Toronto FC vs. Ottawa Fury FC | 2018 Canadian Championship Match Preview

Toronto FC vs. Ottawa Fury FC
Canadian Championship Semifinal - Second Leg
BMO Field — Toronto
July 25 - 7:30 pm ET
WATCH: CanadaSoccer.com, Yahoo Sports Canada

After getting a critical away goal in a 1-0 victory in the opening leg of the semifinals, Toronto FClook to book their ticket for the Canadian Championship final when they host Ottawa Fury FC Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

Jonathan Osorio scored the game’s lone goal in the fifth minute, taking a pass from Ryan Telferand sneaking a low shot inside the near post.

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Toronto FC    

Perhaps buoyed by their performance in the midweek, Toronto FC (5-11-4) picked up three massive points in the first of back-to-back league games against the Chicago Fire, winning 2-1at Toyota Park Saturday.

Sebastian Giovinco opened the scoring two minutes into the second half and three minutes after Nemanja Nikolic leveled, Osorio struck for the 65th-minute winner on a night when both Jozy Altidore and Victor Vazquez returned from injury.

“This is the kind of stretch we've been looking for: back-to-back wins, getting used to that feeling and knowing what it takes to do that,” Osorio said. “Today was a big step: away, against a team just ahead of us in the standings. We play them again next week, that will be another big one. Before that we have to finish things off on Wednesday against Ottawa. That's what we're looking forward to right now.”

• Suspended: None
• Suspended after next caution: None
• International duty: None
• Injury Report: OUT: D - Drew Moor (quadricep strain), D - Auro (hamstring strain)

Projected Starting XI
(4-3-3, right to left)
GK: Clint Irwin — Justin Morrow, Nick Hagglund, Eriq Zavaleta, Ashtone Morgan — Liam Fraser, Jonathan Osorio, Ryan Telfer — Jay Chapman, Ayo Akinola, Malik Johnson

Ottawa FC

Ottawa (8-3-8) bounced back from their midweek loss in the opening leg to defeat Nashville SC, 2-0, back in USL play Saturday at TD Place Stadium.

After Nashville’s Alan Winn put a penalty kick off the crossbar in the 80th minute, Tony Taylor broke the stalemate in the first minute of stoppage time to cap a quality counter attack and then Kevin Oliveira closed the game out with a thunderous strike that caromed off the crossbar and in.

“It was an even game. The halftime score of 0-0 was fair I think, but in the second half we started to press them and create some chances,” Ottawa coach Nikola Popovic said after the game. “We were very lucky. The penalty was unlucky, but being able to come back after that and score two goals was fantastic. We have to congratulate our players.”

• Suspended: None
• Suspended after next caution: None
• International duty: None
• Injury Report: OUT: D - Maxim Tissot (knee injury), F - Carl Haworth (ankle injury), F - Azake Luboyera (lower leg injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-2-3-1, right to left)
GK: Maxime Crepeau — Eddie Edward, Nana Attakora, Thomas Meilleur-Giguere, Onua Obasi — Jamar Dixon, Chris Mannella — Tony Taylor, Kevin Oliveira, Adonijah Reid — Steevan Dos Santos

All-Time in Canadian Championship

• Overall: Ottawa Fury FC 7 wins, 16 goals … Toronto FC 18 wins, 48 goals
• This is the fourth Canadian Championship meeting between Ottawa Fury FC and Toronto FC. Toronto FC won the first leg of the semifinal series, 1-0, last Wednesday. Ottawa won, 2-1 at home in the first leg of the semifinals on May 23, 2017 and Toronto FC claimed a 4-0 victory on May 30, 2017 at BMO Field, advancing 5-2 on aggregate.