TORONTO -- Sebastian Giovinco, whose influence grew as the game wore on, gave Toronto FC a 1-0 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps in the first leg of the Amway Canadian Championship final Tuesday night.
The second leg is June 29 in Vancouver.
The Italian star put Toronto ahead in the 43rd minute before an enthusiastic crowd of 20,011 on a beautiful evening at BMO Field. Taking a pass from Mo Babouli, Giovinco hit the accelerator and passed several defenders as he cut inside, making room to rifle a shot from just outside the penalty box that deflected in off defender Kendall Waston.
The Whitecaps played well in the first half and likely deserved better than to go in a goal down.
But Toronto controlled the second half with Giovinco looking increasingly dangerous. Vancouver tried to counter, throwing on Blas Perez and Kekuta Manneh. Toronto kept pushing for a second goal deep into stoppage time.
The tournament winner claims the Voyageurs Cup and advances to the CONCACAF Champions League where a berth in the FIFA Club World Cup and US$500,000 go to the winner.
Toronto fielded virtually a full-strength starting lineup other than captain Michael Bradley, away with the U.S. team at Copa America, the injured Jozy Altidore (hamstring) and Damien Perquis, who is said to be feeling a little "battered."
Vancouver opted for a mixed squad with 15-year-old midfielder Alphonso Davies continuing his Cup run. Davies, part of the Whitecaps 2 setup, is the youngest player to make a first-team appearance for the Whitecaps.
Davies did not look out of place, although he faded somewhat as the game wore on and was substituted in the 67th minute.
The Whitecaps also got Waston, captain Pedro Morales and striker Octavio Rivero back from suspensions that saw them miss a 2-1 league loss to New England on the weekend. Waston is currently serving a two-game MLS ban but was able to play since league suspensions don't extend to the Canadian championship.
Canadian international midfielder Russell Teibert started for Vancouver, setting a record with his 16th appearance in the Canadian Championship and served as captain after Morales was subbed off in the second half.
The Whitecaps started five Canadians to Toronto's three.
Vancouver opened strongly with Clint Irwin making an acrobatic save to deny a Rivero header in the fourth minute. Giovinco cut a forlorn figure in the early going, but was denied service.
But Toronto began to find its rhythm as the half wore on. Giovinco showed good vision, finding Marky Delgado slashing into the box but Jonathan Osorio was unable to handle the final pass. Giovinco forced a save off goalkeeper Paolo Tornaghi from a free kick 30-plus yards out in the 33rd minute.
Giovinco, irate that assistant referee Marie-Josee Charbonneau had not called a foul, berated her in the final seconds of the first half and eventually had to be pulled away by Vancouver defender Pa-Modou Kah. The Atomic Ant made amends by shaking hands with the official before the second half.
Giovinco came close early in the second half, hammering a shot off the goalpost after leaving Waston in his dust. Then fullback Justin Morrow just missed poking a ball in from the side of the net.
Brought down just outside the box, Giovinco's free kick hit the wall in the 57th minute. The ball eventually bounced to Babouli, who fired it high over the bar from in close.
Waston came close for the Whitecaps in the 70th, looping a shot with his back to goal that Irwin had to work hard to parry. Then Giovinco was stopped by Tornaghi.
Babouli had his moments, tying fullback Frazer Aird into knots after a shimmying late run down the flank.
Toronto has won the Canadian title four times to Montreal's three and Vancouver's one.
TFC has had Vancouver's number in previous finals, defeating the Whitecaps at the final stage from 2009 to 2012. Montreal denied Vancouver in 2013. The Whitecaps finally lifted the trophy in 2015, improving its record in the final to 1-5.
Vancouver reached this year's championship series by rallying from a 2-0 deficit to defeat Ottawa Fury FC 3-2 on aggregate in the two-leg semifinal. Toronto beat the Montreal Impact 4-2 in the other semifinal with two goals each from Osorio and Jordan Hamilton.
Tuesday's game was the second of five in 15 days for Toronto FC, who play in Orlando on Saturday. Vancouver's schedule is equally crowded. The Whitecaps play Saturday in Philadelphia.
BMO Field, meanwhile, will get a workout this week as the Toronto Argos have their home opener Thursday and Canada hosts Italy in a rugby test match Sunday.
