Toronto FC needs four goals to claim title

Should Chad Barrett get a breakaway on Thursday night, he can’t afford to be stopped. Sam Cronin can’t afford to hit the far post nor can Dwayne De Rosario just a few minutes later.



Those were just three of the opportunities that Toronto FC missed on 13 May when it last faced the Impact de Montréal. This 18 June, Toronto FC will need to bury all of its chances as it will lose the championship with anything less than a victory by four or more goals.



“We need to score four goals and not concede any,” says Toronto FC coach Chris Cummins. “We put ourselves in this situation by not scoring enough goals in the first couple of games.”



Toronto FC has never lost to the Impact. In 2008 and 2009 Nutrilite Canadian Championship matches, Toronto FC has two wins (1:0 in 2008 and 1:0 in 2009) and one draw (a 1:1 draw). A win on Thursday will give Toronto FC nine points in the competition.



Vancouver Whitecaps FC, however, also has nine points in the competition. In four games, the Whitecaps scored five goals and conceded one. In three games, Toronto FC has scored two goals and conceded two. Toronto FC needs a four-goal victory to overcome the goal differential tie breaker.



To date, however, no team has scored more than two goals in a game. In fact, only one match (out of 11) has featured as many as four goals – a 2:2 draw between Toronto FC and the Whitecaps in 2008.



“We will come and have a go,” says Cummins. “You will see loads of energy out of us and loads of passion.”



The 18 June match is the sixth and final game in the 2009 Nutrilite Canadian Championship. The 2009 champion will be presented the Voyageurs Cup and qualify for the 2009-10 CONCACAF Champions League season.