TFC hammers Simcoe County in Canadian Championship

• Toronto FC 5 (Owusu 18’; Mailula 30’; Long 33’; Osorio 39’; Spicer 76'), Simcoe County Rovers 0  
• Osorio makes 350th appearance in all competitions for Reds 
• Mailula, Long score 1st goals; Dumitru debuts for senior team

TORONTO – David vs. Goliath? This more closely resembled lambs being led to slaughter.   

Toronto FC easily brushed aside semi-professional side Simcoe County Rovers by earning a 5-0 victory in the first round of the 2024 Canadian Championship at BMO Field on Wednesday.   

The reigning League1 Ontario champions were no match on this night for TFC, who received goals from Prince Owusu, Cassius Mailula, Kevin Long, Jonathan Osorio and Tyrese Spicer. The Reds advance to the next month’s quarter-finals where they’ll meet the winner of the first-round contest on May 2 between the CPL’s Halifax Wanderers FC and League1 Quebec champions CS St-Laurent.     

Close to 2,000 hometown fans made the 90-kilometre trek from Barrie, Ont., to BMO Field to cheer on Simcoe County in the faint hope of witnessing a magical cup upset. But while the modest club has lofty ambitions and some big-name owners (including Atiba Hutchinson, Janine Beckie and Cyle Larin), it doesn't come even remotely close to having the same resources as TFC.