Toronto FC dominates CF Montreal and advances to the Canadian Championship final

Ayo Akinola scored twice while Jesus Jimenez and Alejandro Pozuelo also netted as Toronto FC beat CF Montreal 4-0 at BMO Field on Wednesday to advance to the 2022 Canadian Championship final while eliminating the champions 2021.

Akinola opened the scoring in the 40th minute for the Reds, when he was at the end of a three-touch play initiated by Jimenez. The striker found Luca Petrasso on his left side. Petrasso passed the ball to Akinola, who easily beat Montreal goaltender James Pantemis to take a 1-0 lead.

TFC had several chances before Akinola’s first goal.

Montreal’s best first-half scoring chance came in the 20th minute when Montreal captain Samuel Piette’s chance from inside the box was blocked by a TFC defender just in front of goal.

Toronto FC led in shots, 7-2, in the first half, although Montreal had 57% possession of the ball.

In the second half, Montreal made two substitutions to put on an attacking formation, but were caught on the wrong end of a turnover as they tried to equalise. Pozuelo took the ball upfield and found Akinola, whose shot from the center of the box went over the bar and into the back of the goal in the 54th minute.

Jimenez scored in the 75th minute when a Toronto FC corner kick opportunity bounced off Pantemis, leaving the TFC striker an easy touch.

Pozuelo scored three minutes later and made it 4-0 at TFC, when he went to the net with ease and fired a ball past Pantemis.

Toronto FC are one win away from claiming a record ninth Canadian championship. They clinched their eighth title earlier this month by winning the two-year-delayed 2020 Canadian Championship. TFC will face the winner of Wednesday’s other semi-final between Vancouver Whitecaps and Canadian Premier League side York United FC. The championship should take place in July.