Trillium Cup
Encyclopedia
The Trillium Cup is an annual, two-team rivalry between the Columbus Crew
and Toronto FC
(TFC) of Major League Soccer
(MLS). The Trillium Cup is named after the trillium
, which is both the official flower of the Canadian province of Ontario
, and the official wildflower of the U.S. state of Ohio
. The rivalries draw on the team's similarities: two teams are geographically near the Great Lakes that border the United States
and Canada
and both teams also play in soccer-specific stadium
that have been built in the central city, as opposed to other MLS clubs that have built their stadium mainly in the suburbs. The cup is awarded to the team that wins the most points from the series at the season's end. In the event of a draw on points, the first tiebreak is determined by the away goals rule
, then by the team with the largest overall goal differential at the conclusion of the match.
The Trillium Cup was instituted in 2008, the second season of Toronto FC's play in MLS. The inaugural game of the Trillium Cup was played on March 29, 2008 at Columbus Crew Stadium
.
The initial rivalry between the Trillium teams was supported by the mayors of the respective cities. In 2008, Mayor Michael Coleman
of Columbus and Mayor David Miller
of Toronto started a small wager
on their respective team for the first installment of the Trillium Cup - the mayor of the losing team was required to wear the winning team's jersey.
The rivalry became more intense when TFC fans bought 2,500 tickets to the inaugural game at Columbus Crew Stadium
, with buses organized for fans from Toronto heading to Columbus for the first game on March 29, 2008. The Crew won 2-0 over their new rival. The second and third meetings, at Toronto's BMO Field
, were ties; 0-0 and 1-1, respectively. The Crew claimed the inaugural Trillium Cup with a 5:2 score on points earned.
As of the end of the 2010 MLS season, the result of the rivalry has been somewhat one sided. The Columbus Crew happen to be the only MLS team that Toronto FC has never defeated, with a record since joining the MLS in 2007 of 0 wins, 5 losses and 6 ties in their matches with Columbus (0-3-5 since the 2008 start of the Trillium Cup).
In 2011, Toronto FC defeated Columbus 4-2, recording their first ever win against the Crew and securing their first Trillium Cup.
+ Points based on Wins (3), Ties (1) & Losses (0)
- Tiebreakers: 1) Away Goals For, 2) Goal Differential, 3) Previous Year Winners
2010
2009
2008
Columbus Crew
The Columbus Crew is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
and Toronto FC
Toronto FC
Toronto FC is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada....
(TFC) of Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
(MLS). The Trillium Cup is named after the trillium
Trillium
Trillium is a genus of about 40–50 species of spring ephemeral perennials, native to temperate regions of North America and Asia....
, which is both the official flower of the Canadian province of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, and the official wildflower of the U.S. state of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. The rivalries draw on the team's similarities: two teams are geographically near the Great Lakes that border the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and both teams also play in soccer-specific stadium
Soccer-specific stadium
Soccer-specific stadium is a term used mainly in the United States, Canada, Australia and South Korea coined by Lamar Hunt, to refer to a sports stadium either purpose built or fundamentally redesigned for soccer and whose primary function is to host soccer matches, as opposed to a multipurpose...
that have been built in the central city, as opposed to other MLS clubs that have built their stadium mainly in the suburbs. The cup is awarded to the team that wins the most points from the series at the season's end. In the event of a draw on points, the first tiebreak is determined by the away goals rule
Away goals rule
The away goals rule is a method of breaking ties in association football and other sports when teams play each other twice, once at each team's home ground. By the away goals rule, the team that has scored more goals "away from home" will win if scores are otherwise equal...
, then by the team with the largest overall goal differential at the conclusion of the match.
The Trillium Cup was instituted in 2008, the second season of Toronto FC's play in MLS. The inaugural game of the Trillium Cup was played on March 29, 2008 at Columbus Crew Stadium
Columbus Crew Stadium
Columbus Crew Stadium is a soccer-specific stadium in Columbus, Ohio and the home stadium of Major League Soccer club, Columbus Crew. Built in 1999, Crew Stadium was the first soccer-specific stadium built for a professional soccer team in the second pro era of American soccer...
.
The initial rivalry between the Trillium teams was supported by the mayors of the respective cities. In 2008, Mayor Michael Coleman
Michael Coleman
Michael Coleman may refer to:*Michael Coleman , Canadian performer, voice of numerous anime characters*Michael Coleman , English writer of books for children and young adults; candidate for the 1996 Carnegie Medal...
of Columbus and Mayor David Miller
David Miller (Canadian politician)
David Raymond Miller is a Canadian politician. He was the 63rd Mayor of Toronto and the second since the 1998 amalgamation. He was elected to the position in 2003 for a three-year term and re-elected in 2006 for a four-year term...
of Toronto started a small wager
Friendly political wager
A friendly political wager is a largely symbolic wager made between politicians representing two cities or areas on the outcome of an important sports contest between teams representing those same two cities or areas. These wagers are most commonly made on the results of playoffs in the National...
on their respective team for the first installment of the Trillium Cup - the mayor of the losing team was required to wear the winning team's jersey.
The rivalry became more intense when TFC fans bought 2,500 tickets to the inaugural game at Columbus Crew Stadium
Columbus Crew Stadium
Columbus Crew Stadium is a soccer-specific stadium in Columbus, Ohio and the home stadium of Major League Soccer club, Columbus Crew. Built in 1999, Crew Stadium was the first soccer-specific stadium built for a professional soccer team in the second pro era of American soccer...
