In Toronto FC coach Greg Vanney’s ideal world, his team would always put on free-flowing, dominant performances, full of possession, outright scoring opportunities and error-free defence.
But Vanney’s ideal world also includes winning the MLS Cup, which can mean putting ideology aside to get the job done.
It meant taking a more gritty, pragmatic approach in the Reds’ Eastern Conference final win over Atlanta United FC on Wednesday. Toronto won the match to earn a spot in Sunday’s MLS Cup final against the Seattle Sounders, but no one would call it a pristine performance, not even Vanney.