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Greg Vanney’s decision to take off Sebastian Giovinco with a little over 15 minutes to play until penalties seemed questionable at the time.
A lot will be said with the benefit of hindsight, but not trying Seba in midfield or keeping him on for penalties is a huge call. #TFCLive
— Waking the Red (@WakingtheRed) December 11, 2016
Toronto FC’s go-to option late in games during the MLS playoffs has been to drop Sebastian Giovinco into midfield with Jozy Altidore and Tosaint Ricketts ahead of him, but when Ricketts appeared late in the MLS Cup final on Saturday night it was the Italian who made way.
As it turns out, the change was forced. Giovinco, who was substituted with what was said at the time to be cramp in the second leg of Toronto’s conference final against the Montreal Impact, asked to come off because he “couldn’t move”.
Greg Vanney says that Seba told him that he could no longer play. It was not a decision he wanted to make subbing him out of the match.
— Danielle Emanuele (@dee_emanuele) December 11, 2016
It was not the moment that Toronto lost the MLS Cup - Altidore and Ricketts both had huge chances to win the game - but it was undoubtedly a major blow when the shootout that followed is considered.