Toronto sports fans know by now that things tend to work out in a particularly soul-crushing way for their beloved teams.
When ex-hometown players return to Hogtown in big games, they're usually the ones making the decisive contributions for the visiting side, whether it's Vince Carter torching the Raptors, Mats Sundin getting a shootout winner against the Leafs, or even Toronto-born Andy Williams scoring for Jamaica in a World Cup qualifier at BMO Field a few years back.
So before the TFC/Galaxy showdown on Wednesday night, it seemed certain that one of the multiple ex-Reds on L.A.'s roster would be the one to break their former fans' hearts. Would it be Edson Buddle? Chad Barrett? Todd Dunivant? Maybe even Andy Boyens?
But of course, it was none of them. Of course, it was another rightful target of Torontonians' scorn. Of course... as it had to be... it was Landon bloody Donovan.
[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
I say "rightful target" because, in Canadians' warped sense of self-identification, a person is asking for derision if they are a) good at what they do and 
American. Also, in a few drunken Canadians' warped sense of reality, a person is asking for aluminum projectiles to be hurled at them if they are a) David Beckham.
By the time that shameful display came to pass, in the 89th minute, you knew that the cosmic dispensers of karma wouldn't look kindly upon Toronto. You knew that corner would find its way into the back of the net somehow, coming as it did at the end of 40 minutes of sustained pressure from the Galaxy's stacked lineup.
But why, karma dispensers... why did it have to be Landycakes?
Or, perhaps... have the karma dispensers done Canadian fans a favour?
Toronto FC fans -- and the franchise, on their behalf -- have certainly been guilty of plenty of navel-gazing over the last five seasons. The unquantifiable claims of "best fans in the league" rang hollower year over year, with Seattle and Portland joining the MLS family while the empty seats at BMO Field became more and more noticeable.
Proponents of playing the Champions League clash at Rogers Centre had hoped that such an occasion would give the team and the fanbase a shot in the arm, that it would be an event that could revitalize support and recapture some of the magic from the team's first season in 2007.
And boy, did it ever.
The tifo displays, the streamer shower (pre-game, not onto Beckham's head) and the sheer volume reminded everyone in attendance -- and anyone watching on television -- of the passion that exists for the sport within the city. The result, of course, didn't go quite as hoped, but even then, it fits into a recognizable Toronto sports fan narrative: "Dammit. Ah well, we'll get 'em next time."
When will that "next time" be? Well, the next time a red-clad hometown team gets to square off against that dirty scoundrel Landon Donovan is... Canada v. the USA, June 3 at BMO Field.
It's a bit of leap to think that fans for whom Wednesday represented their first soccer experience will desperately be clamouring for a shot at revenge against Donovan, and scoop up men's national team tickets in the process. But such a spectacle as last night certainly couldn't have hurt their impression of the sport, or of supporting local soccer.
Let's say attendance really was 47,000 on Wednesday. It seems legit. Nearly all decked out in red, supporting the good guys. Let's be generous and, off the top, take out half who either can't make it to World Cup qualifiers due to scheduling, or who were really only at TFC/LA as a one-off. Now, let's be extremely generous and say 5,000 people were just there to see, ugh, David Beckham.
That still leaves 17,500 people. That's nearly capacity at BMO Field.
Ticket prices are very reasonable for Canada's games this summer. Buy tickets to all four games (friendly v. USA, qualifiers v. Honduras, Panama, Cuba) in the most expensive seats in house, and they average out to less than $40 a pop.
The atmosphere at the Rogers Centre was surely something rare and special. If you live anywhere near Toronto and want to be a part of something just as rare and special, you have your chance this year. Support this country, against our biggest rival, and then in a trio of crucial World Cup qualifiers. Make yourself heard and seen, and be a part of something special.
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