weekend, eight clubs were crowned national champions at the 2010 BMO National Championships. The big winners were Charlottetown’s Churchill Arms in the Challenge Trophy men’s competition and Halifax Dunbrack in the Jubilee Trophy women’s competition. Both senior competitions took place in Charlottetown, PE, with Churchill Arms becoming the province’s first senior men’s club champions.
In the Sony U-18 Cup in Mount Pearl, NL, Coquitlam Metro Ford won the men’s competition while Royal Sélect Beauport won the women’s competition. In the U-16 Cup in Vaughan, ON, Ajax Strikers won the boys’ competition while Pickering Power Green won the girls’ competition. In the U-14 Cup in Moncton, NB, Coquitlam Metro Ford Fusion won the boys’ competition while Braves D’Ahunstic won the girls’ competition.