Giovinco scores twice as Toronto FC fends off Orlando City

Sebastian Giovinco scored two first-half goals and Toronto FC hung on for a 2-1 victory Wednesday that snapped Orlando City's four-game win streak.

The visitors, who offered little in the first half, were revitalized by Kaka's goal just before the break and came out strong in the second. Suddenly Toronto was on the back foot before a BMO Field crowd of 25,200.

Toronto (4-1-4) switched formation to a back four late in the game to blunt the Orlando attack and stretch its run of wins to three in Greg Vanney's 100th game (42-36-22) in charge.

Orlando (6-2-0) arrived with the best record in Major League Soccer and riding a four-game win streak during which it had outscored its opposition 7-1.

After a slow start to the season, Giovinco now has five goals — with a pair of two-goal performances in the last three games. Spanish playmaker Victor Vazquez, meanwhile, notched his sixth assist of the season.

Giovinco and strike partner Jozy Altidore have accounted for 10 of Toronto 14 goals this season.

Kaka, with his second goal in as many games after missing five matches with a hamstring injury, started the Orlando comeback in first-half stoppage time. Canadian Cyle Larin had chances to add to that total but was unable to convert two excellent chances.

Toronto goalkeeper Alex Bono prevented a tying goal in the 59th minute, somehow diving to claw the ball back before it crossed the goal-line after Larin got a foot to a Carlos Rivas cross.

Larin then misfired in the 67th, somehow unable to get solid contact on another Rivas cross that dropped perfectly for him.

It was a matchup of Eastern powerhouses, who came into the game with just one loss each (to Columbus). But Orlando had taken 18 of a possible 21 points while Toronto, thanks to four ties, had collected just 13 of 24 available.

Toronto scored on its first shot.