By Canadian Press

Toronto FC scores late to end Halifax title hopes in Canadian Championship soccer

May 24, 2022 | 7:28 PM

HALIFAX — The chanting and cheering could be heard blocks away Tuesday night, but the sounds of a sold-out hometown crowd couldn’t drown out the pain of a late 2-1 loss for the HFX Wanderers in their Canadian Championship quarterfinal match against Toronto FC.

It was the first meeting between the Canadian Premier League Wanderers and their Major League Soccer opponents.

The 6,500 fans who filled the Wanderers Grounds in the heart of downtown Halifax could perhaps take some solace, though, in the fact that Nova Scotia native Jacob Shaffelburg of Port Williams slid the winning pass to Jonathan Osorio, who put Toronto past the goal line and into Canadian Championship semifinals.

Shaffelburg had been sidelined due to a lower-body injury for five matches but was brought in off the bench midway through the second half to bolster Toronto’s offence.

The Wanderers held their own against the established MLS club, with Toronto unable to get on the scoreboard until the 55th minute when Jordan Perruzza’s header found net.

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Halifax’s lone goal came 69 minutes in from forward Samuel Salter, who caught Toronto goalkeeper Quentin Wester off guard with a low shot into the corner to tie the game, bringing fans to their feet as blue smoke exploded on the exterior of the pitch.

The crowd remained standing as time ticked away, with both sides creating solid chances, but it was Osorio with the final goal of the night, putting it high past Halifax goalkeeper Christian Oxner in the 87th minute toadvance Toronto FC in the Canadian Championship, a tournament featuring a combination of 13 professional and semi-pro teams.

The much-anticipated match for Nova Scotia’s soccer fans was also only the second time in Wanderers history that they’ve hosted an MLS  club. The first was a 3-1 loss to CF Montreal in last year’s Canadian Championship play.

Halifax finishes a four-match homestand this June 4 against York United FC in CPL action, while Toronto hosts the Chicago Fire this Saturday and then continues its journey to a potential eighth Voyageurs Cup — and Canada’s coveted berth into the CONCACAF Champions League.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 24, 2022

Kristen Lipscombe, The Canadian Press