Wednesday was a wild match. Very poorly officiated. Very tense to the finish. And, at last, some overdue victory. Best of all, it was another Voyageurs cup and some more bitching and moaning from the Wet Coast. Ahhh sweet music.

For me, the charm of the evening was set when I watched Doneil Henry be the first over the ad boards to hug the supporters in the south stands after the game. A few minutes later, he wandered up to the north-west end and picked up a scarf that was tossed to him. He responded by walking over and passing his game jersey up into the stands. It topped off a great game for him.

Tomorrow, TFC will have to find some mojo to match their cup competitiveness. They need to step out on BMO Field tomorrow and demolish the Philadelphia Union. They need to get out and take on the struggling Union the way they took on the charging Whitecaps.

Win or lose Saturday, it would be nice to see TFC play that high-tempo game. It would be nice to see them put the same kind of effort in that has earned them the Canadian title again. This should be the week that Toronto FC turn the corner on their MLS fortunes. I’m feeling like back to back victories might finally put the bounce back in the Reds’ step.

Ad tedium

There’s really nothing left to say about the horrendous 9 game losing streak. It sucks. The fans hate it. The players hate it. Management hates it.

The press, though, love it. The story writes itself. The haters also love it, ironically, because it gives them the spotlight and they get to do what they love – spew bile.

The rest of us get to dwell in our dark feelings, the sad mix of humiliation, anger, impotence and depression. Could it get worse?

This week we got to have fun with the hyperbole that spilled from frustrated mouths on the TFC roster. Danny K. pronounced the Reds the worst team in the world. Milos K. responded by calling them the best team in the world. Everyone else shrugged. Some folks tried to make it a story… or even a debate. It’s just not worthy.

Does it matter either way? A turnaround, even an amazing one with 15 wins out of the remaining 20 matches in the MLS season, would still leave Toronto FC on the margins of the cut-off for the post-season. Lots of people will be unhappy unless Winter can lead this team into the playoffs as he pledged for the year. Sorry, but it probably won’t happen now. There is a mathematical chance, of course, but that would really be a miracle.

A pot to piss in

Lo and behold, there’s still something to get excited about in 2012. Toronto FC just need to field their cup competition alter egos and seize the Canadian Championship. Tonight’s game is the biggest one of this season (despite all the other occasions so far bearing this label).

Let’s all say it together: if they only win one match against MLS competitors all season, please let it be this one.

Then the Reds would have something – an AmCan to love and to cherish and to call George for another year.

One hurdle remains. And this Toronto FC seems to have lost their home edge. However much the players and management talk about their home field inspiration, the results so far suggest the pressure to satisfy us is too great for them.

The Reds since Koevermanns and Frings arrived have often played better on the road. They proved it with last week’s contest in a cup competition against the Whitecaps. Eric Hassli’s spectacular volley in extra time was the last straw Vancouver could grab. They were lucky in my opinion, because TFC really played a good match.

Tonight, I hope to be proven wrong. Tonight, this floundering team could wipe away a lot of the pain and misery we’ve all shared.

Rise up and be heard. And c’mon you Reds. Take that hardware and let Vancouver answer the press tomorrow.