Whether or not you believe in any particular deity, ghosts, talismans or luck, you couldn’t shake the feeling that some greater power had an influence over the deciding game of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship.

Make it three for Toronto FC. The Reds recorded a 2-1 win over Vancouver Whitecaps FC Saturday in the second leg of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship final, giving TFC a 3-2 aggregate victory in the tournament and their third consecutive Voyageurs Cup.

Nick Soolsma's 54th-minute penalty kick cinched a 1-0 win for Toronto FC over the Vancouver Whitecaps on Wednesday night at BMO Field in a game that served as a dress rehearsal for Saturday's Nutrilite Canadian Championship final between these same two teams. At least, the Whitecaps saw it as a dress rehearsal. With several regulars left on the bench, it was clear that Vancouver was already looking ahead to the weekend.

TFC offered very little resistance up in the first half. RSL owned the midfield, and outside of a few counterattacking chances, Toronto lacked any real possession. On the night, the Reds garnered less than 30 per cent possession — which is seldom seen by any club.

Despite playing almost the entire second half with an extra man, Toronto couldn't score against the 10-man Rave Green side. Then, in yet another crushing late-game blow, Fredy Montero converted a free kick to give Seattle the 1-0 victory. "It's incredible that we have lost the game that we deserved to win. We played very well and in the end we gave it away," said TFC head coach Aron Winter. "It's hard that we lost since we deserved more than defeat."

Ecuador coach Reinaldo Rueda left a parting gift for the soccer fans in Toronto. Joao Plata, that is. Toronto FC confirmed today that Plata will not travel with his national team to New York City, where it faces Greece June 7.

“We specifically went to attract a South American team and we thought that Ecuador physically, beside the obvious style of play, would match against the sort of opposition that we would have to play,” said national-team coach Stephen Hart.

Toronto FC's busiest stretch of the season came is finally over, but if the Reds had a choice, they'd want to take the pitch again tomorrow to get the bad taste of Saturday's result out of their mouths. TFC allowed a franchise-worst six goals in a 6-2 loss to the Philadelphia Union and, incredibly, the scoreline may have flattered the Reds given all their defensive breakdowns. "It was humiliating," said Toronto head coach Aron Winter.

"The match is abandoned this evening," said CSA General Secretary Peter Montopoli. "We were in a position to try to have the match played this evening but once we got to that position, being on the field, the referee decided that the pitch is not playable. "The regulations are very clear. The match will be replayed in its entirety tomorrow at 11 a.m., here at BMO Field. We start from zero time."

Toronto FC’s won’t lose Joao Plata for quite as long as originally feared. The club announced before Sunday’s 0-0 draw at Colorado that the Ecuadorean rookie midfielder would only be available for two of his country’s three pre-Copa America friendlies in the coming weeks. He’ll be eligible to face Canada at BMO Field June 1 and Greece in New York June 7. But he won’t be released for the May 28 friendly against Mexico in Seattle.