TORONTO – There was no doubting which star shone brightest on Friday night.
Amidst a sea of high caliber players when Toronto FC and the Chicago Fire met, it was Sebastian Giovinco who stole the show with his brace as TFC downed the Fire 3-1 on the night.
Entering the match, much of the talk revolved around Bastian Schweinsteiger and how his inclusion has bolstered the Fire. Giovinco, on the other hand, was questioned, having scored just a single goal through five matches this year.
The Italian needed just 28 minutes to upset that narrative, beating Jorge Bava with a sneaky drive, having shaped to go to the far-side before blasting a shot past the keeper at the near post.
Come the 82nd minute, it was a trademark free kick that kissed the underside of the bar before settling, cradled, in the back of the net.
“His ability in and around the goal, to shoot, to put defenders on the wrong foot, to finish off plays, is at a very high level,” said Michael Bradley after the match. “We were all happy that he could get two good goals tonight and play a big part in a great win.”
According to TFC head coach Greg Vanney, the only difference between this night and those previously, was that “the team moved the ball quicker, which means the guys have just a fraction more time than when the ball gets to them. From the backline to the midfield, everything moved just a little bit faster.”
Vanney called Giovinco's first a “crafty finish” and the free-kick “special,” also singling out dynamic performances from Victor Vazquez and Marky Delgado, as additional reasons for the victory.
The love fest did see a somewhat rocky end come the 85th minute, when Giovinco was replaced by Benoit Cheyrou and then stormed down the tunnel.
Vanney explained the misunderstanding: “Seba wants to score goals, the game was opening up, there might have been another opportunity or two at the end. He's passionate. He was not happy that he was coming off.”
Aside from the tactical reason – an extra midfielder – and the long-term one – getting other players valuable minutes ahead of a busy May, Vanney had another reason he substituted Giovinco late.
“I wanted him to have a moment where the crowd acknowledged his success on the night,” said Vanney. “I thought he was great, worked hard, has taken a lot of heat and it was a moment for the crowd and Seba alone. He was tremendous. It was supposed to be a show of respect from the crowd to him. That we appreciate what he does.”
