Trillium Cup

Trillium Cup

File:Trillium Cup logo.jpg
Teams	Columbus Crew SC Toronto FC
First meeting	2008
Latest meeting	Oct 17, 2015 (Columbus 2–0 Toronto)
Statistics
All-time series	6–2 (Columbus)

The Trillium Cup is an annual, two-team rivalry between Columbus Crew SC 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 a soccer-specific stadium. 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 B. 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.

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	Agg. Score
2008	Columbus Crew	3:1
2009	Columbus Crew	5:4
2010	Columbus Crew	4:2
2011	Toronto FC	5:3
2012	Columbus Crew	5:2
2013	Columbus Crew	4:2
2014	Toronto FC	8:4
2015	Columbus Crew SC	7:3

File:Trillium cernuum.jpg

A Trillium, the provincial flower of Ontario and the state wildflower of Ohio

Series Results

Columbus victories are shaded ██ yellow. Toronto FC victories are shaded ██ red. Draws are white.

Trillium Cup by year			Individual results
Year	Winner	Agg. Score	Venue	Date	Score		References
					Columbus	Toronto
2008	Columbus Crew	3-1	Columbus Crew Stadium	March 29, 2008	2	0
			BMO Field	May 17, 2008	0	0
			BMO Field	September 13, 2008	1	1
2009	Columbus Crew	5–4	Columbus Crew Stadium	March 28, 2009	1	1
			BMO Field	May 2, 2009	1	1
			Columbus Crew Stadium	July 25, 2009	3	2
2010	Columbus Crew	4–2	Columbus Crew Stadium	March 27, 2010	2	0
			BMO Field	October 16, 2010	2	2
2011	Toronto FC	5-3	BMO Field	April 23, 2011	1	1
			Columbus Crew Stadium	September 10, 2011	2	4
2012	Columbus Crew	5-2	BMO Field	March 31, 2012	1	0
			Columbus Crew Stadium	August 22, 2012	2	1
			Columbus Crew Stadium	October 28, 2012	2	1
2013	Columbus Crew	4-2	BMO Field	May 18, 2013	1	0
			BMO Field	July 27, 2013	1	2
			Columbus Crew Stadium	August 17, 2013	2	0
2014	Toronto FC	8-4	Columbus Crew Stadium	April 5, 2014	0	2
			BMO Field	May 31, 2014	2	3
			Columbus Crew Stadium	August 9, 2014	2	3
2015	Columbus Crew SC	7-3	MAPFRE Stadium	March 14, 2015	2	0
			MAPFRE Stadium	July 25, 2015	3	3
			BMO Field	October 17, 2015	2	0

+ Points based on Wins (3), Ties (1) & Losses (0)
– Tiebreakers: 1) Away Goals For, 2) Goal Differential, 3) Previous Year Winners

See also

• Lamar Hunt Pioneer Cup, a preseason match played between FC Dallas and Columbus Crew
• MLS rivalry cups
• Columbus Crew
• Toronto FC