Nutrilite Canadian Championship: Toronto FC Pulls Out Road Tie In First Leg

The winner of this two-game, aggregate-goal final will earn a spot in the CONCACAF Champions League’s preliminary round where they will face the qualifier from Nicaragua, either Real Esteli or Walter Ferreti. Toronto FC is the only Canadian team to compete in the continental tournament.

With hockey still very much national sport in Canada, even the prospect of seeing the country’s two top teams square off for the national championship in soccer is probably not going to be enough. That has prompted 86 Forever to make a call to Whitecaps fans to be prepared to make up the difference:

Waking the Red: I’d like to think very seriously. Entry into the CCL is a great prize that’s well worth qualifying for, and given how the MLS season is working out so far, a trophy and a cup run would be a much needed diversion. To the supporters at least, the tournament and title of Canadian Champions is also important in and of itself with all sorts of multi-layered regional rivalries in play. Going by the strong lineups Aron Winter put out against Edmonton in the semi final, it seems like he also understands the importance of the competition and the team is in it to win it. I’d be surprised and disappointed by anything other than the first choice team in both legs, let the B team play in the weekend’s MLS game in Colorado.