Every story of victory needs its defining moment, and as Toronto FC clinched their first ever playoff spot, that moment wasn't when the final whistle blew. While the referee's signal officially indicated the end of a nine year wait, a goal from Sebastian Giovinco had already confirmed it.
It wasn't just any goal, either, in fact it may have been the best goal BMO Field has ever seen. The reason it isn't certainly the best goal the stadium has ever seen comes down to the Italian who continues to score goalazos week in and week out.
"He gets on the half turn and just starts weaving in and out of guys, it was almost like they didn't want to be there," said Greg Vanney describing the goal after the match. "In the end we need it to get the three points."
Giovinco wasn't willing to call it the best goal he has ever scored, saying there are many others in contention. However, he was willing to acknowledge that it was among them.
The fact that the Italian international was playing at all was surprising. His plane from Rome, Italy arrived in Toronto at 3:45 PM and he went immediately to the stadium.
When it was announced that Giovinco would be playing on Tuesday in a Euro Qualifier for Italy against Norway it seemed inconceivable that he would be at all available for today's match.
But missing the game was never an option for the atomic ant. He may have only been here a short time, but he understands how much this match meant to everyone involved.
"This was a really important game for the city, for the team, for everyone," Giovinco said through a translator. "I knew it, and I tried to just be available for everyone, and I wanted to play."
Initially, Greg Vanney never would have put his player in this position with so little rest. It was never in the plans to have Giovinco make a substitute appearance against New York until he insisted on it.
"He texted immediately after the game last night, he texted before he got on the plane, he texted when he landed," said Greg Vanney of the persistence of his DP. "As soon as he got here he said he was ready to play, he was going to play. I think a player like that knows himself well enough."
Vanney also said it showed how much Giovinco cares. That hasn't always been the case with the club's designated players, but there has been no doubt with Seba that he wants this club to succeed and he loves this city.
He even paid an homage to the Blue Jays who won their first playoff series since 1993 tonight, by doing their signature "stir the pot" celebration after scoring.
It was a special moment for Toronto FC, made even better by the fact that it was scored by the most special player to ever play for the club.