Giovinco golazo helps Toronto FC knock off Tigres on away goals in CCL

Sebastian Giovinco's stunning free kick helped seal a Toronto FC win over Tigres on away goals after the MLS side lost its CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal second leg 3-2 in a 4-4 aggregate finish.

Toronto FC went into the match with a slight advantage following a come-from-behind 2-1 win at BMO field last Wednesday and the team took the field against a full-strength Tigres side looking to overturn the deficit.

Neither side had much luck breaking the other down until Tigres had a close-range chance by Jesus Duenas from an Andre-Pierre Gignac pass swept off the line by Toronto's Chris Mavinga.

Alex Bono then did well to get a foot on a Gignac shot and poke it from harm's way after the Tigres striker had been played in behind the defense with a perfectly weighted ball over the back line.

Gignac found space down the left flank early in the second half and sent a low cross in to Eduardo Vargas, but the Chile international could only shoot tamely at Bono from close range.

Toronto then found its opener in the luckiest of ways when Giovinco's darting run and cross for Jozy Altidore bounced off Rafael Carioca and into the back of the net for an away goal and a 1-0 lead.

Tigres struck right back in the 69th minute, though, with Vargas heading the ball home from a corner and collecting it out of the net as the hosts chased an equalizer trailing 3-2 on aggregate.

But it was Greg Vanney's team that would score next as Giovinco converted a spectacular free kick to beat Nahuel Guzman after the Italian had been fouled by Hugo Ayala.

Tigres, who now needed three goals to win because of Toronto's away strikes, didn't go down without a fight and was back on level terms 84th minute when a fortuitous bounce freed Deunas in the area and his snap-shot was poked in at the far post by Gignac.

Gignac then brought the tie level from the penalty spot when Gregory Van der Wiel was whistled for handball and the France international dispatched the ensuing kick.

The win puts Toronto into the CCL semis for the second time in the club's existence after reaching the same stage in the 2011-12 edition but failing to make the final.