Toronto FC 4, New York City FC 0 | 2017 MLS Match Recap

Sebastian Giovinco scored his 49th and 50th MLS goals, one with each foot in each half, to spark Toronto FC's 4-0 rout of New York City FC on Sunday and push the Reds five points clear in the Eastern Conference and Supporters' Shield races.

Giovinco hit a gorgeous left-footed curler off the dribble in the first half and then added an even better right-footed free kick rocket midway through the second.

Jozy Altidore added a penalty for his ninth goal of the season and Raheem Edwards scored his first career MLS goal as Toronto handed NYCFC their worst loss since a 5-0 defeat to the Reds in the second leg of the 2016 Eastern Conference semifinals.

Maxi Moralez missed a late penalty for New York, which could've pulled even with Toronto with an away victory. Instead, the visitors were shut out for the first time since their 1-0 opening weekend loss at Orlando City SC.

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Goals

• 32' – TOR – Sebastian Giovinco Watch
• 67' – TOR – Sebastian Giovinco Watch
• 75' – TOR – Jozy Altidore (PK) Watch
• 82' – TOR – Raheem Edwards Watch

Three Things

THINGS THAT GIOVINCO BOOM: Of all the players who have reached the MLS 50-goal plateau, perhaps none have grouped their goals together quite in the same way as Giovinco. While his stat line of 50 goals in 78 appearances suggests consistency, it may be more accurate to call it consistent explosiveness. The Turin-born talisman has actually hit 28 of those goals in just 12 league matches (four hat tricks and eight braces).

PIRLO’S PLIGHT:
That other Italian star,
Andrea Pirlo
, made his second start in four matches for NYCFC -- and just his third since the beginning of May -- but his defensive problems persisted. Particularly, Giovinco showed an abundance of ease in evading the 38-year-old before lashing his opener beyond
Sean Johnson
from 22 yards away. Patrick Vieira subbed Pirlo off in the 68th minute, moments after Giovinco’s second goal.

HINDSIGHT IS ALWAYS 2-2: While New York perhaps were not poor as the final scoreline indicated, their inability to cope with Toronto's playmaker again brought into focus what an opportunity City had missed 11 days prior. With Altidore and Michael Bradley already away at the Gold Cup, the Reds lost Giovinco in the 39th minute to a back bruise. But NYCFC couldn’t capitalize, conceding a very late penalty that Victor Vazquez converted to salvage a 2-2 draw for TFC.

They Said It

Toronto coach Greg Vanney did not hold back when asked yet again to give his opinion of his Italian playmaker after the game.

Next Up

• TOR: Saturday, Aug. 5 – at DC United (7 pm ET | TSN 1, MLS LIVE in the US)
• NYC: Sunday, Aug. 6 – vs New York Red Bulls (6 pm ET | FS1, MLS LIVE in Canada)