TORONTO – For all the threats that Toronto FC possess, one has been particularly fearsome of late, and was crucial to arguably the greatest goal in club history.
Sebastian Giovinco looming over a free-kick. Jozy Altidore surging in on goal. Victor Vazquez, head up, on the ball and thinking fast. Justin Morrow arriving at the back-post from nowhere.
TFC has plenty of ways to frighten opponents, but in recent weeks, few have been as devastating as Steven Beitashour shaping to deliver a cross from his right wing-back position.
Beitashour has racked up three assists since coming on in the 71st minute against the Montreal Impact on August 27. Three assists in 109 minutes to be precise.
“I'm just glad that we're winning. That's the most important thing,” said Beitashour on Tuesday when asked about his torrid pace in the midst of this five-game winning streak and 10-game unbeaten run. “We want to win, keep the clean sheet on the other end.”
Against his former club, the San Jose Earthquakes, on Saturday, Beitashour twice picked up his head and delivered the helper, first to Victor Vazquez in the 26th minute to open the scoring, then, in the 64th minute, to Jozy Altidore, who added the third in a 4-0 rout at BMO Field.
“I enjoy crossing the ball; it's something I've worked on since I got into the league,” explained Beitashour. “Any time I get an opportunity to serve the ball in I try to put it in a good spot for the guys.”
“A lot of credit to them for finishing it off,” continued Beitashour. “On the Victor one, he had a great touch and composure to bring that down, not lose it in the sun. And Jozy, he loves that one at the back-post; great job putting the ball back where it came from, finishing the chance.”
With five assists on the season, two shy of a career best set in 2011 with the Quakes, Beitashour is reminding all that he can rack up offensive numbers with the best of them, putting that devastating injury behind him in the process.
Few in his career, however, would have been as lovely as the one against Montreal, wiping the smiles off the faces of the Impact fans seconds after Ignacio Piatti had pulled one back and breathed a faint hope into a last-second comeback.
Beitashour sailed a ball to the back-post, where Giovinco met it as sweet as can be, driving a volley through the legs of Evan Bush for added effect.
“A world-class finish. The level of difficulty,” marvelled Beitashour. “Any time you see him with a little bit of space, you try to put it in a dangerous spot. The fact he pulls that off is amazing.”
And nobody can forget that it was Beitashour who sent the ball towards Benoit Cheyrou last November that tipped the tide in TFC's direction against the Impact in the epic Eastern Conference Final.
“We had a good spell of possession... It's really a team effort,” recalled Beitashour a few days later, crediting Altidore for his hold up play, as well as Justin Morrow and Michael Bradley for working the ball over to his side. “And Benoit, what a finish by him. His first or second touch of the game. What a way to come on and make an impact.”
His job is to get the ball to where it needs to be. When he does, does Beitashour get the chance to relish his handiwork?
“It depends,” smiled Beitashour. “Depends on what's going on around you. You tend to, kind of like a golf shot, see it through. I was able to watch all three of those which is nice.”
