Toronto FC took some heat for making Sebastian Giovinco one of the league's all-time highest-paid players in January.
He's proving the club made a wise investment.
The frontrunner for the MLS MVP looks to help Toronto climb into second place in the Eastern Conference with a win over visiting Sporting Kansas City on Saturday.
Giovinco's $7.115 million base salary ranks just behind Orlando City's Kaka, whose $7.167 million is the highest in MLS history. Giovinco is putting up better numbers, though, with a league-high 16 goals while adding 10 assists, giving him direct involvement in the majority of Toronto's 36 goals.
He surpassed Dwayne De Rosario's single-season franchise record for goals after recording a hat trick in Wednesday's 4-1 win over Orlando City.
''It's special every time we get to see him play,'' coach Greg Vanney said. ''He comes up with some amazing moments.''
Giovinco is on pace to become the first player in MLS history to register at least 20 goals and 10 assists, and his stellar run has helped Toronto (9-8-4) become a contender in the East.
It can move one point ahead of New York for second place before the Red Bulls face New York City FC on Sunday. Toronto will have to play without one of its top defenders, though, as Damien Perquis will serve a mandatory one-game suspension for yellow card accumulation. Midfielder Benoit Cheyrou is suspended after committing a serious foul Wednesday.
Sporting Kansas City (9-4-7) also will have to overcome its own issues. Dom Dwyer must serve a suspension for yellow cards, but the major blow came when it received news that Roger Espinoza fractured a bone in his left leg after being recklessly tackled in last Saturday's 1-all draw with Houston.
Espinoza is expected to miss at least 10 weeks, putting his availability for the West playoffs in jeopardy should Sporting qualify.
"Roger was really coming into form, playing with a lot of confidence and getting back to the normal Roger Espinoza that we've been accustomed to seeing," captain Matt Besler said. "But it's the same old case when someone goes down. The next guy has to be ready."
Kansas City signed international midfielder Jordi Quintilla on Friday, but he won't play in this match. Coach Peter Vermes said Paulo Nagamura likely will take Espinoza's spot for now.
Sporting still has Benny Feilhaber, whose seven goals are tied with Dwyer and Krisztian Nemeth for the team lead. His 11 assists are tied for second in MLS, and he's also considered one of the top contenders for MVP.
Kansas City trails Los Angeles by three points for third in the West but has four games in hand. However, it is 1-3-3 in its last seven on the road.
Sporting has won three of the last four meetings in Toronto, though, and is 9-1-2 in the last 12 matchups overall. Dwyer scored twice in a 4-1 victory in the last meeting Aug. 16.
Toronto signed former Kansas City forward Herculez Gomez on Friday, but he won't play in this contest.
