There are a lot of people in and around the United States who do not care for Toronto FC striker Jozy Altidore. Sacha Kljestan is one. Several of them even work here at the18 dot com. However, anyone who watched the Toronto FC-Columbus Crew MLS Cup semifinal has to appreciate Altidore's work during the series, namely keeping us from having to watch any more of it.
A few minutes into the second half of the second leg in Toronto Wednesday, Altidore limped off and it looked like he wouldn't return. The ghost of Willis Reed or Curt Schilling or Paul Pierce or whoever intervened, and Altidore limped back on the field. And then he scored.
51st minute: Jozy Altidore limps off injured
60th minute: Jozy Altidore scores the goal that's sending Toronto FC to the MLS Cup pic.twitter.com/ZZO2xqiYzk— ESPN (@espn) November 30, 2017
That Giovinco hold-up/backheel to spring the move was just perfect bless that little man.
I, for one, am not sure I could have made it through 30 more minutes of Toronto and Columbus "feeling each other out." So thank you, Jozy Altidore. I appreciate you, at least.