, with buses organized for fans from Toronto heading to Columbus for the first game on March 29, 2008. The Crew won 2-0 over their new rival. The second and third meetings, at Toronto's BMO Field
BMO Field
BMO Field is a Canadian soccer stadium located in Exhibition Place in the city of Toronto. The open-air structure can seat up to 21,800 spectators, depending on seating configurations. It is owned by the City of Toronto, and managed by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd...
, were ties; 0-0 and 1-1, respectively. The Crew claimed the inaugural Trillium Cup with a 5:2 score on points earned.
As of the end of the 2010 MLS season, the result of the rivalry has been somewhat one sided. The Columbus Crew happen to be the only MLS team that Toronto FC has never defeated, with a record since joining the MLS in 2007 of 0 wins, 5 losses and 6 ties in their matches with Columbus (0-3-5 since the 2008 start of the Trillium Cup).
In 2011, Toronto FC defeated Columbus 4-2, recording their first ever win against the Crew and securing their first Trillium Cup.
Winners by year
| Year | Winner | Score +- |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Toronto FC | 4:1 |
| 2010 | Columbus Crew | 4:1 |
| 2009 | Columbus Crew | 5:2 |
| 2008 | Columbus Crew | 5:2 |
+ Points based on Wins (3), Ties (1) & Losses (0)
- Tiebreakers: 1) Away Goals For, 2) Goal Differential, 3) Previous Year Winners
Series Results
2011| Venue | Date | CLB score | TFC score |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMO Field BMO Field BMO Field is a Canadian soccer stadium located in Exhibition Place in the city of Toronto. The open-air structure can seat up to 21,800 spectators, depending on seating configurations. It is owned by the City of Toronto, and managed by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd... |
23 April | 1 | 1 |
| Columbus Crew Stadium Columbus Crew Stadium Columbus Crew Stadium is a soccer-specific stadium in Columbus, Ohio and the home stadium of Major League Soccer club, Columbus Crew. Built in 1999, Crew Stadium was the first soccer-specific stadium built for a professional soccer team in the second pro era of American soccer... |
10 September | 2 | 4 |
2010
| Venue | Date | CLB score | TFC score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus Crew Stadium Columbus Crew Stadium Columbus Crew Stadium is a soccer-specific stadium in Columbus, Ohio and the home stadium of Major League Soccer club, Columbus Crew. Built in 1999, Crew Stadium was the first soccer-specific stadium built for a professional soccer team in the second pro era of American soccer... |
27 March | 2 | 0 |
| BMO Field BMO Field BMO Field is a Canadian soccer stadium located in Exhibition Place in the city of Toronto. The open-air structure can seat up to 21,800 spectators, depending on seating configurations. It is owned by the City of Toronto, and managed by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd... |
16 October | 2 | 2 |
2009
| Venue | Date | CLB score | TFC score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus Crew Stadium Columbus Crew Stadium Columbus Crew Stadium is a soccer-specific stadium in Columbus, Ohio and the home stadium of Major League Soccer club, Columbus Crew. Built in 1999, Crew Stadium was the first soccer-specific stadium built for a professional soccer team in the second pro era of American soccer... |
28 March | 1 | 1 |
| BMO Field BMO Field BMO Field is a Canadian soccer stadium located in Exhibition Place in the city of Toronto. The open-air structure can seat up to 21,800 spectators, depending on seating configurations. It is owned by the City of Toronto, and managed by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd... |
2 May | 1 | 1 |
| Columbus Crew Stadium Columbus Crew Stadium Columbus Crew Stadium is a soccer-specific stadium in Columbus, Ohio and the home stadium of Major League Soccer club, Columbus Crew. Built in 1999, Crew Stadium was the first soccer-specific stadium built for a professional soccer team in the second pro era of American soccer... |
25 July | 3 | 2 |
2008
| Venue | Date | CLB score | TFC score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus Crew Stadium Columbus Crew Stadium Columbus Crew Stadium is a soccer-specific stadium in Columbus, Ohio and the home stadium of Major League Soccer club, Columbus Crew. Built in 1999, Crew Stadium was the first soccer-specific stadium built for a professional soccer team in the second pro era of American soccer... |
29 March | 2 | 0 |
| BMO Field BMO Field BMO Field is a Canadian soccer stadium located in Exhibition Place in the city of Toronto. The open-air structure can seat up to 21,800 spectators, depending on seating configurations. It is owned by the City of Toronto, and managed by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd... |
17 May | 0 | 0 |
| BMO Field BMO Field BMO Field is a Canadian soccer stadium located in Exhibition Place in the city of Toronto. The open-air structure can seat up to 21,800 spectators, depending on seating configurations. It is owned by the City of Toronto, and managed by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd... |
13 September | 1 | 1 |
See Also
- Lamar Hunt Pioneer CupLamar Hunt Pioneer CupThe Lamar Hunt Pioneer Cup is a Major League Soccer series between FC Dallas and the Columbus Crew. Named after the late Lamar Hunt, one of the league's major investors and a key supporter of American soccer, the series is contested between the two teams still owned by the Hunt Sports Group...
, a preseason match played between FC DallasFC DallasFC Dallas is an American professional soccer club based in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, Texas which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
and Columbus Crew - MLS rivalry cups
- Columbus CrewColumbus CrewThe Columbus Crew is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
- Toronto FCToronto FCToronto FC is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada....