Watch: Toronto FC finally finds breakthrough with pair of late goals
After banging, no, smashing on the door for 84 minutes, Toronto FC finally kicked it open.
What looked destined to be a frustrating evening filled with half-chances and near-misses - along with some questionable officiating decisions - turned into euphoria at BMO Field, as Jozy Altidore pounced on a loose ball and smashed it home to give the Reds a 1-0 lead over New York City FC in the first leg of the two teams' Eastern Conference semifinal.
The Canadian side got a deserved second minutes later, as substitute Tosaint Ricketts bumbled home a goal in injury time to send an already bouncing home crowd into pandemonium.
In injury time, Canadian Tosaint Ricketts puts #TFC up by 2!! #TFCLive #TORvsNYC #BMOfield pic.twitter.com/flEOCHTz2z
— Lorraine McMillanG (@bluejaylover49) October 31, 2016
It doesn't matter how they go in, as long as they do.
Toronto FC now heads into the second leg at Yankee Stadium knowing that avoiding a complete collapse should be enough to reach the Eastern Conference final for the first time in club history.