Scoring drought? What scoring drought? After going eight matches without a goal, Toronto FC’s Sebastian Giovinco took little time to erase that ignominious mark on Saturday night against D.C. United. With a hat trick Giovinco helped lead the club past their Eastern Conference rivals by the score of 3-1.
Giovinco’s two free kick goals book-ended a strike from Marky Delgado in the 28th minute. D.C. United midfielder Jared Jeffrey provided his club their lone goal in the 27th minute.
Despite coming into the match without a goal in eight matches, Giovinco looked like nothing was wrong early on. With midfielder Benoit Cheryou finding space in the D.C. midfield, the Italian international was able to find space to break the early deadlock. Cheryou’s pass in the seventh minute found Giovinco but he was ruled offside.
Giovinco would break through in the 21st minute on a free kick just from beyond the eighteen yard box. “Yes, obviously, 3 goals, great performance by him, it’s nice for his sake,” said Toronto FC coach Greg Vanney. “It’s good for the team, which is an understatement.”
But D.C. would strike back just a minute later when midfielder Lloyd Sam would connect with a cross into Jeffrey. Jeffrey was able to get past Toronto center-back Drew Moor and hit home his second goal of the season.
As opposed to last week against the Sn Jose Earthquakes, where Toronto FC wilted despite having a two man advantage, TFC continued to press. Midfielder Jay Chapman would work a pass into Giovinco whose shot beat the D.C. defense but would hit the far post. Delgado made the run in and slotted him his second goal of the season.
Toronto would add another goal just before halftime when Giovinco would knock another free kick opportunity past United goalkeeper Travis Worra.
The second half would see the return of Jozy Altidore to the TFC lineup and the United States Men’s National Team striker would pay immediate dividends. In injury time Altidore would shrug off a United defender and hit a pass into the box for Giovinco. Giovinco’s three goals would up his total to nine this season.
“We brought Jozy in to give us that guy we could play out to, to make solid decisions, I asked him to sit back and drop on the six when we defended,” said Vanney. “It created balance across the field, it was great to see him out their sprinting around, connecting lines, unloading on a shot, it was great to have him back out there and have his presence on the field”
With the win, Toronto start a very important four game home stretch off on the right foot. The club will take the next week off and will next play on August the 3rd against Real Salt Lake. D.C. United will head home after four games on the road to host the Montreal Impact next Sunday.
DC United
Toronto FC
