With their minds elsewhere, Toronto FC have not started out the season as they would have wanted but they rectified that situation on Friday night with a win against the Philadelphia Union. Víctor Vázquez, Sebastian Giovinco and Jay Chapman were the goal scorers on the night that gave Toronto only their second win this season in Major League Soccer.
Vázquez puts Toronto ahead at the half
After some early exchanges were both teams tested the goalkeepers, it was Víctor Vázquez who opened the scoring in the 28th minute. Giovinco found Nicolas Hasler out wide in space and the right winger picked out Vázquez unmarked inside the Union penalty area and the Spaniard made no mistake from close range.
Toronto continued to dominate possession and pinned Philadelphia back in their own half for most of the game. Andre Blake, Philadelphia's goalkeeper, was called into action on more than one occasion and stopped the first half from being a complete disaster for the visitors. The two sides went into half-time with only one goal separating them.
Philadelphia crumble in the second half
Toronto did not let their foot off the gas and kept the Union under constant pressure in the second half as well. Even with Michael Bradley playing as a makeshift centre back, the Union were unable to test the Toronto captain in that unfamiliar role often enough and it allowed Toronto complete dominance over the proceedings.
Sebastian Giovinco made it two for the hosts in the 65th minute when he went on a great run, twisting and turning away from a couple of Union defenders before squeezing the ball past Blake into the far corner. Giovinco tested Blake again not too long after his goal but this time, the goalkeeper was up to the task and batted away the effort. Substitute Jay Chapman then made it three late in the game as Philadelphia were caught out on the break and he coolly slotted the ball home after receiving the ball from Jordan Hamilton.